ERIC Number: ED620682
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 127
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-2099-0999-6
ISSN: EISSN-
EISSN: N/A
A Qualitative Exploration of Elementary School Teachers' Experiences of Feeling Confident about Teaching
Bell-Griffin, Nikkisha
ProQuest LLC, Psy.D. Dissertation, Capella University
This qualitative study explored the experiences of 10 in-service female elementary schoolteachers in regard to their feeling confident about their teaching. The current literature primarily focuses upon pre-service teachers' self-efficacy as opposed to veteran teachers' self-efficacy, in relation to their feelings of confidence about their teaching. To address this gap the following research question was presented: What is the experience of feeling confident among women who are elementary school teachers? A generic qualitative research approach was implemented when conducting this study. This method permitted the personal narratives of each participant to be utilized in response to the eight questions posed during the semi-structured guided interviews. The 10 participants in this study were female elementary school teachers with 5 or more years of teaching experience in public schools. The data analysis consisted of an inductive analysis approach in which information from the semi-structured interviews was reviewed and significant patterns were highlighted to identify potential themes. Direct quotes were used to support the nine themes identified in this study. The findings of this study support Bandura's (1977) four sources of self-efficacy and were key to the 10 participants feeling confident about their teaching, themselves as teachers, and their interactions with their students. Of these four sources, affect/emotional/physiological state was the strongest. In addition, the findings revealed three core beliefs reflective of the personal dimension of teacher efficacy that the participants held, which included the following: teaching is a personal calling; it is important to meet not only the academic needs of students but their social-emotional needs as well; and building a supportive community is essential for interpersonal and professional development. For future research, it would be beneficial to include a more diverse population of teachers. This population should include males, multiple ethnic groups, and teachers who teach in middle school and high school. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Elementary School Teachers, Teaching Experience, Self Esteem, Females, Self Efficacy, Experienced Teachers, Teacher Attitudes
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A