The Transition from Student Teacher to Newly Qualified Teacher: some findings

Transcription

1 Journal of In-Service Education ISSN: (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: The Transition from Student Teacher to Newly Qualified Teacher: some findings Susan Capel To cite this article: Susan Capel (1998) The Transition from Student Teacher to Newly Qualified Teacher: some findings, Journal of In-Service Education, 4:, 9-41, DOI: / To link to this article: Published online: 19 Dec 006. Submit your article to this journal Article views: View related articles Citing articles: 6 View citing articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at Download by: [ ] Date: 0 February 016, At: :4

2 TRANSITION FROM STUDENT TO NEWLY QUALIFIED TEACHER Journal of In-service Education, Vol. 4, No., 1998 The Transition from Student Teacher to Newly Qualified Teacher: some findings SUSAN CAPEL Canterbury Christ Church College, United Kingdom Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 ABSTRACT A questionnaire was given to 49 newly qualified teachers (NQTs) at the end of their first term of teaching to assess their perceptions of their preparation for teaching and their experiences during the first term of teaching. Results showed that a number of aspects of teaching were identified by these NQTs as those which they did and did not feel well prepared for, were concerned about, both before they started their first teaching post and at the end of their first term of teaching, and/or which they felt could be covered in greater detail on their initial teacher training (ITT) course to better prepare them for their first teaching post. Overall, the results suggested that the combination of aspects of teaching identified by any one NQT were unique to that individual and resulted from a combination of personal and situational factors. Results also showed a range of different methods of support provided by schools to help NQTs during the first year of teaching. In addition, NQTs identified a number of other support mechanisms they would like as well as a range of ways of coping which they used. These results are discussed in relation to ITT, the first year of teaching and continuing professional development. Introduction It has been recognised that the transition from student to newly qualified teacher (NQT) can be difficult. It has been called a dramatic and traumatic change and even a culture or reality shock. Davison (1997) recognised that The elation you felt when you qualified as a teacher, gained your DFEE number, academic qualification and your first post might be tempered by the realisation that now you have to do it for real. The prospect of starting at a new school can create a mixture of excitement, eager anticipation and slight trepidation (p. 7). Likewise, Napper-Owen (1996) 9

3 SUSAN CAPEL Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 suggested that The first year of teaching is often the most difficult as new teachers make the transition from the preparation program to actual teaching (p. 104). It is therefore important that students are not only well prepared for their teaching role, but also prepared for the transition from student to NQT and to face the rigours of the first year of teaching. They need not only to have achieved competencies/standards required of NQTs and to know what is demanded of them as a NQT, but also to have the confidence to start work as a NQT. Studies have been undertaken of teaching problems perceived by NQTs. For example, a survey conducted by Her Majesty s Inspectors (HMI) in 199 (OFSTED, 199) to investigate the quality of NQTs performance in school and how well initial teacher training (ITT) had equipped them for their first teaching post, showed that most of the NQTs in the survey enjoyed good relationships with their pupils, and demonstrated effective class control and discipline, often where the classes themselves were difficult to manage. In 78% of lessons, the quality of planning and organisation was judged to be satisfactory, although lack of differentiation was found to be a feature of many lessons. One in three of the NQTs had some difficulty in gauging and managing the pace of their teaching for the activities planned, and in almost a quarter of lessons HMI judged the quality of work to be constrained by school factors such as the absence of clear guidelines or schemes of work. The preparation for teaching their main specialist subject was perceived to have been good or very good by 80% of the newly qualified secondary teachers in the survey. However, many of the NQTs did not consider that their training had prepared them well to assess pupils work, or that they had covered enough work on information technology and the teaching of pupils with special educational needs in their ITT course. Many NQTs were given pastoral responsibilities, but most felt only partially prepared by their ITT for this aspect of their work as a teacher. Veenman (1984) identified eight problems perceived most often by new teachers in his study: classroom discipline, motivating pupils, dealing with individual differences, assessing pupils work, relationships with parents, organisation of class work, insufficient and/or inadequate teaching materials 94

4 TRANSITION FROM STUDENT TO NEWLY QUALIFIED TEACHER Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 and supplies, and dealing with the problems of individual pupils. The survey by HMI (OFSTED, 199) also looked at how well NQTs were supported by induction. Results showed that personal support was often good and much appreciated by NQTs and that good support was provided by subject departments in the majority of secondary schools. This helped newly qualified secondary teachers to develop subject knowledge and teaching methods. They also found that most secondary schools ran induction programmes. However, HMI also found that induction was largely dependent on NQTs identifying their own needs, that the provision and effectiveness of induction programmes was variable overall, that induction did not build systematically upon ITT experiences and that schools were largely unaware of their new teachers strengths and weaknesses at the end of their ITT course. Purpose of the Study Since 199 secondary ITT in England and Wales has been school-based, with students spending a large proportion of their time in school (particularly on the one-year Post Graduate Certificate in Education [PGCE] course). Courses have also been required to focus on developing in students the professional competencies expected of NQTs (DFE/WO, 199). During the five years in which school-based courses have been run and students teaching ability measured by the achievement of specific competencies, courses have been modified and developed in light of experience of partnerships between higher education institutions (HEIs) and schools. However, there has been little information on how well these courses prepare students for their first teaching post and how well students make the transition to being a NQT. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to assess the perceptions of NQTs who had followed a school-based ITT course, of their preparation for teaching and their experiences during the first term of teaching. Methods At the end of their first term of teaching NQTs who completed the secondary PGCE course at one HEI were invited to attend a 1-day conference at the HEI in order to share their experiences with other NQTs with whom they had studied on the PGCE course, to discuss their progress as a NQT (strengths as well as concerns and difficulties), and to gather new ideas for teaching from their peers. Forty-nine NQTs who 95

5 SUSAN CAPEL Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 attended this conference in December 1995 (these students had followed the secondary PGCE course during the 1994/95 academic year) were asked to complete a questionnaire designed to identify: [ what they felt well prepared for when they started their first teaching post; [ what they did not feel well prepared for when they started their first teaching post; [ concerns after finishing their ITT course, but before starting their first teaching post; [ concerns at the end of their first term of teaching; [ any additions or changes to their ITT course which they felt would have prepared them better for teaching; [ support in school to help them during the first year of teaching; [ any other support mechanisms they would like; [ ways of coping with the first year of teaching. These 49 NQTs had trained to become a secondary school teacher in one of eight subjects: Art and Design; English; History; Mathematics; Modern Foreign Languages; Music; Religious Education; or Science (Biological Science or Physical Science). Results When they started their first teaching post, of the NQTs in this study felt well prepared for planning and preparation of lessons, 1 felt well prepared for classroom management and seven felt well prepared for teaching Key Stage pupils. Other aspects of teaching which some NQTs felt well prepared for are shown in Table I. (Note: numbers of responses to each question in the tables of results do not add up to 49 because the questionnaire comprised open-ended questions and the NQTs could include Numbermore What than NQTs one felt point well prepared in each answer.) for when they of NQTs* started their first teaching post Planning and preparation of lessons 1 Classroom management 7 Teaching Key Stage lessons 5 Sequencing of lessons 4 Subject knowledge/content 4 Planning and preparation of units/schemes of work 4 Assessment 4 Behaviour management Organisation Relationships with pupils 96

6 TRANSITION FROM STUDENT TO NEWLY QUALIFIED TEACHER Differentiation Table I. What NQTs felt prepared for when they started their first teaching post. * all tables reponses by two or more NQTs are included in each table. There were a number of responses to each question identified by one NQT. These have not been included in the tables. Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 Fifteen NQTs did not feel well prepared for teaching Key Stage 4 and GCSE work, 1 did not feel well prepared to deal with behaviour problems and 10 did not feel well prepared to be a form tutor. Other aspects of teaching which some NQTs did not feel well prepared for when they started their first Number teaching of What post NQTs are did shown not feel in Table well prepared II. for NQTs* when they started their first teaching post 15 Teaching Key Stage 4 and GCSE 1 Discipline/behaviour problems/management 10 Being a form tutor/what to do in tutor time 8 A-level teaching/assessment 6 Special educational needs 6 Teaching/assessing investigations Subject specific skills (e.g. general musicianship skills) Differentiation Pastoral care/work Classroom management Motivating unwilling pupils in the subject Paperwork Dealing with parents Teaching other subjects/teaching out of specialism Table II. What NQTs did not feel well prepared for when they started their first teaching post. After finishing their PGCE course, but before starting their first teaching post, 14 of the NQTs indicated that they had been concerned about discipline/facing difficult classes, 8 about teaching Key Stage 4 and GCSE, 7 about with coping with the workload of a teacher and seven about being accepted by/getting on with other teachers or members of department. Other concerns are identified in Table III. 97

7 SUSAN CAPEL Ten of the NQTs identified discipline as a concern at the end of their first term of teaching, seven identified teaching Key Stage 4 and GCSE and six identified career prospects. Other concerns are shown in Table IV. A number of suggestions for additions or changes to the PGCE course were made which these NQTs felt would better prepare them for teaching. Six NQTs indicated that they wanted more time spent on examination teaching, five wanted more time spent on A-level work, including assessment and four wanted more time spent on teaching Key Stage 4 and GCSE. Other additions or changes are shown in Table V. Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 Number of NQTs* Concerns of NQTs after finishing their ITT course, but before starting their first teaching post Discipline/encountering difficult classes Teaching Key Stage 4 and GCSE Coping with the workload/amount of work Being accepted by/getting on with other teachers/members of department Teaching a second subject/a subject not trained for/out of specialism Being a form tutor/pastoral role/responsibilities Motivating/interesting pupils in the subject Responsibility for the education of a class of pupils Classroom management Differentiation Aspects of career, including finding a job and living on a teacher s salary Wondering how I would get on with my pupils Special educational needs Planning A-level subject knowledge Worried that first year of teaching would be harder than PGCE year/anticipating culture shock Establishing myself quickly at a school I did not know/in the classroom Knowing staff, the system and learning school policies and routines Table III. Concerns of NQTs after finishing their ITT course, 98

8 TRANSITION FROM STUDENT TO NEWLY QUALIFIED TEACHER but before starting their first teaching post. Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 Twenty-four NQTs indicated that they had support from a mentor during the first year of teaching, indicated that support was provided through meetings of NQTs and 17 indicated that support was informal. Ten of the NQTs identified their mentor as a professional mentor, nine as a subject mentor and five did not specify who the mentor was. The meetings for NQTs were sometimes in school and sometimes organised for NQTs across a number of schools. Several NQTs identified more than one form of support. Other methods of support identified by some NQTs are shown in Table VI. Number Concerns at the end of the first term of teaching of NQTs* 10 Discipline 7 Teaching Key Stage 4 and GCSE 6 Career prospects 5 Marking 5 Workload 4 Time management Paperwork Indadequate resources (so I can cut down on time taken to prepare resources) Assessment Motivating pupils to learn Maintaining learning atmosphere in the classroom/getting pupils perform to the best of their abilities Teaching my subject to pupils with special educational needs Preparing pupils for examinations Setting differentiated tasks Knowing what is expected of me/whether I am getting it right Table IV. Concerns at the end of the first term of teaching. Six NQTs identified support for addressing specific concerns/issues as another support mechanism which they would like in the school to help them through their first year, four NQTs identified observation of lessons 99

9 SUSAN CAPEL and three NQTs identified regular meetings to discuss, concerns/issues. Other methods of support identified by some NQTs are shown in Table VII. Fourteen NQTs identified talking to people (although they did not identify who) as a way of coping with teaching, 1 NQTs identified talking to colleagues about work, seven identified meeting friends outside teaching and five spending time with family as a means of switching off from work. Other ways of coping used by some NQTs are shown in Table VIII. Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 Number of NQTs* Additions or changes to the ITT course which NQTs felt would better prepare them for teaching Examination teaching A-level work/assessment More on teaching Key Stage 4 and GCSE Voice training More on preparation of resources (e.g. overhead projector/worksheets) More time spent in different schools/observation of wider range of schools Post-16 work, including dealing with disruptive pupils post 16 Opportunity to teach another subject linked to my main subject More detailed examination of behaviour problems/difficult pupils/particular incidents of misbehaviour and how to deal with them (i.e. practice rather than theory) How to cope with cover lessons Mock interview/interview guides More on special educational needs More subject-related skills Investigation work Writing schemes of work for a year for progression Table V. Additions or changes to the ITT course which NQTs felt would better prepare them for teaching. 400

10 TRANSITION FROM STUDENT TO NEWLY QUALIFIED TEACHER AUTHOR: ITS IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO LOCATE ALL THE TABLES CLOSE TO WHERE THEY ARE MENTIONED. THIS IS THE BEST ARRANGEMENT THAT CAN BE PROVIDED Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 Number of NQTs* Support in school to help NQTs during the first year of teaching A mentor Meetings of NQTs Informal support A good head of department Regular meeting with mentor Supportive department Talk to department staff I get all the support I need if I ask Meeting with head of department Support from deputy head/senior management Supportive school Talking to other NQTs Table VI. Support in school to help NQTs during the first year of teaching. Number of NQTs* 6 4 Other support mechanisms which NQTs would like in the school to help them through their first year More effective support for addressing specific concerns/issues More observation of me and by me of other teachers Regular meetings to discuss concerns/issues Get together with NQTs (from other schools) (e.g. other PGCEs) A mentor More feedback on how I am doing/on teaching (positive) Table VII. Other support mechanisms which NQTs would like in the school to help them through their first year. 401

11 SUSAN CAPEL Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 Number of NQTs* Ways of coping used by NQTs Talking to other people (especially about problems) Talking to colleagues Meeting friends (outside teaching) Having a drink (alcohol) Spending time with my family Regular physical exercise (including aerobics classes/gym, riding my horse, swimming) Talking to my partner Reading Setting a specific time in which I do not do work Admitting when I have problems and taking specific action to deal with an issue, e.g. asking advice, asking someone to observe a lesson or thoroughly planning the next lesson Watching television Crying Hobbies/personal interests (interests outside school) Having a sense of humour/laughing Trying to switch off Table VIII. Ways of coping used by NQTs. Discussion The results of this study should be interpreted cautiously for a number of reasons: [ The sample of NQTs was small. [ The NQTs in this sample had all followed a PGCE course at one HEI in England. They had therefore followed a course with a particular structure and a particular set of experiences. Different results may be 40

12 TRANSITION FROM STUDENT TO NEWLY QUALIFIED TEACHER Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 found in a group of NQTs who have followed different ITT courses with different structures and different experiences. [ The NQTs attending the 1-day conference were a self-selecting group, who represented approximately 5% of the total secondary PGCE students in the cohort. There were many reasons why other NQTs did not attend the 1-day conference, including teaching a long distance away from the HEI or not being allowed by the school in which teaching to have the day off to attend. Other NQTs may not have been interested in the day. The perceptions of the remaining NQTs in the potential cohort may have produced different results to the study. [ The questionnaire was given to NQTs at the end of their first term of teaching. These NQTs were therefore reflecting on some of the points. It is impossible to tell whether these aspects of teaching would have been identified at the end of the PGCE course before starting their first teaching post or whether they had been identified because of the experiences of teaching in the first term of teaching in a specific school situation. Results showed that when they started their first teaching post the largest number of NQTs in this study felt well prepared for planning and preparation of lessons, classroom management and teaching Key Stage lessons. On the PGCE course, which these NQTs followed, attention is given throughout the year to the importance of planning and preparation of lessons, and students are expected to plan and prepare a large number of lessons for work in school during the course of the PGCE year. Likewise, they have ample opportunity to use classroom management skills in their teaching during the course of the year. Much of the planning and preparation and teaching during the PGCE year is with Key Stage classes, providing NQTs with confidence in teaching Key Stage lessons. However, this does have implications for confidence in teaching Key Stage 4 and GCSE classes, as identified below. The aspects of teaching identified by the NQTs in this study as those which they did not feel well prepared for at the end of the PGCE course, but before they started their first teaching post were varied. However, those aspects of teaching which were identified by the largest number of NQTs in this study teaching Key Stage 4 and GCSE, and discipline, were also identified by the largest number of NQTs as those about which they were concerned, both at the end of their PGCE course, but before they started their first teaching post and at the end of their first term of teaching. With regard to teaching Key Stage 4 and GCSE in the PGCE course, these results may be a reflection of the amount of time on the PGCE course spent on teaching Key Stage as compared to teaching Key Stage 4. Although work in the HEI 40

13 SUSAN CAPEL Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 focused both on Key Stage and Key Stage 4, more of the students time in school was spent teaching Key Stage classes. Students have more limited opportunities to teach Key Stage 4 and GCSE classes, which may be due to the reluctance of teachers to allow students to teach classes preparing for examinations and/or the focus in schools on results, particularly in the light of league tables. Some of the NQTs mentioned that there should be more included on the PGCE course on examination teaching (this may also include A-level teaching [see below]). To enable students to gain confidence in teaching at Key Stage 4 and GCSE and other examination teaching, may require there to be greater opportunities for students to observe, team teach, and/or teach Key Stage 4 and GCSE classes on school experience. However, with limited time on a 1-year ITT course to prepare students for teaching in secondary schools, greater emphasis on teaching Key Stage 4 and GCSE would result in students having less opportunity to teach Key Stage classes, which may be detrimental to their developing competence and confidence as teachers. Therefore, it may be better for schools employing NQTs to recognise and acknowledge that the NQT may have had limited experience teaching Key Stage 4 and GCSE whilst a student, and to make sure that methods of helping the NQT build confidence and feel better prepared are incorporated into induction and on-going support throughout the first year of teaching. Some NQTs in this sample also indicated that they did not feel well prepared for teaching A-level, although they did not indicate that they were concerned about this before starting their first teaching post or at the end of the first term. However, some of the NQTs in the sample did feel that there should be more included on A-level teaching/assessment in the PGCE course. One explanation for this finding could be that many of these NQTs were not expected to teach A-level classes in their first year of teaching. It would be interesting to find out if those NQTs not teaching A-level classes in their first year of teaching became more concerned about A-level teaching prior to teaching A-level classes in school. 404

14 TRANSITION FROM STUDENT TO NEWLY QUALIFIED TEACHER Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 The findings about discipline are, perhaps, surprising in light of the finding that a number of the NQTs in this study indicated that they felt well prepared for both classroom management and behaviour management when they started their first teaching post. There could be a number of reasons for this concern about discipline. As students, these NQTs had covered the theory of managing behaviour, but they may not have put that theory into practice on school experience. This may have been for several reasons, e.g. as students, the teacher was in the classroom whilst the student was teaching which influenced the behaviour of the pupils or enabled the teacher to help the student to deal with any problems that arose, they were not given difficult classes to teach therefore were protected from dealing with poorly behaved pupils or pupils with ongoing behaviour problems, therefore did not experience the full range of behaviour problems on school experience that they encountered in their first teaching post, or the pupils in the school experience school were better behaved than those in the first teaching post school. Thus, NQTs needed time to translate the theory into practice or apply their theory to a new practice situation. Other explanations could include these NQTs looking at the longer term, and therefore being concerned to establish discipline that would stand them in good stead for the academic year and future years in the school, rather than a block of time in school on school experience. The NQTs could have been finding it more difficult to cope with discipline without the support they received as students. This may be due to not having another teacher in the classroom (identified above) or to not having someone to turn to for help with any difficulty. Several of the NQTs indicated that they received markedly less support as an NQT as compared to the support they received as a PGCE student. Alternatively, these NQTs may have felt confident in classroom management but had not made a specific link between good classroom management and behaviour in the classroom. It may be that they need to be encouraged to focus more on group management skills (which) are probably the most important factor in achieving 405

15 SUSAN CAPEL Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 good standards of classroom behaviour (DSE/WO, 1989, p. 69), in order to prevent misbehaviour from occurring rather than worrying about discipline after the misbehaviour has occurred. Another explanation could be that the concern with discipline was linked to the NQTs stage of development as a teacher. Some studies of teachers concerns have suggested stages of development, with concerns about teaching changing over time as a function of experience. For example, Fuller (1969) identified early concerns about self and coping in a new environment, followed by concerns about the task of teaching, then concerns about meeting the needs of individual pupils. However, in a new situation a teacher may at first become more concerned about self and coping in that new situation, rather than about the task of teaching or meeting the needs of individual pupils. Thus, although the NQTs in this sample may have felt well prepared for classroom management and behaviour management at the end of their PGCE course, in a new situation they may have become more concerned about themselves and coping in the new situation. With this explanation, it would be expected that concern with discipline will have reduced by the end of the first year of teaching and that NQTs will become more concerned with meeting the needs of individual pupils. Finally, it may be that concern about discipline was greater than actually maintaining discipline. Although discipline was perceived to be a problem by beginning teachers in the study by Veenman (1984), HMI (OFSTED, 199) found that most NQTs demonstrated effective class control and discipline. It may be that these NQTs were concerned about discipline but in practice, used discipline/class control methods effectively. Other aspects of the work of teachers which these NQTs did not feel prepared to teach or which they were concerned about, ranged from coping and survival in a new situation (e.g. getting on with/being accepted by staff in the school, workload), to teaching skills and subject matter (e.g. teaching a second subject or a different specialism, e.g. in science), to meeting the needs of individual pupils (e.g. keeping pupils 406

16 TRANSITION FROM STUDENT TO NEWLY QUALIFIED TEACHER Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 interested, motivating pupils), to career prospects (e.g. being able to move into another post or another school). A few NQTs did not feel well prepared for, or were concerned about coping with, a specific situation in their first teaching post. For example, one NQT who indicated that she did not feel well prepared to teach mixed sex lessons had been in a single sex girls school on school experience, but was teaching in a mixed sex school as an NQT. Other NQTs did not feel well prepared for, or were concerned about coping with, the full range of responsibilities as a teacher, e.g. being a form tutor, dealing with parents, paperwork, workload, time management. Several of the NQTs who indicated that they had felt well prepared for a specific aspect of their teaching (in particular planning or managing behaviour) indicated that, in practice, they did not cope as well as they thought they would. There could be a number of different explanations for this, depending on the specific aspect of teaching, the person and the situation. For example, some of the NQTs who indicated that they felt well prepared to plan and prepare lessons at the end of their PGCE course, identified the need for more help with planning for differentiation when they started their first teaching post. One explanation for this could be the increasing ability of developing teachers to recognise the needs of individual pupils and, hence, to be concerned about planning for differentiating their lesson to meet their individual needs (see stages of development above). On the other hand, several of the NQTs indicated that they felt they coped better than expected with a particular aspect of teaching for which they had not felt well prepared. Others indicated that they were still learning to cope. Several NQTs indicated that whatever they did not feel well prepared to teach, whatever concerns they had, or how well they were actually doing in practice, they felt that they had to cope with the situation. This could have been because the support they received as NQTs was markedly less than the support they received as PGCE students, because they felt they were expected to cope or because they felt that other teachers 407

17 SUSAN CAPEL Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 expected them to be coping unless they asked for help, but they did not want to trouble other busy teachers with their concerns. Thus, perceptions of being well prepared or otherwise for a specific teaching situation did not always match practice in terms of ability to cope when the NQT started teaching. This should be recognised by staff in NQTs first teaching post schools in providing support for NQTs. These results showed the complexity of learning to teach and the uniqueness of that learning for each individual NQT. The range of aspects of teaching identified as possible additions or changes to the ITT course to prepare students better for teaching was also broad. It is important to clarify why students do not feel well prepared for, or are concerned about, an aspect of teaching and why specific additions and changes to the course are identified. Whilst it is important that skills required for effective teaching are addressed on ITT courses and students are provided with underpinning theory to support their developing practice as teachers, individual needs of students must also be addressed. Whilst it is difficult to make changes to an already crowded PGCE year, consideration should be given as to how structures can be developed on PGCE courses that further encourage and support students in addressing their own individual needs, based on them identifying their strengths and weaknesses. This may include providing situations and more explicit encouragement for students to share their experiences and help each other, to develop the range of opportunities provided to enable students to experience as many different situations as possible and to promote further the development of reflective abilities. Although a PGCE course provides students with experiences as near as possible to those of a teacher, it cannot provide the full range of experiences, nor the full picture of life as a teacher, Hence, it is also important that schools are fully aware that for NQTs undertaking the full range of responsibilities as a teacher, there are aspects of the teacher s role with which NQTs will have had relatively little experience, e.g. being a form tutor, dealing with parents, dealing with all the 408

18 TRANSITION FROM STUDENT TO NEWLY QUALIFIED TEACHER Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 paperwork required of teachers. Thus, it suggests that schools should recognise that NQTs need guidance in addressing these aspects of the full role of a teacher, and provide support in overcoming any apprehensiveness or anxiety about their ability to cope with these aspects of work as a teacher, the full workload of a teacher or being able to manage their time effectively to meet the demands of a full teaching post. Thus, first teaching post schools should provide support both in induction and throughout the first year in order to address these concerns. A range of methods of support were identified by these NQTs in their first year indeed, some NQTs identified a number of means of support. Twenty-four of the NQTs (approximately one-half of the respondents) identified a mentor as a means of support and identified meetings of NQTs. Seventeen of the NQTs in this study indicated that support was informal and some NQTs identified a supportive school or department which suggests positive informal support. Some of the NQTs identified that help or support was available if they asked for it, but teachers did not know what help was needed until they asked for help or presumed they were coping all right unless they asked. Worryingly, though, a few NQTs indicated that they had very little or no support, that they did not feel able to ask for help or that they felt under pressure to cope without extra help. A number of NQTs identified other support mechanisms which they felt would help them through their first year of teaching. Although a range of mechanisms for coping during the first year were identified, the largest number of NQTs coped by talking to other people, either in or outside of school. Although ways of coping are very personal, therefore each NQT needs to identify suitable coping mechanisms, it suggests that formal mechanisms for talking to colleagues (e.g. through the naming of a mentor) may be useful in helping NQTs to cope with the transition to teaching and the first year of teaching. Although there is an expectation that schools will provide induction and on-going support for NQTs in their first year, 409

19 SUSAN CAPEL Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 this did not seem to be provided for all the NQTs in this sample (although it should be recognised that the schools in which these NQTs taught had enabled them to attend the 1-day conference at the HEI, therefore had provided some support). Results of this study support some of the findings by HMI (OFSTED, 199), for example, that personal support was often good, that good support was provided by subject departments in the majority of secondary schools, but that induction was largely dependent on NQTs identifying their own needs. In order to provide better induction and support for all NQTs, more consistency would seem to be needed across schools. Developments by the Teacher Training Agency, such as the Career Entry Profile, the requirement for schools to provide induction for NQTs, and more structured continued professional development should help to increase consistency and provide support for all NQTs in school. Consideration of how to achieve greater consistency and support for all NQTs should take account of those mechanisms identified by NQTs as additional support they would like and to the methods of coping identified by NQTs during their first year of teaching. Thus, it would seem that any new mechanisms should include opportunities for NQTs to talk to colleagues about their concerns. Conclusion Results of this study showed that a number of aspects of teaching were identified by these NQTs as those which they felt well prepared for, did not feel well prepared for, were concerned about, both before they started their first teaching post and at the end of their first term of teaching. The results also suggested that the combination of aspects of teaching identified by any one NQT were unique to that individual, and resulted from a combination of personal and situational factors. This supported the finding by Menter (1995) that inductees needs are idiosyncratic everyone s needs are quite different (p. 1). Although HEI and school staff teaching on PGCE courses and mentors working with NQTs in schools may want to consider ways to address concerns about teaching Key Stage 4 and GCSE and dealing with discipline problems, to increase the confidence and decrease concern of NQTs, they must also take account of the complexity of factors involved in making learning to teach a unique experience for each individual. It is important, therefore, that mechanisms are further developed to enable the unique needs of each individual to be 410

20 TRANSITION FROM STUDENT TO NEWLY QUALIFIED TEACHER Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 identified and addressed, both in ITT and the first year of teaching. It is hoped that the career entry profile will provide such a mechanism. This may require structures to be developed which both encourage and enable students and NQTs to develop further their strengths and address their individual weaknesses. This could include greater focus on students and NQTs helping each other, e.g. through structured mechanisms to share experiences and use their strengths to help others. The results of this study were similar to the findings of other studies of NQTs (see, for example, OFSTED [199], Veenman [1984]). This suggests that preparation of students through a school-based PGCE course for their first teaching post and for the transition from student to NQT is similar to that of other methods of training teachers. However, this needs further investigation. It is therefore suggested that further studies are undertaken, in particular, to follow groups of students through their ITT course, into their first teaching post and through the first year of teaching, in order to ascertain the effectiveness of their preparation for the first teaching post, the transition from student to NQT and development as a NQT during the first year of teaching. Such studies would provide further information about general and unique needs of individuals which may help to improve the learning of teachers through their ITT, into the first year of teaching and beyond, into continuing professional development. Correspondence Susan Capel, Canterbury Christ Church College, North Holmes Road, Canterbury CT1 1QU, Kent, United Kingdom (s.a.capel@cant.ac.uk). References Davison, J. (1977) The transition from student teacher to NQT, in S. Capel, M. Leask & T. Turner (Eds) (1997) Starting to Teach in the Secondary School: a companion for the NQT, pp London: Routledge. Department for Education and the Welsh Office (DFE/WO) (199) Circulars 9/9 and 5/9: Initial Teacher Training (Secondary Phase). London: HMSO. Departmcnt of Education and Science and the Welsh Office (DES/WO) (1989) Discipline in Schools. Report of the Committee of Enquiry Chaired by Lord Elton (The Elton Report). London: HMSO. Fuller, F. F. (1969) Concerns of teachers: a developmental conceptualization, American Educational Research Journal, 6, pp

21 Downloaded by [ ] at :4 0 February 016 SUSAN CAPEL Menter, I., (1995) What newly qualified teachers really need: evidence from a support group, Journal of Teacher Development, 4(), pp Napper-Owen, G. E. (1996) Beginning teacher induction assistance: a look at the impact of involvement beyond the first year, Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 16, pp Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) (199) The New Teacher in School: a survey by HM Inspectors in England and Wales, 199. London: HMSO. Veenman, S. (1984) Perceived problems of beginning teachers, Review of Educational Research, 54, pp