EARLY EDUCATION: CHALLENGES AND PERSPECTIVES FOR DEBUTANT TEACHERS

The need for professional development is evident from the beginning of the teaching career, because the teachers have to face the continuous professional challenges they encounter. In this respect, the didactic career goes through multiple transformations, being determined by changes in the educational, political, social, economic and axiological paradigms. In order to take into account the idea that the quality of the educational process is influenced by the construction of the teacher’s professional identity and by the way he/she self-perceives his/her own responsibilities, we consider that continuous training is one of the best ways for professional development. In order to find out the importance of the teachers’ training programs, we initiated an ascertaining study with practical implications. The objective of the present research is to identify the pre-school teachers' perception of the impact of continuous training programs on professional and personal development. In order to validate the hypothesis that there is a significant positive correlation between the degree of attractiveness towards the continuous training of the teachers and the impact of the continuous training programs on their personal life a sample of 102 teachers from pre-school education was used both in the urban environment, as well as in rural areas.

Many education scholars agree that the first year of teaching is exceptionally challenging (Huling-Austin, Odell, Ishler, Kay, & Edelfelt, 1989; Veenman, 1984). First-year teaching experiences are powerful influences on teachers' practice and attitude throughout the remainder of their careers (Kuzmic, 1994). Because of the importance and complexity of beginning teachers' experiences, their socialization has received increasing attention in educational research and reform during the past two decades (Huling-Austin, 1990; Kuzmic, 1994). Beginning Teacher Induction For over a decade, reformers have called for induction programs with mentors to ease the transition of beginning teachers into full,time teaching (Huling-Austin, 1990). Many (Cochran-Smith, 1991; Feiman-Nemser, 1983; Koerner, 1992; Staton & Hunt, 1992) believe that working with an experienced teacher will help shape a beginning teacher's beliefs and practices. Most induction programs attempt to increase teacher retention and improve the instruction of new teachers (Odell, 1986). Little (1990), reviewing the mentor phenomenon, notes that rhetoric and action (regarding the development and implementation of mentor programs) have nonetheless outpaced both conceptual development and empirical warrant (p. 297). Little believes that despite the lack of empirical inquiry prior to 1990, policy interest and reform efforts related to mentoring have grown consistently during the period between 1983 and 1990. Social Norms for Teachers In Schoolteacher: A Sociological Study, his classic work on teacher socialization, Lortie (1975) identified several social norms for teachers. Lortie and others (Little, 1990; McPherson, 1972; Sarason, 1982) have described the norm of teachers working in isolation and the struggles of first-year teachers. When teachers do interact, they rarely discuss or request assistance with significant problems in their classrooms (Feiman-Nemser & Floden, 1986). Socialization literature has also identified a norm discouraging teachers from telling a peer to do something different in the classroom (Newberry, 1977). Schools exist in which teachers support one another and may socialize out of school, but even in these cases, teachers avoid talking about instructional practices (Biklen, 1983; Feiman-Nemser & Floden, 1986; McPherson, 1972; Silver, 1973). Hart (1989) describes how schools' conservative traditions of individualistic and egalitarian social organization shape the mentor role. The norm of isolation means that many skilled veteran teachers have had little experience communicating with other teachers about their practice. The conservative norms for teacher interaction make it difficult for mentors to critique the work of beginning teachers and beginning teachers to request help with problems in their classrooms (Little, 1990). The assignment of mentor-protege relationships is a primary component of many teacher induction programs (Odell, 1990) intended to influence novice teachers' beliefs and practices. In reality, the conservative social organization in schools and the norms tied to this organization (Little, 1990) limit the role of mentors. Official records indicate that the early stages of mentoring emphasize providing information about the system rather than consultation on curriculum and instruction (Odell, 1986). Although activities aimed at emotional support are not widely found in official records, they are extremely important to beginning teachers (Huling-Austin, 1990) who value interactions with mentors that foster these feelings. The emphasis on comfort and harmonious relations along with the norms of noninterference found in schools combine to constrain mentors from posing tough questions about practice (Little, 1990). Responses to Constraints on Mentor Effectiveness Research revealing factors restricting the success of mentor-protege relationships has led to improvements in some induction programs. …

The education arena is faced with the dilemma of an aging teaching population in which the majority of teachers born in the baby boomer period, either will retire from the teaching community, or continue on a part time basis in the next 10 years. Combined with statistics that point to up to 50% of beginning teachers leaving the industry within 5 years, this dilemma becomes problematic for teacher supply to address the needs of future generations of learners (White & Moss, 2003). Whilst beginning teachers leave teaching for career, family, and personal reasons, they also leave due to negative teaching experiences that impact on their initial teaching beliefs and practices and their development within the first year of teaching, generally referred to as the induction period (Kelchtermans & Ballet, 2002; Valli, 2000; White & Moss, 2003). Whilst there is research literature on the nature of the induction period, this is limited from the perspective of a beginning teacher, in terms of how and what they experience and how and why their teaching beliefs and practices are changed or modified (Schwarz, 2001; Wang, Odell, & Schwille, 2008). Additionally, there is limited research into whether middle years of schooling beginning teachers experience this induction differently from other beginning teachers. This study explored how 4 middle years of schooling educated beginning teachers experienced their first year of teaching. The two females were employed in the same school, and the two males employed in separate schools, and all were in their mid twenties. The aim of the study was to highlight how this induction period is experienced through these four beginning teachers’ personalised narratives, and whether their middle years of schooling teacher education would be of benefit to this teaching development. Narrative research was utilised so as to gather these four participants’ stories of their experiences, perceptions and reflections of their teaching identity and practices within this first year of teaching. The study found that the participants experienced related negative factors that restrict successful teacher development, when compared with other studies that have established similar difficulties within the induction period (Connors, 2007; Kelchtermans & Ballet, 2002). What was crucial in the findings was the impact the key components of leadership, resilience and social skills had in contributing to developing a teaching identity successfully, and how these components were linked to their middle years of schooling teacher education. It is argued that narrative research assists productive teacher reflective practice; therefore as an unintended consequence this helped support these participants in building a positive teaching identity (Schwarz, 2001). Based on these findings, this study recommends that aspects of middle years of schooling teacher educated programs, particularly leadership, resilience and social skills, be more prominent in all teaching programs, and narrative research utilised for future beginning teacher studies and for the benefit of successful beginning teacher development.

This study concerns the professional development of first language teachers, in order to improve students´ reading skills. The research analyzes the implementation of The National Programme for Portuguese Teaching (NPPT), in primary schools, as well as its influence on teacher training. It is important to determine whether teachers’ reflective practices, about reading strategies, can improve students’ reading skills, as a result of continuous professional training. The study took place in 2012, in primary schools of Oporto, Portugal, using both quantitative and qualitative data, including a questionnaire and categorical analysis of teachers’ portfolios. The results show that the NPPT Programme helped to train teachers who, by changing and innovating their practices, improved primary students’ reading skills. Furthermore, the study confirmsthat teachers need continuous training, in order to strengthen first language reading strategies and improve teaching practices, using school community resources.

In the article the basic problems of the pedagogical support of teacher’s professional development in Ukraine and England are analyzed.In the process of future teacher's professional development, qualified teachers should support young teachers, because they do not have an experience, the knowledge of human nature, skills of self- organization and self-regulation.It is very important to know the teachers’ needs in professional development for helping them to solve difficulties, which will appear in their professional life, to expand and extend their knowledge and skills, obtained during their training at the university and provide a basis for constant professional development.A comparative analysis of the needs of Ukrainian and English teachers in their professional development is described. In our view, a comparative analysis of the needs of Ukrainian and English teachers in their professional development might be important since in Ukraine the issue of teachers' professional development has been investigated, but there is still much to be considered. Thus, it will be useful to address the foreign experience in such a question, especially to the experience of Great Britain where teachers continuous professional development is of top priority.Learning International Survey (TALIS) conducted in Ukraine and England is characterized. In Ukraine, the Ukrainian Educational Research Association conducted the survey based on TALIS methodology in 2017. The aim of it is to study the educational environment and conditions of teachers' work: identification of teachers' training and professional development, studying the nature of school's culture, analysis of values and professional ideas of teachers.Three main TALIS questionnaires items are enumerated. The main focus of attention to be taken into account the teachers’ awareness of what mentoring is and what forms and functions are meant by it is raised. The new Conception of Pedagogical Education Development in Ukraine takes into account both pre-service and in-service teachers’ education [5]. It is presented as an internship period. According to the above-mentioned document, novice teachers work under the supervision of experienced teachers.

Professional development is an important tool for supporting early childhood teachers in implementing developmentally appropriate practices and child-guided instruction in the classroom. This phenomenological study explored five U.S. novice early childhood education teachers’ experiences with professional development. Specifically, we explored how these teachers’ perceptions of their professional development experiences were interwoven with individual-level characteristics and organizational-level features. Findings suggest that participating teachers’ self-efficacy and perceptions of school climate strongly influenced their perceptions of professional development. Participants described valuing hands-on learning opportunities and social support. All reported feeling unprepared for certain aspects of their role as an early educator; however, participants responded to these feelings differently. Findings have implications for improving induction and professional development for novice early childhood educators.

This study assesses the level of parental involvement in the academic development of kindergarten students and its relationship with their educational development, as evaluated by highly skilled and experienced teachers. Research indicates that most teachers are female professionals possessing substantial academic qualifications and more than ten years of experience, equipping them to offer knowledgeable perspectives on early childhood education and parental involvement. Parental involvement is mostly manifested through home-based support, especially in supplying educational resources and aiding with homework, although daily oversight of study and proactive communication with educators are still insufficient. Parental engagement in schools is moderate, with a greater propensity for volunteering at events than for participating in policymaking or attending school conferences. Teachers noted that kindergarten students demonstrate steady advancement, especially in numeracy and narrative understanding, although literacy and executive functioning abilities, such as adhering to multi-step instructions, necessitate focused enhancement. The study revealed no statistically significant correlation between parental participation and learners' academic development, indicating that factors such as instructional quality, classroom atmosphere, and individual learner motivation may be more influential. An action plan was presented to boost family engagement through workshops, enhanced home-school communication, parenting seminars, active classroom involvement, and a clear assessment rubric for monitoring progress. This study is based on Republic Act No. 10533, the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, which prioritizes holistic and student-centered development, and is further supported by Department of Education Order No. 21, s. 2019, advocating for the incorporation of socio-emotional and family engagement strategies in early education. The research promotes a collaborative, multimodal educational approach wherein educated, organized, and inclusive parental involvement enhances effective school-based interventions. By aligning efforts with national policies, schools can establish significant collaborations with families that comprehensively support children's intellectual and emotional development, promoting enduring enhancement in early childhood education. Keywords: Academic Motivation, Ecological Systems Theory, Educational Expectations, Parental Involvement

The purpose of this article is to review current empirical research on language teacher professional development in higher education from Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect and ERIC adopting the PRISMA methodology. This revision led to 10 articles demonstrating that language professors opt for a more student-centered approach and highly communicative lessons demonstrating their openness to new educational paradigms. Second, when institutions offer professional development training programs, their content should be designed considering language educators’ experience, expectations, and necessities. Not following this will favor resistance and dissatisfaction among educators. Third, even though modern e-learning tools are beneficial, language educators do not use them actively due to insufficient IT support and training; they often rely on self-learning. Finally, it is also argued that continuous training, peer observation, senior mentoring, and teacher autonomy are necessary for language teacher professional development.

Purpose: This study examined the experience of early career special education teachers working at special education support centers and aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the process through which their teacher identity is formed. Method: The participants were early career special education teachers with less than five years of experience at special support centers. Data were collected through in depth individual interviews and analyzed using constant comparative method to meaning units. Results: The analysis yielded three overarching categories, nine subcategories, and 28 meaning units. Participants’ experiences were organized into three overarching categories: confusion in adapting to the new environment of the Special Education Support Center, reinterpretation of their roles through reflection and self-examination, and establishing themselves as teachers and experiencing professional growth. Conclusion: The study discussed how the structural characteristics of special education support centers influence early career teacher’s role perceptions and identity formation processes. Based on these findings, educational implications were suggested for improving teacher support systems and organizational management within special education support centers.

Teacher professional development plays a pivotal role in improving classroom instruction and ultimately enhancing student achievement. investigates the pivotal role of teacher professional development in driving pedagogical advancements, thereby exerting a direct influence on classroom instruction and student attainment. In an era characterized by evolving educational paradigms and the growing importance of individualized learning, this study delves into the significance of continuous teacher training and its ability to adapt and improve instructional methodologies. Drawing upon an extensive review of literature and empirical evidence, this paper scrutinizes various professional development programs, both traditional and innovative, to discern their efficacy in enhancing teachers' instructional capabilities. Moreover, it examines the ways in which these pedagogical advancements translate into tangible improvements in classroom teaching practices. The study further assesses the tangible outcomes of such advancements by analyzing the impact on student achievement, including academic performance, engagement, and overall learning experiences. The findings of this research underscore the critical importance of teacher professional development as a catalyst for educational improvement and its direct correlation with enhanced classroom instruction and student success, shedding light on strategies to nurture a more effective and responsive education system.

This report compares the teacher knowledge of two early career primary school teachers (drawn from a study of four teachers) as it was needed in the classroom during the teaching of statistics through investigations. The study involved video recording a sequence of four or five lessons and audio recoding post-lesson stimulated recall interviews with the teachers. These interviews were based on the teacher viewing selected episodes from the lesson videos. The results showed marked differences in the teacher knowledge of the two teachers, as analysed against a framework developed from the mathematics teacher knowledge domain and the statistical thinking domain. The conclusions and implications drawn from the results are discussed in relation to both initial (or preservice) teacher education and professional development for teachers.

In teacher education programs, mentoring is generally regarded as a major component of the practicum of preservice teachers; mentors guide the development of preservice teachers and evaluate their readiness to teach independently. Mentoring can also be a highly valuable tool for the professional development of in-service teachers, who need to update their knowledge and skills as they progress in their career and gain familiarity with the expectations of an institution. However, mentoring programs offered for experienced teachers are very rare in Turkey. In-service teachers fulfill their professional development needs by attending seminars or courses and/or try to cope with challenges through informal talks with their colleagues. This chapter reports on a mentoring program provided to experienced EFL teachers and explores the effects of it on the participants. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 12 teachers. Findings indicate that experienced teachers feel the mentoring program contributes to their professional as well as personal development.

Teacher motivation from a goal content perspective: Beginning teachers’ goals for teaching

In this study I focus on two related topics on the economics of education: one is the teacher labor market and the other is factors affecting student academic achievement. Chapter 1 empirically test the effect of state boundaries on beginning teacher job search behavior. The Beginning Teacher Longitudinal Survey (BTLS), a national survey data of beginning teachers, was employed. I run a linear regression to investigate the effect of state boundaries on distance between the beginning teachers job and the Teacher Preparation Program(TPP) and find that beginning teachers tend to find jobs 'inland' when their TPP is near a state border. A mixed logit model with the McFadden Randomization Approach was applied to illustrate the border effect on the probability of employment in a given school. I find that a beginning teacher is 80 percent less likely to teach in a school on the other side of a state border from her TPP. I conclude that frictions associated with state borders, non-reciprocal teacher licensing being a likely candidate, distort early career job search for teacher candidates. Chapter 2 examines the effect of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payment method change on student achievement. Switching from cash to non-cash transactions influences street crime, then student attainment. A difference-in-difference method was used to capture the impact of the implementation of the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program, a county-level intervention, on students academic performance in Missouri during 1997 to 1998. I find the standardized math test score of the students in the counties that had implemented EBT program is 0.07 standard deviations higher in grade 8 than students in the counties that still using paper checks. This results provide evidence that switching to non-cash transaction scan enhance student educational outcomes.

The Transforming Assessment Mindsets (TAM) project aims both to research and support teacher training in the real-world context of professional development (PD) in early English language education using a blended Massive Open Online Course (bMOOC). The use of technology in teachers’ PD is recognised as being effective and meaningful and bMOOCs have the potential to widen participation and disseminate innovation. Additionally, bMOOCs associated with online or virtual communities of practice (vCoPs) have been shown to reduce professional isolation, foster engagement and result in higher rates of course completion. The bMOOC Classroom-based assessment in primary English education has been developed with a learning environment design that follows adult learning theories, combining cognitivist and social learning with socio-constructivism and is directed to Portuguese Primary English Teachers. This paper presents the results of the first iteration cycle analysing the pre-bMOOC survey and post-bMOOC survey replies with a focus on the content and structure of the bMOOC. These show general satisfaction with the course but also point out some dimensions that should be enhanced in further iterations, as the navigation and orientation through the different online spaces of the online environment. One major additional finding is that participants reported using regularly Gen AI-supported tools for fine tuning their writings, finding further information and summarising responses