We can't dance every day: New teachers seeking balance

Abstract

Dedicated and competent teachers are essential to the success of public schools. However, due to the various pressures on teachers, from both the top down and the bottom up, many new teachers struggle as they enter the profession. This qualitative study highlights five areas in which six new teachers, all within their first five years as secondary English/Language Arts public school teachers, seek balance. Through interviews with these teachers, I gathered data on their struggles and successes and found that they focused on balancing: 1) their relationships with students and academics, 2) their relationships with students and classroom management, 3) their instructional aims with students’ interests and outside pressures, 4) the needs of all students, and 5) life and work.