Experienced English teachers can proactively help newcomers in their schools in different ways by relying on research and case studies that focus on the stated needs of new teachers. The efforts of a community of colleagues will serve to sustain newcomers so that they can gain confidence over time, refining their teaching proficiencies to…

This article shares the results of a study that explored the need, and consequential birth, of a new teacher support group for newly graduated elementary education majors. Constructed of a university supervisor and five newly graduated novice teacher's, this study examines their first semester as classroom teachers. Research related to the…

In true David Letterman style, this article presents a Top Ten List for why and how it's important to get to know the beginning teacher next door or just down the hall and listen for call signals. What follows is the Top Ten List for becoming a mentor: (1) establish reciprocal collaboration through trust; (2) offer a shoulder of support; (3) share…

This study explored the potential acceptability of performance pay to new teachers by investigating attitudes toward performance pay of students preparing to be teachers. Focus groups and a survey of students preparing to be teachers at a large U.S. university were conducted. Most students expressed a preference for some form of performance pay…

In this article, we report findings from a study in which the daily lives of novice and experienced secondary mathematics teachers in Victoria were tracked. Two novice and two experienced teachers were also interviewed. Data collection focused on the activities the teachers undertook in and out of working hours, and their reactions to them. The…

This project grew out of concerns expressed by several novice teachers about their lack of preparation to deal with common problems in the classroom. Several trends were evident with the teachers involved in this study. They all came to recognize the importance of effective, organized instruction during the term of the study, along with the…

This study investigated whether there were differences between classrooms of expert and novice elementary teachers, examining whether teaching experience would affect flexibility in the clasroom, whether teaching experience would influence communications between all members of the classroom, and whether teaching experience would affect the degree…

This study examined the relationships between self-concepts of beginning teachers as measured before and after internship experiences with mentors. The expectations and attitudes of 138 beginning teachers participating in the Indiana Beginning Teacher Internship Program were sought before and after participation. Instruments used in the study were…

Twenty-three novice and 23 expert teachers were interviewed on their processing knowledge in relation to time and use of time. Three epistemological attitudes regarding time were used as categories for the analysis of the interviews: (1) time can be influenced; (2) time can be seen as a problem; and (3) time can modify teaching plans. When time is…

This is a report of a one-year trial of a new professional arrangement for teachers, which gave experienced teachers part-time sabbaticals during the school year for study and curriculum projects, and which attempted to give first-year teachers (who were already certified) mentoring help and other special professional opportunities. The first-year…

Interviews with beginning teachers reveal that they agree that education students should take methods courses and apply them in a local school setting simultaneously. (JD)

Presents recent research data which strongly support the widely held intuitive feeling that beginning teachers find the first year of teaching to be one of severe disillusionment. (Author)

The role of teacher's pedagogical content knowledge in social studies is addressed through two case studies: a novice and a veteran teacher. The important difference between the novice and the expert is manifested in content knowledge, a form of teacher understanding that combines content, pedagogy, and learner characteristics. (Author/LMO)

A first-year teacher was observed and interviewed weekly to find out what happens to the beginning teacher as he or she tries to fit into an institutionally prescribed role. Problems encountered and the novice's responses to them are examined to see how these responses relate to the development of expertise. (MT)

Based on data from 472 Norwegian teachers, this study concludes that beginning teachers do not seem to perceive their problems significantly differently from more experienced teachers. These results may raise questions about the validity of claims that beginning to teach is a traumatic experience. (Author/LMO)