Beginning teachers’ professional support : a mixed methods social network study

Drawing theoretically from the social network perspective, this article focuses on the collegial support networks of two beginning teachers, and how this is related to their job attitudes. A whole-school survey to investigate the support network structure of their primary school team, and an in-depth interview with the beginning teacher to explore the content of the support they receive, were employed. The results revealed that having access to professional support for diverse challenges and from a number of colleagues is important for job attitudes. Implications for stimulating professional interactions among beginning teachers and their colleagues are provided.status: publishe

Unpacking the dynamics of collegial networks in relation to beginning teachers’ job attitudes

Previous research has pointed at the pivotal role of professional collegial support relationships to keep beginning teachers in the profession. In this study, we build on previous research by using follow-up mixed-method social network data to explore (1) to what extent, in what ways and for which reasons beginning teachers’ work-related network (position) changes throughout a school year, and (2) how the network (position) of beginning teachers influences their job attitudes, as important precursors of teacher retention. Five follow-up case-studies of beginning teachers and their school teams were explored. The network data showed that some teachers had a central and stable position in their team, while others were more peripheral and showed considerable changes in their work-related relations. The interviews with the beginning teachers revealed several reasons for the formation, loss and retention of their work-related ties, such as physical proximity, network intentionality and the presence of a staffroom. Finally, the results indicated that the professional support in these work-related ties can play an important role in beginning teachers’ job attitudes, or can act as a mitigating factor in case of experienced challenges. In this respect, the structural and cultural conditions needed for teachers to professionally connect require our attention

Teachers’ first year in the profession : the power of high-quality support

In research on teacher induction, scholars have pointed at the pivotal role of collegial support to overcome the challenges inherent to the first years of teaching. In this quantitative study, we extend current work by using a social network perspective to examine characteristics (i.e. network size, frequency and perceived usefulness) of professional, emotional, and social collegial support networks. Moreover, we explore the extent to which these characteristics explain key factors affecting teacher retention, namely job satisfaction, intrinsic motivation to teach, and self-efficacy. An online survey was completed by 292 beginning primary school teachers in Flanders (Belgium). Social network data showed that, on average, they receive professional, emotional and social support from six colleagues each week and found this mostly useful. Regression analyses demonstrated that network size and perceived usefulness of professional, emotional, and social collegial support networks were positively related to job satisfaction and intrinsic motivation to teach, thus confirming the importance of collegial support in teacher induction. Frequency of support was not significant. Finally, no substantial relationship was found between collegial support and teachers’ self-efficacy. Implications of these findings for practice and policy are discussed

Do teachers have a relationship with their subject? a review of the literature on the teacher-subject matter relation

Cet article porte sur la relation qu’établit un enseignant avec la discipline qu’il enseigne. Il rend compte des diverses façons dont cette relation est conceptualisée dans la recherche en éducation. Une revue de la littérature a permis de dégager quatre champs thématiques: les croyances des enseignants à propos de leur discipline, la connaissance qu’ils ont de celle-ci, les émotions qu’elle suscite et leur engagement pour leur discipline. Dans chaque champs thématique nous avons décrit les principales résultats au sujet de la relation entre l’enseignant et leur discipline dans la recherche en éducation. Basé sur cette revue, nous insistons sur la nécessité de la recherche qui prend non seulement sérieusement la relation cognitive, mais aussi affective, de l’enseignant avec la discipline.The particular relationship between a teacher and his/her subject is the focus of this article. It reports on an analysis of the way in which this relationship is conceptualized in educational research. Four thematic fields emerged from the review,i.e., teachers’ beliefs on, knowledge of, emotions on, and commitment to the subject. Within each thematic field we described major findings regarding the way in which the relation between the teacher and the subject taught is described in educational research. Based on the review, we stress the need for research that takes not only seriously the cognitive, but also the affective relationship of the teacher with its subject.Este artículo se centra en la particular relación que existe entre un profesor y su asignatura, y en él se analiza la forma en la que esta relación se conceptualiza en la investigación educativa. Cuatro campos temáticos se desprenden de este análisis: las creencias de los profesores sobre su asignatura, su conocimiento de la asignatura, los sentimientos hacia su asignatura y su dedicación a la asignatura. En cada campo temático hemos descrito las principales conclusiones sobre la relación entre el profesor y/o su asignatura en la investigación educativa. Basándonos en este análisis, acentuamos la necesidad de la investigación no sólo de la relación cognoscitiva, sino también emocional, entre el profesor y su asignatura

Transformational school leadership as a key factor for teachers’ job attitudes during their first year in the profession

Teacher attrition is a global concern that is particularly prevalent among beginning teachers. Teachers' intrinsic motivation to teach, affective organisational commitment and job satisfaction are considered job attitudes that stop them from dropping out of the profession. This study explores the interplay between factors at the school level (i.e. transformational leadership of the principal, professional collegial support) and the teacher level (i.e. self-efficacy) influencing these job attitudes. A sample of 292 first-year primary-school teachers participated. The results of the path analysis demonstrated that transformational leadership of the principal is directly related to teachers' job attitudes in a positive way. Moreover, transformational leadership of the principal is also indirectly related to these attitudes, via both professional collegial support and teachers' self-efficacy. Implications for the supportive role of the principal in the teachers' first year in the profession are discussed

Teacher collaboration and collegiality as workplace conditions. A review

"Teacher collaboration" and "collegiality" are not only frequently used concepts in educational research and school practice, they have also been promoted as decisive factors contributing to school improvement and teacher development. The review of the research literature- presented in this article-, however, shows that those virtues and benefits are not as self-evident as one may think. It is argued that collaboration and collegiality can take different forms and contribute to different agendas, not all of which can be positively valued. Furthermore a more balanced view on collegiality versus autonomy is needed. Simplistic claims about the benefits of collaboration turn out to be as little warranted as negative judgments about teacher autonomy. Properly understanding and evaluating collaboration and collegiality can only be achieved by taking into account the organizational context of the school. Both a cultural perspective (focusing on the processes of sense-making, the shared values and norms) and a micropolitical perspective (explicitly addressing issues of power, interests and influence) are needed to disentangle and understand them. In the same vein, professional learning communities in schools -in which collaboration and collegiality are supposed to play a key role- ought to be conceived of not so much as structural arrangements, but rather as cultural and political environments aimed at allowing those forms of collaboration and collegiality to take place that really contribute to pupils\u27 learning, teacher development and school. (DIPF/Orig.)"Lehrerkooperation" und "Kollegialität" sind nicht nur viel benutzte Begriffe. Sie bezeichnen entscheidende Faktoren der Schulentwicklung sowie des beruflichen Kompetenzaufbaus von Lehrern. Die folgende Übersicht über die relevante internationale Forschungsliteratur zeigt jedoch, dass dieser positive Beitrag nicht selbstverständlich ist. Es wird darauf aufmerksam gemacht, dass Zusammenarbeit und Kollegialität unterschiedliche Formen annehmen und für unterschiedliche Interessen eingesetzt werden können - auch für solche, die kritisch betrachtet werden müssen. Ebenso ist es wichtig, eine Balance zwischen Kollegialität und Autonomie zu erreichen. Allzu einfache Behauptungen über die Vorteile von Kooperation sind ebenso wenig begründet wie negative Urteile über die Autonomie des einzelnen Lehrers. Ein adäquates Verständnis von Lehrerkooperation ergibt sich erst unter Einbeziehung des organisatorischen Kontexts der Schule. Die hier anzutreffenden Bedingungen bestimmen und beeinflussen die spezifische Form, den Inhalt, die Bedeutung und den Einfluss von Kooperation. Insofern resultieren Zusammenarbeit und Kollegialität aus den spezifischen Bedingungen des Arbeitsplatzes Schule und wirken umgekehrt auf diesen zurück. Für ein adäquates Verständnis dieser Zusammenhänge wird sowohl ein kulturbezogener wie auch ein mikropolitischer Ansatz benötigt. In diesem Sinne sollten professionelle Lerngemeinschaften nicht so sehr als strukturelle Arrangements, sondern als kulturelle und mikropolitische Umwelten für solche Formen von Zusammenarbeit und Kollegialität angesehen werden, die nachhaltig zum Lernen der Schüler, zur beruflichen Entwicklung von Lehrern sowie schließlich zur Schulentwicklung beitragen. (DIPF/Orig.

Interview: Leerkrachten zijn geen machines

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Reflectief ervaringsleren in de lerarenopleiding

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