Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Melissa Scotch

Abstract

During the past 10 years, obtaining and retaining qualified teachers have become increasingly difficult. Previous research has focused on the experiences of veteran teachers but has neglected to study the experiences of novice teachers. Using semistructured interviews, this qualitative study explored the experiences of eight novice teachers with a maximum of two completed years of teaching service. Through the use of flyers and participant referrals, the snowballing sampling strategy was used to recruit participants. The Colaizzi method was used to collect, interpret, and analyze the data. Five thematic results were found that were related to teacher experiences with required trainings, professional development activities, and preparation programs. These results indicated that novice teachers found the required assessments stressful. There were either no required professional development activities/trainings or the activities and trainings were insufficient. Participants highlighted the value of teaching programs that provided hands-on experiences and guided practice. Most participants were motivated to become teachers through prior experience. Overall experiences with other teachers were mostly positive. The findings from this study can contribute to positive social change by highlighting the need to continuously monitor and adjust variables that continue to impact teachers. This research is designed to encourage education stakeholders in the state of California to review the data associated with high teacher attrition rates, and to inform them of the experiences of new teachers, as a means of providing a starting point for the creation of new programs that would be beneficial in enhancing the overall field of education. This will lead to the transformation of the culture of individual school environments and other educational institutions.

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