Exploring Novice Alternatively Certified Elementary School Teachers' Perceptions of Their Preparedness to Teach: A Basic Qualitative Research Study

Dana Stelly

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Department

Educational Administration

Date of Award

Spring 2020

Abstract

The overarching purpose of this basic qualitative research study was to explore the perceptions AC novice elementary school teachers had of their ACP pre-service and current training, their campus support and training, and the ability of those trainings and supports to prepare the teachers to teach. Teachers who are prepared and feel supported tend to remain in the teaching profession longer than teachers who report feeling inadequately prepared to teach (Dixon, 2018; Kini & Podolsky, 2016). The significance of this study was to (a) expand and enrich the literature in the field of new teacher preparation in ACPs and K-12 public schools, (b) assist educational leaders in understanding factors that can increase the AC novice teacher' s level of preparedness to teach, and (c) identify elements in ACPs and public schools that help novice teachers feel prepared to teach.This research study was completed in a public-school district in the southeastern region of Texas. Using comparative analysis (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016) throughout the collection and analysis of the data, the researcher examined the experiences of ten ACP novice elementary school teachers. Through the use of face-to-face, one-on-one interviews with ten AC novice elementary school teachers, the researcher explored the perceptions of the participants. Open and axial coding helped the researcher decipher the data and answer the research questions and also led to uncovering emergent themes such as relationships matter, experience in schools is key, peer support and collaboration are essential, disillusionment overtakes presumptions about teaching, and self-efficacy and resilience arise through adversity.The results of this research study regarding AC novice elementary school teachers' perceptions of their pre-service and school of employment' s training and support imply findings that may be used to help prepare novice elementary school teachers to teach. These implications include ideas and suggestions for ACPs and school districts to provide direct experiences to AC teacher candidates before these candidates become classroom teachers. Future research is needed to explore additional ways to prepare AC novice elementary school teachers to be prepared to teach prior to being hired as classroom teachers.

Advisor

Julia Ballenger

Subject Categories

Education | Educational Administration and Supervision

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