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Document Type

Thesis - University Access Only

Award Date

2013

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Communication Studies and Theatre

First Advisor

Elizabeth Tolman

Abstract

This study explored the experiences of teachers, with regards to adapting to school culture, views on bullying, forms of colleague support, and teacher preparation. Eight research participants (n=8) were interviewed about their experiences as a new teacher. For the purpose of this study, new teacher is defined as one who has completed a teaching degree within the last five years. Using grounded theory and an inductive approach (Glaser & Strauss, 1967), four themes emerged through a thematic analysis (Owens, 1984). The first theme was that there is an intense adaptation process that new teachers experience while settling into new roles as professional teachers. The first theme gave way to the second theme: colleagues and other forms of support. New teachers sought out experienced teachers, were paired with mentors, were on teaching teams, or utilized sources outside of the school, when faced with questions or confusion. The original intent of the study was to investigate the training that a new teacher receives to learn about managing bullying, but there was an overwhelming lack of training, overall. Many teachers shared views on bullying, which made up the third theme. Finally, the analysis revealed that teachers compared their preparation and experiences with their perceived self-efficacy. A discussion of limitations and suggestions for future research are also included.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

First year teachers -- Attitudes.
First year teachers -- Training of.
Bullying in schools -- Prevention.

Description

Includes bibliographical references (pages 80-90).

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

112

Publisher

South Dakota State University

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/

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