Classroom Management Challenges and Administrative Support in Elementary Schools: Experiences of Novice Public-School Teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore classroom management challenges that novice teachers experienced in their early years of profession. Moreover, this study explored the administrative support novice teachers received from school administration concerning classroom management. We drew on interview data to explore novice teachers' experiences who had less than three years of experience during their first job in public elementary schools. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of ten novice teachers. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the experiences of novice teachers. The analysis came up with four themes: Responsive administration, helping hands, struggling with workload, and supportive principal.The study's findings revealed that most of the teachers faced over-crowded classes and a high workload in their initial time. Most of the teachers had received support from the administration; however, the administration was helpless regarding many challenges that the novice teachers faced in their early years. Many administrators did not help the novice teachers’ deal with over-crowded classrooms, the extra workload in the form of periods per week, and the management of students' behaviors.

Becoming an Effective Classroom Manager: Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions of their Classroom Management Education and Self-Efficacy Beliefs

“…It leads to less downtime and fewer problems with discipline. When repercussions are consistently applied, students accept behavioral and academic consequences better (Saleem, Muhammad, & Masood, 2019, 2020b. A well-thought-out curriculum policy is vital for an efficiently run course.…”

“…In addition, an effective classroom manager ensures a classroom is a safe place for students to discuss their ideas and explore new concepts openly. Students must feel at home when they are in the classroom, and if they fail to feel that way, they may not always be comfortable sharing their thoughts (Saleem, Muhammad, & Masood, 2020a, 2021.…”

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“…4-5). Poorly managed classrooms lead to ineffective teaching and learning (Saleem, Muhammad, & Masood, 2019, 2020a, 2020b. Effective classroom management is usually dependent on the standard of establishing a conducive environment of the classroom encompassing effective student-teacher relations.…”

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“…It also entails the coordination and implementation of classroom programs and initiatives. Effective classroom management is a continuous process focused on motivating students by presenting them with specific guidelines and input (Saleem et al, 2020a(Saleem et al, , 2021bSaleem et al, 2021c). The ability of a teacher to control a classroom and organize instruction is a critical component of successful teaching (Farooq, 2011).…”