Newly qualified teachers in the eyes of principals

Moving beyond deficit perspectives

Bibliographic Data

ID12842802
AuthorsAdrian Lundberg (0000-0001-8555-6398, Malmö University, corresponding author), Philippe Collberg (0000-0003-2047-1523, Halmstad University), Christina Lindh (0000-0003-3162-6148, Kristianstad University)
Year2024
Volume27
Issue6
Pages3399-3423
Publication date2024-07-02
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial Psychology of Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1573-1928 • E-ISSN: 1381-2890
PublisherSpringer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1007/s11218-024-09930-2
OpenAlexW4400238802
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited38

Feelings of shock, a difficult professional socialization process and unrealistic expectations create a challenging career entry phase for teachers. Too many newly qualified teachers feel stressed and leave the profession early, leading to a lingering teacher shortage. Much research in the field and many well-meant support interventions follow a deficit perspective and overlook newly qualified teachers’ potential for school development. This study aimed to better understand how school principals, a crucial but comparatively under-researched stakeholder group, characterize newly qualified teachers’ competences. Q methodology was selected to holistically study the views of 24 principals of compulsory schools in Southern Sweden without imposing any potentially deficit-oriented categories. Following standard protocol and enriched with interviews, four distinct factors were identified and qualitatively interpreted. Results show that newly qualified teachers are perceived as confident and well-prepared concerning pedagogical and didactical aspects of their profession. Regarding the use of digital tools, they are regarded as assets for school development, while diversity management and relationship-building emerged as areas of improvement. Based on our findings, we argue for more practical elements during campus-based pre-service teacher education and an intensified focus on reflective teacher identity development. Teachers’ career entry phase should be treated as a specific area of in-service teachers’ professional development at teacher education institutions, where a strengthened cooperation with employing schools will be particularly important. We expect these adaptations to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of support matters and provide future avenues that acknowledge newly qualified teachers’ expertise

Coursework · Diversity (politics · Feeling · Medical education · Pedagogy · Political science · Professional development · Psychological intervention · Public relations · Socialization · Sociology · Staffing · Stakeholder · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · Q Methodology Applications · Social Psychology · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies · Teacher Professional Development and Motivation

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access