Transitioning from university to workplace : experiences of novice teachers in township schools

Abstract

Prior research shows that internationally schools struggle to retain teachers with less than five year’s work experience. This may be due to the fact that novice teachers encounter various challenges during the time of transition from being a student into being a competent teacher. These challenges cause high amounts of stress which can lead to novice teachers leaving the profession prematurely. Very little research has been conducted on how novice teachers working in township schools, within the Gauteng District, experienced this transition. Therefore, this study aims to explore how novice teachers in townships experienced their transitional phase within the first five years of employment and what resources were made available to them to overcome the challenges they encountered. This study relies on Nancy Schlossberg’s transition theory as the lens through which will look at our findings. The 4S-System, from Schlossberg’s transition theory, was the main focus point for this study. This study employed a qualitative research approach with a multiple case study design. Fifteen novice teachers with less than five years teaching experience in township schools will be purposively sampled. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Six participants were chosen to participate in one focus group discussion which was audio recorded and transcribed for data analysis purposes. The 4S-System was used to organise the findings into four themes. These themes consisted of the individual’s self, situation, support and strategies. Each one of the themes contained the barriers and resources the participants had during their first five years of teaching.

Key Terms:

Novice teacher; teacher retention; challenges; student teachers; transitioning; support; induction; mentoring; Schlossberg