麻豆淫院

Beginning teachers often underestimate the they will need to successfully navigate. There can be tensions assimilating with the existing school community, resulting in a range of . While these barriers can feel highly localised and difficult to predict, they are often dependent upon three common themes: the role of mentors, professional relationships and efficacy of the induction programme. Approximately 7,000 enter teaching in England each year with data showing that 75 per cent of the . Nevertheless, research into the experiences of female career-changers during the induction period is sparse. So, how do we solve the problem of female career-changers moving into teaching and overcoming common obstacles during induction? Drawing on my own research, this blog post considers their nuanced journey and the barriers they faced as beginning teachers, in England.

During the , five female career-changers were followed in real time as they moved into the induction phase of their early career in teaching. To outline barriers faced, participants provided oral history accounts of their experiences, followed up by semi-structured interviews and concluding with a visual representation of data.

The journey of early career teachers and role of the mentor

The participants in my study outlined a variable experience with mentors (Aderibigbe et al., 2022; Burger et al., 2021). revealed that mentors need to consider the experiences of career-changing beginning teachers, mapping existing soft and hard skills, especially if they are linked to teaching. This might include the utilisation of pre-established skills such as organisation or communication, both of which could be valuable for interactions with school stakeholders. The process of unearthing and mapping skills could be discussed during a beginning teacher’s induction with their tutor or mentor.

The importance of professional relationships

Establishing professional relationships is fundamental to the success of and beginning teachers, but suggest that not all beginning teachers felt accepted or welcomed in school. This undermines the cultivation and longer-term development of professional relationships. A supportive mentor can provide excellent practice and constructive feedback to help a beginning teacher become a reflective practitioner (Zwozdiak-Myers, 2018). Some participants in my study felt that their mentors were either not the ‘right fit’, or relationships were strained during their induction. This supports a , which highlighted that has been credited for increasing their retention. It also suggested the role of the mentor is as important for wellbeing and (see also Collie & Perry, 2019). However, my own research into female career-changers during their beginning teacher induction found that a lack of mentor support was a prevalent issue. Participants in the research used negative words to describe their mentoring experience and, when discussing mentor availability, stated that they would have liked more mentor support, but mentors were already overstretched. Sometimes, this is due to mentors being chosen for criteria such as availability, capacity or to meet school budgetary constraints, rather than a skill-based choice.

‘Not all beginning teachers felt accepted or welcomed in school. This undermines the cultivation and longer-term development of professional relationships.’

Efficacy of the early career framework and implications for policymakers

A final barrier identified for this group was the ineffectual second year of the , which has proved was less well regarded or impactful to beginning teachers. This is easy to improve, by designing a more bespoke and suitable set of professional development targets, complementing the mandatory first year and leveraging opportunities for the beginning teacher, mentor and school. As these women had managed to negotiate previous careers, they had a profound sense of autonomy and were more confident in taking the lead.

Conclusion

In summary, while there are several factors that can impede a successful professional induction for this group – the role of mentors, professional relationships and the efficacy of the induction programme – the outlook is bright if these barriers can be reduced or removed. This knowledge is useful for global policymakers, school senior leaders and mentors. By taking affirmative steps to recognise that female career-changing teachers need a different type of induction, regardless of locale, there is a greater chance of retaining these women in the profession.

References

Aderibigbe, S. A., Holland, E., Marusic, I., & Shanks, R. (2022). A comparative study of barriers to mentoring student and new teachers. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 30(3), 355–376.

Burger, J., Bellhauser, H., & Imhof, M. (2021). Mentoring styles and novice teachers’ well-being: the role of basic need satisfaction. Teaching and Teacher Education, 103, Article 103345.  

Collie, R. J., & Perry, N. E. (2019). Cultivating teacher thriving through social-emotional competence and its development. The Australian Educational Researcher, 46, 699–714.

Zwozdiak-Myers, P. N. (2012). The teacher’s reflective practice handbook: Becoming an extended professional through capturing evidence-informed practice (1st ed.). Routledge.