An analysis of stage theory related to beginning social studies teachers: Research on professional development.

Abstract

With the consideration of the purpose and goals of this study, a qualitative research paradigm, with emphasis on using constant comparative analysis, was applied in this investigation. Data that were gathered in this investigation involved taped interviews, personal vitae, documents gathered from the school administration, observations of classroom instructions, informal interviews with the subjects, and dialogs with the subjects and their students. All data were first compared in order to identify possible themes, which were later sorted and categorized. In analyzing the data, the four major steps suggested by Glaser and Strauss (1967) were followed. The first step compared incidents applicable to each category. The second step integrated categories and their properties. The third, delimited the theory, and finally the last step was writing the theory. The main focus was to see at what level these concerns were present and if they changed over the course of 3 years. The results showed that while concerns for discipline and management were quite evident as part of the early concerns of the teachers, they were also worried about instruction, student well-being, and peer relationships. Teacher concerns varied at any given time. Each hour, day, week, month, and year the teachers in the study were concerned with a multitude of issues. The teachers continually moved back and forth between the stages depending on the problems and issues they faced. The teachers did not progress through a series of stages related to these concerns as reported in previous research. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Based on the interviews with school teachers, classroom observations with both teachers and their pupils, as well as on previous literature concerning discussions with the topics of teacher socialization, teacher education, mentorship, beginning teachers, and related various stage theories, this study attempted to explore the extent to which various stage theories were an accurate representation of the first three years of a beginning teacher's career in the classroom. It also explored to what extent the social studies teachers represented the research previously completed regarding beginning teachers. More specifically, it investigated: (a) Do teachers go through a series of stages in a set sequence or are they at multiple stages at any given time period? (b) Are the patterns of stages a teacher exhibits during the first three years of teaching the same for all teachers? (c) What are the concerns of social studies teachers during their first three years of teaching? and (d) Do these concerns change or are they transformed over the course of the first three years of teaching?