eastern mediterranean university.case study

8/7/2019 Eastern Mediterranean University.case Study

1/22

Eastern Mediterranean University

Research Project

a case study

on

Problems of a Novice Teacher

For partial fulfillment

of

ELT 604

Teacher Education

Soodeh Saadati

Fall semester

2010-2011


2/22

2

Contents

I. Introduction

1.1 Background of the study 3

1.2 Problem 41.3 Purpose of the study 4

1.4 Significance of the study 5

II. Review of literature

2.1 History of relevant theory and research 6

2.2 Conceptual framework for study 9

III. Method

3.1 Research Design 10

3.2 Context and Participants 10

3.3 Data Collection 103.4 Data Analysis 11

3.5 Trustworthiness 11

3.6 Limitations/ Delimitations of the Study 12

IV. Results

4.1 Reporting the Results

4.1.1 Ability to raise interest and motivation 13

4.1.2 Management problem 13

4.1.3 Lack of interest 14

4.1.4 Need for guidance 16

4.1.5 Nature of teacher education program 17

V. Conclusion

5.1 Conclusion 18

5.2 Implications 19

References 20

Appendices 22


3/22

3

I. Introduction

1.1 Background of the study

W

hat empowers us to rise to the challenges of society today? It is absolutely Education .it

makes the teaching profession more accountable to sustainability and global competition of our

nation. The teaching profession needs to advocate for and promote the professional development

strategies for preparing, supporting and retaining teachers in the school systems. First year

teaching is a difficult challenge for most novice teachers. Equally challenging is determining

how to assist novice teachers as they enter the profession.

Many novice teachers wished they had had more guidance on grading, teaching, and

facing problems during their first year. One of the central concerns of new teachers is dealing

with the daily stress of the job. New teachers need to learn how to deal with their stress as much

as they need to learn how to teach. Otherwise, they burn out and leave the profession. New

teachers should be taught some of these practical skills in their teacher preparation programs.

Teacher education courses should address new teachers' concerns and give pre-service

teachers strategies for finding the answers to these kinds of questions on their first teaching

assignment. Too many new teachers are being thrust into classrooms with minimal practical

teaching knowledge or even actual student teaching experience.

In this paper, I outline some of the problems of a novice teacher in Cyprus TRNC, problems

which are daily concerns of most novice teachers.


4/22

4

1.2 Problem

This study was conducted based on four major aspects of a novice teacher experience, first

her perceptions and problems, second her relations with her students, third her relations with

other teachers, and her relations with administrators.

1.3 Purpose of the study

This study was going to explore the problems that beginning teacher had during her first

initial year of teaching and the decisions that she made regarding her positions as teachers. My

data came from in-depth interviews. I was interested in using the case study form of qualitative

research so that I could investigate the complexity of individuals experiences and problems.

According to Hamel with Dufour and Fortin (1993), case study provides the opportunity to

establish close ties with the field through a detailed, descriptive story of the actors. The use of

case study provided me the opportunity to examine one individuals particular situation.

Stake (1978) : particularization does deserve praise because it allows the researcher to

understand the full and thorough knowledge of the particular case which can aid in the

recognition of similarities and differences that exist in and out of context (p. 6).

The aim of the study was to explore the kind of problems and challenges the novice second

language teacher faces in her first year at school and can we address these challenges to language teacher

education?

The following questions guided the study:

1.What are the problems of the novice teacher participating in the study?

2. How does she relate to her students?


5/22

5

3. How does she manage her classrooms?

4. How does she relate to other teachers in her schools?

5.What kinds of relations does she have with the administrators?

6. What goes into her decisions to stay in or leave the teaching profession?

1.4 Significance of the study

Considering the struggles that most beginning teachers encounter, many are insecure and

unaware of how to deal with the complex situations they face. Novice teachers must be highly

prepared to enter the classroom with the self-confidence needed to succeed and stay in the

teaching profession.

My case study may help educators understand an individual novice teacher

accomplishments, struggles and problems as she completes her first year in the classroom, and it

will contribute to the literature on teachers live and experiences.


6/22

6

II. Review of literature2.1 History of relevant theory and research

Research on the first year of teaching reveals consistent experience with particular

problems which can be organized into the following categories: culture shock, instruction,

students, parents, administrators, fellow teachers, and extensive isolation. The beginning

teacher's insecurity about himself and his professional ability serve only to compound the

original problems he encounters during his first year. Novice teachers face many challenges and

often have many problems. Teaching is a profession where 30% to 50% leave teaching during

the first five years (Moir & Gless, 2001). So, the early years of a teacher's experience can affect

directly whether the teacher continues in teaching or seeks another career. The study of teacher

problems has a long history. Common problems of beginning teachers have been the subject of

numerous studies (e.g., Gratch, 1998; Hertzog, 2002; Veenman, 1984).

Venman (1984) states that the transition from the teacher education program to first year

of teaching has been characterized as a type of reality shock. In order to "survive" their first year

of teaching successfully, new teachers often need help (Johnson, Birkeland, & Kardos, 2001).

Beginning teachers also need help in knowing how to approach new tasks and in solving

specific problems that crop up in their teaching.

In a study of 211 beginning teachers, with four subgroups (elementary, secondary,

specialized, and special education teachers), Marso and Pigge (1987) wanted to find out if first-

year teachers experienced any difference between their prior to employment expectations

compared to their on-the-job reality. With the use of a survey instrument, they had all of the

1982-84 teacher education graduates of Bowling Green State University, who completed their


7/22

7

first or second year of full- time teaching, rate 24 working conditions. According to responses

from 211 of these graduates, these conditions were the factors that had been linked in other

studies to reality shock the feeling that teaching is not all what they expected.

In another study, Goddard and Foster (2001) also found that beginning teachers tend to go

through a kind of shock during their first year. After the nine neophyte teachers in their study

began their initial year as teachers, they became concerned about such matters as classroom

management and student discipline.

What sorts of relations do beginning teachers have with the students they seek to help?

Relations with students can come in many forms, and for first-year teachers those relations with

students can be difficult.

Veenman (1984), often cited in studies on beginning teachers, accomplished the

enormous task of reviewing 83 international studies on the relations between beginning teachers

and their students. Of these studies reviewed by Veenman all of which were based on teachers

in first or second year of teaching there were 55 from the United States, seven fromWest

Germany, six from the United Kingdom, five from the Netherlands, four from Australia, two

from Canada, two from Austria, one from Switzerland, and one from Finland. Veenman found

that relations with students were the most seriously perceived problem for beginning teachers

and those relations were often defined in terms of discipline. According to Veenman, the

reasons for the problems with discipline could not be determined from the data whether they

were due to the difference in educational systems or the social structure and contexts of the

schools. Other aspects of relations with students included motivating students, dealing with their

individual differences, and assessing their work


8/22

8

What sorts of relations do they have with other teachers?

Many researchers found that first-year teachers relations with other teachers were

extremely important. Studies support this need that beginning teachers have for support from

their colleagues. Marlow, Inman, and Betancourt-Smith (1997) found in their study of over 600

teachers that support from colleagues, particularly people who fill a mentor role, was important

for beginning teachers.

Some researchers found that support from mentors and other teachers could alleviate

stress in beginning teachers. Punch and Tuetteman (1996) conducted a study on the

psychological distress that was associated with misbehavior of students and excessive societal

expectations and found that teachers stress could be alleviated by praise and recognition from

fellow colleagues.

What type of relations do they have with their principals and other administrators?

Relations with administrators can be as important as or more important than the relations with

other teachers.

In the study by Chester and Beaudin (1996) relations with administrators and supervisors

were also an important factor in new teachers self efficacy beliefs about themselves as teachers,

particularly at the beginning of the year. Some young novices in the study experienced declines

in their self-efficacy beliefs that were related to excessive attention and attention at the wrong

time by administrators and supervisors. For the novices, too much attention could be upsetting

and cause great distress due to the comings and goings of the administrators. They feared that if

they were being observed often, then they must be doing something wrong. Chester and

Beaudins findings also suggested that putting off the observations until late in the year could


9/22

9

lead to negative self-efficacy beliefs for that teacher, because the teacher might feel that the

administrator did not value his or her competence. The researchers found that timing and

feedback were essential in validating a beginning teachers competence.

2.2 Conceptual framework for study

This study is conducted in four main questions as the framework of the research:

What are the problems of the novice teacher inside and outside the classroom?

What sorts of relations does novice teacher have with the students?

What sorts of relations does novice teacher have with other teachers?

What sorts of relations does novice teacher have with the administrators?


10/22

10

III. Method

3.1 Research Design

According to Merriam (1998), case studies have special features: Particularistic focusing

on a particular subject, descriptive rich, thick description of the phenomenon being studied,

and heuristic the illumination of the understanding of the subject being studied by the reader (p.

29).

My data came from in-depth interviews. I was interested in using the case study form of

qualitative research so that I could investigate the complexity of individuals experiences and

problems.

3.2 Context and Participants

I completed 2 interviews with a novice teacher; it was her first year teaching at a secondary

school in Famagusta, Cyprus, TRNC. The interviews took place in 2 different places; the first

interview took place in a coffee shop in a quiet place , and the second interview was done in the

researchers flat.

3.3 Data Collection

The data was collected through two interviews with one novice teacher. The researcher

conducted a number of questions and asked the participant to answer them orally The researcher

audio taped the interviews. There were two phases of interview process used with the novice

teacher: (1) one initial interview with the participant based on the perceptions and problems of

her first-year of teaching for her students and herself; (2) one final interview for finalizing the

interview and letting the interviewee to talk about whatever she has got in her mind out of the

questions


11/22

11

Most interview questions were developed at some point before the interviews, the

interviews were conducted in a conversational format (Patton, 1990) in which the novice

teachers was encouraged to elaborate on information. The majority of the questions were open-

ended. The goal of the interview process was to get detailed accounts of classroom activities and

problems, and other occurrences in the school which dealt with students, other teachers,

administrators.

3.4 Data Analysis

In case studies, as in any other qualitative study the data collection and analysis occur

concurrently. The type of analysis engaged in will depend on the type of case study. Yin briefly

describes five techniques for analysis: pattern matching, linking data to propositions, explanation

building, time-series analysis, logic models, and cross-case synthesis. In contrast, Stake describes

categorical aggregation and direct interpretation as types of analysis.

My data collection included interviews and reviewing interviews and asking further

questions in other meeting to draw what is called a grounded theory. Structured interviews plus

open-ended interviews followed by analysis of the content and discourse of the interviews to

prepare further questions to ask. And finally analyzing the data collected based on the major

factors which I have considered as the problematic areas of novice teachers in chapter 4.

3.5 Trustworthiness

Individual right to privacy and confidentiality was extremely important in this study. Yin

(1994) has emphasized these aspects of case studies. I gave consent a form to the participant in

the study, informing her of the procedures of the study and possible benefits and risks. (See

Appendix.) I realize the importance of confidentiality, and I honored the promises that I made to


12/22

12

the participants in this study.

3.6 Limitations/ Delimitations of the Study

The study was constrained by two factors. First, the number of participants was limited to

a single subject, which limited the possibility to establish a comparative analysis of different

accounts given in a study on multiple subjects. Second, the process to find a subject who would

be willing to participate in the study took more than expected. Therefore, relatively little time

was allowed for scheduling multiple interviews and questionings. However, the subjects

enthusiasm to participate in the study and her willingness and openness to disclose her feelings

and experiences of teaching she underwent during her first year of teaching largely made up for

the limiting factors mentioned above. In addition, the fact that she was able to communicate her

colleagues similar experiences and feelings that she had been made aware of during her

workplace socialization was another strong point of the study.


13/22

13

IV. Results

4.1 Reporting the Results

As mentioned before, the data collected through two interviews, the researcher asked pre

designed questions based and recorded the audio taped the interview. The aim of the study was to

explore the kind of problems and challenges the novice second language teacher faces in her first year at

school and can we address these challenges to language teacher education?

I categorized the findings of the study as: Ability to raise interest and motivation, Management problems,

Lack of interest, Need for guidance, Nature of teacher education program, Teacher identity.

4.1.1 Ability to raise interest and motivation

The researcher started the interview with a general question that was about the novice teachers most

significant problem at school, especially inside the classroom. She named motivation as the most

significant problem with the students:

the most significant problem was the students motivation. They dont want to do

anything. They just want to sit and talk to you, and while I was teaching this motivation

problem affected me a lot

She believes that when the students do not want to do anything or learn, she cannot teach. This problems

is due to the interest raising part, the teacher is unable to raise the interest and motivation of the learners

in her class, she mentions that she uses extra materials in her class to raise the motivation for example

posters, dolls, making jokes, but she cannot solve the problem actually,

4.1.2 Management problem

I believe that the teacher has serious management problems as she said:


14/22

14

Sometimes, specially boys, they make jokes for me, they want to be closer ,they see me as a friend

, every day you shout, the lesson is 40 mints and its 20 mints passes with sit down dont talk, look at

the board, dont do that

Here she made an example regarding one of the sessions she left the class angrily:

there is a class which they are failed for 2 years, the authorities brought them together

and made one class I am their teacher, they know anything, one day I was writing an example on the

board and I used a name a girls name, and it was one of the students mothers name, he got up, started

shouting, that it is his mothers name, because the other students specially boys were saying bad things

about his mother but if I had written another name, it could be another students mothers name.he got

up angrily and cleaned the boardI lost the students, everybody was saying different things and I left the

class and went to the principle and didnt turn back to the class that session

It is clear that she cannot manage the class properly, since she is a sensitive and anxious teacher, she

cannot concentrate on her teaching in such conditions.

Also she believes that teaching at primary school is much easier and better, she explains that:

at primary school students love you, they care about youthey afraid of you

4.1.3 Lack of interest

One of the important factors during the interviews was the way the teacher was referring to her students,

she used to call them these student, it can be inferred that the teacher is not interested in the students

she is teaching to, she has got a kind of negative attitude toward them, asking a question relevant to her

attitude towards her students she answered:

.. the students who understand English better, I think they love me cause I always try to

make jokesand I like the students who try to learn rather than the students who dont do anything, there


15/22

15

are students who dont have a book, dont have a pen, they just come and sit because of the attendance

and gothey will fail but who cares, they do not care

Again here, we can see interest raising problem and management problem (having books is a necessary

part of teaching).

The researcher ask the participant to define teacher and teaching and compare it to her previous thoughts

about teaching before starting the profession, here is the answer:

..I never thought that this is such a difficult profession, if I could have the chance to

change it, I would take it... I dont know maybe I can choose it again but this time not secondary school or

high school ,but primary school teachermaybe not an English teacher, but a class teacher, in the

primary school teacher teaches math, Turkish language, geography, history, everything

The researcher asked the participant to define herself as a teacher:

.. I am a tired teacher..I am young but ..I want everybody to learn English but I know it

is impossible this kind of students, they dont want to talk in English, they dont want to learn English..

I want to teach something but I cant.I cannot succeed to teach something, not all the time but most of

the times.. and I become very unhappy

However, she does her best to teach her students, as she showed me a doll and some of her extra materials

she is carrying with herself to the class and tries to make the lesson interesting for her students, but it

seems that she is losing her interest in her profession.

One of the other important factors that should be mentioned here is the distance factor. The

teacher has to drive about 1 hour to reach the school. She finds it a little difficult and tiring, although she

knows that the distance could be even more, but she prefers a nearer school.


16/22

16

She finds no difference between students from big cities such as Nicosia and small towns like Famagusta,

she believes that the students interests to learning are the same in both places and there is no difference

between them regarding their social classes.

4.1.4 Need for guidance

Although the teacher insists that her colleagues help her whenever she is asking for as she

mentioned:

..I do not have problem with my colleges they really help me when I need something,

they always help me..the only problem with my colleges is to come together and prepare

our exams

But it can be felt that she is not willing to ask help because there is a fear of being judged by the

others. Also she mentions that all her colleges have got the same problem in their classes with their

students, they all see lack of motivation as the biggest problem of their students. The serious need for

guidance with her problems can be felt but there is no one as a mentor to help her with this situation.

Also she mentions that there are some experienced teacher at school, when she asked for

guidance there had been an answer, I found the answer interesting and surprising:

she says never mind, leave the students alone, do your lesson with students who want

to do it, forget the other ones.!

As we see there is a lack of willingness as well as right guidance for this teacher at school.

Regarding her relations with the principals and authorities at school, she explained that she has got no

problem with them, she mentioned that she has talked about her problems with them and all the times

they do their best to fix the problems but they are not successful because, as she believes, the students do

not care about anybody and do not afraid of anybody.


17/22

17

4.1.5 Nature of teacher education program

I asked several questions about teacher education program and 4 year studies at university,

whether they are related to her real life situation, real classes and if she can implement those techniques in

her classes:

It was something that you plan it, the teacher tells the students,.. a candidate teacher

will come and will teach you so sit quietly and join the lessonbut it wasnt realthis is

real..i learned many things during my education many methods, many strategies , but you

can use them in some classes not all of them and not every timethey are good for some

of the problems not all of them..

The participant believes that the four year education at school had been useful but they are not real:

.. you have to go into the class and try to teach something and you should try to use the

strategies and the methods now, not in front of your friend and your teacher cause this is a real situation it

was good to learn them but you cannot use them all the time..

The teacher finds a big gap between what she has learned at university as a student teacher and her real

situation at school and as a real teacher. She believes that the methods and strategies are not sufficient for

a teacher to be successful inside the classroom.

.. they say use speaking, writing, grammar together, but you dont have time, the

students dont understand you cannot use listening every time this is a problem..they say role play,

but students cant talk!..How can they do role play? The students dont know present simple tense and

curriculum wants me to teach them past simplethy cant learn..


18/22

18

V. Conclusion

5.1 Conclusion

As I mentioned before, the aim of the study was to explore the kind of problems and challenges

the novice second language teacher faces in her first year at school and find out whether we can address

these challenges to language teacher education.

Referring to the questions which guided the study:

1.What are the problems of the novice teacher participating in the study?

2. How does she relate to her students?

3. How does she manage her classrooms?

4. How does she relate to other teachers in her schools?

5.What kinds of relations does she have with the administrators?

Regarding the first question of the study, it can be seen that the most important problem of the

teacher is motivation rising in the classroom, Th students are not interested in learning, they

cannot understand the need of learning another language and they believe that Turkish language

is enough for them.

The relationship of teacher with students is a not satisfactory; she has not been able to

make a good connection between herself as a teacher and her students, it seems that she has got

serious problems with male students, and it is difficult for her to control them. She also has

serious management problems, she believes that she can manage and control the class with


19/22

19

shouting but in fact it does not work, makes the teacher tires and unwilling to continue the

lesson. The teachers relation with her colleges and principles is good and she sees no dark point

in her relation with them, she finds them helpful but she emphasizes that they all have got the

same problems inside their classes with their students. The participant believes that her students

wont be able to learn and it is not related to her own abilities of teaching, she names the

previous teachers of her students responsible for current situation. Putting the blame on the

others can be seen in all parts of the interviews as well.

The findings of this study can be used to find out and solve the major problems of a

novice teacher in order to make effectively educated second language teachers.

5.2 Implications

Because of the limitations of the study, the present research has been carried out on one

subject. This research can be done on some other participants in order to compare the problems

and find proper solutions for some of them.

Also another study can be done with using other data collection instruments such as observation

sessions and questionnaire to lead the researcher to a more reliable conclusion.


20/22

20

References

Busch, D. (2010). Pre-service teacher beliefs about language learning: The second language

acquisition course as an agent for change. Language Teaching Research, 14(3), 318- 337.

Feryok, A. (2008). An Armenian English language teachers practical theory of communicative

language teaching System, 36(2), 227-24

Gatbonton, E. (2008). Looking beyond teachers' classroom behavior: Novice and experienced

ESL teachers' pedagogical knowledge. Language Teaching Research, 12(2), 161-182.

Gratch, A. (1998). Beginning teacher and mentor relationships. Journal of Teacher Education,

49(3), 220-227

Hodgdon, L. (2008).To Love and Hate Every Moment of the First Year of Teaching: A Case

Study of Beginning Teachers in Three Schools. PhD thesis .

Hamel, J., Dufour, S., & Fortin, D. (1993). Case study methods. Newbury Park, CA: Sage

Publications.

Johnson, K. E. (2009). Second language teacher education: A socio-cultural perspective.

London: Rutledge.

Komur, S. (2010). Teaching knowledge and teacher competencies: A case study of Turkish pre-

service English teachers. Teaching Education, 21(3), 279-296.

Lee, I. (2010).Writing teacher education and teacher learning: Testimonies of four EFL teachers.

Journal of Second LanguageWriting, 19(3), 143-157.

Marlow, L.,Inman,D., Brntancourt-smith, M.(1997). Beginning teachers: Are they still leaving

the profession [electronic version]? Clearing House, 70, 211-214.


21/22

21

Marso, R. N., & Pigge, F. L. (1987). Differences between self-perceived job expectations and job

realities of beginning teachers. Journal of Teacher Education, 38(6), 53-56.

Patton, M. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods (2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA:

Sage.

Punch, K.F. and Tuetteman, E. (1996). Reducing Teacher Stress: The Effects of Support in the

Work Environment. Research in Education, 56, 63-72.

Urmston, A.W., & Pennington, M. C. (2008). The beliefs and practices of novice teachers in

Hong Kong: Change and resistance to change in an Asian teaching context In T. S. C.

Farrell (Ed.), Novice language teachers: Insights and perspectives for the first year (pp. 89-

103). London: Equinox.

Veenman, S. (1984). Perceived problems of beginning teachers. Review of educational research,

54, 143-178.

Yin, R. (1993). Applications of case study research. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publishing.

Yin, R. (1994). Case study research: Design and methods (2nd ed.). Beverly Hills, CA: SagePublishing.


22/22

22

Appendices

eastern mediterranean university.case study

Documents