TEACHERS’ OPINIONS ON PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT MEASURES FOR NOVICE TEACHERS IN LATVIA

PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT MEASURES FOR NOVICE TEACHERS IN LATVIA

10.36315/2021ead26 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 321-334

Author(s):

Anda Grinfelde ◽

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Inga Vanaga ◽

Liga Paula ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Novice Teachers ◽

National Level ◽

Professional Support ◽

Capital City ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Technological Support ◽

Support Measures ◽

Service Training ◽

On Line ◽

Line Survey

Retention of novice teachers in education system is a serious problem in Latvia. Mentoring, in-service training and emotional support are crucial for novice teachersto remain and continue working in school. The aim of this research is to explore opinions of Latvian teachers about professional support measures that are available and needed to be introduced for novice teachers. The research results were obtained duringan on-line survey (N=1258) conducted by the Latvian Trade Union of Education and Science Employees in 2018, and document analysis. The questionnaire comprised the statements on methodological, financial, material and technological support which were assessed by using 5-point symmetric Likert scale. The results witness about regional disparities mainly between the capital city Riga and other regions. There are statistically significant (p<0.05) differences in opinions of the teachers representing different regions of the country. The respondents agree that there is a lack of well-structured and uniform support system for novice teachers at national level. In general, the teachers are positive about availability of an emotional supportand in-service training. The most critical opinions are about material and financial support that novice teachers can access. The authors conclude that policy makers should focus on national teachers’ support guidelines.

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SUSTAINABILITY AND UNSUSTAINABILITY ASPECTS OF INTEGRATION OF NOVICE TEACHERS IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL SETTING

SOCIETY INTEGRATION EDUCATION Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference ◽

10.17770/sie2018vol1.3243 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

pp. 632-642

Author(s):

Olena Zhukova ◽

Anita Pipere ◽

Dzintra Iliško ◽

Jeļena Badjanova

Keyword(s):

Secondary School ◽

Novice Teachers ◽

School System ◽

School Setting ◽

Quality Education ◽

Professional Support ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Preliminary Research ◽

Coherent Process ◽

To Receive

Teachers are being identified as key actors for ensuring quality education, therefore they need to receive a proper professional support during their first years of work in overcoming initial challenges. As the preliminary research indicates, support that they gain is systemic and fragmentary. The aim of the study is to explore the sustainability and unsustainability aspects of integration of novice teachers in the secondary school system. The research methods employ are semi-structured interviews with fourteen teachers on their adaptation experience in the school system, considering both obstacles and factors of success. Research indicates that novice teachers leave their work within the first three years of teaching by finding demands too high and workload sometimes unmanageable. The authors offer suggestions for a more efficient and coherent process of mentoring and professional development of novice teachers.

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A Content Analysis of Images of Novice Teacher Induction: First-Semester Themes

Journal of Educational Research and Practice ◽

10.5590/jerap.2016.06.1.04 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jennifer R Curry ◽

Angela W Webb ◽

Samantha J Latham

Keyword(s):

Content Analysis ◽

Teacher Induction ◽

Novice Teachers ◽

School Environment ◽

Novice Teacher ◽

Professional Support ◽

Education Quality ◽

Certification Program ◽

First Semester ◽

Teachers Experiences

The powerful nature of novice teachers’ experiences in their first years of teaching has been well documented. However, the variance in novices’ initial immersion in the school environment is largely dependent on perceived personal and professional support as well as the environmental inducements that lend to novice teachers’ success in the classroom. For the purposes of this study, 72 participating novices, who were participants in an alternative certification program, drew representations of their current teaching environments. Of the 72 initial participants’ pictures, 58 were used in this content analysis. The interrater analysis involving multiple documentation of codes between and among researches, revealed five themes from the novices’ pictures: (a) concerns about students, (b) overwhelmed and struggling, (c) relationships with others, (d) concerns about education quality and excessive accountability, and (e) issues with administration. Implications are provided.

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