Early career teachers’ sense of professional agency in the classroom: associations with turnover intentions and perceived inadequacy in teacher–student interaction

Abstract

Early career teachers' sense of professional agency in the classroom: Associations with turnover intentions and perceived inadequacy in teacher-student interaction AbstractTeachers' capacity to learn intentionally and responsively in the classroom is particularly vulnerable during the first years in the profession. This study investigated the interrelations between early career teachers' turnover intentions, perceived inadequacy in teacher-student interaction, and sense of professional agency in the classroom. The survey data were collected from 284 in-service teachers with not more than five years of experience and analysed by structural equation modelling (SEM). The results showed that the negative relation between turnover intentions and early career teachers' sense of professional agency was completely mediated by perceived inadequacy in teacher student interaction. The results indicate that experiences of insufficient abilities to solve pedagogically and socially challenging student situations have a crucial effect on early career teacher's capacity for adaptive reflection and active transformation of instruction.

Readiness and Competence of New Teachers for Career as Professional Teachers in Primary Schools

“…When the theme one, two, and four were connected, the harmony between the efforts made by lecturers in providing knowledge and skills in the field of study and pedagogy, and the actual teaching practices of new teachers in the schools where they work appeared. The observation results of the teaching process to new teachers through 17 aspects of teacher performance showed good competence with an average value of 4.24 although basically, teachers, in their first years of teacher's profession, are very easily affected to learning intentionally and responsively in class (Heikonen et al, 2017). In fact, the results of the study conducted by Louws et al (2018) showed that the early career teachers had problems in growing and increasing professionalism.…”

“…Fahdini et al, 2014;Kert, 2019;Sarac, 2018;Tican & Deniz, 2019;Uyar et al, 2018). The results of previous study by Heikonen et al (2017) about the teachers' sense as professional agent in their early career indicated that inadequate abilities in solving challenging students conditions have essential impact on their capacity pedagogically and socially to reflect adaptively and transform instruction actively. The study conducted by Nolan and Molla (2018) on learning of professional teacher through distress pedagogy proves that in learning of professional teacher, its process must be notified by distress pedagogy because of the relationship among the professional teachers' character, experiences, and acts of deliberation.…”

School culture, leadership and relationships matter

“…These may serve to increase their abilities to support their pupils', colleagues' and their own meaningful learning and wellbeing at school (cf. Heikonen et al, 2017).…”

L’accompagnement professionnel des enseignants débutants en Finlande : enjeux et besoins

“…Les résultats empiriques de ces études récentes (Harju et Niemi, 2016 ;Heikonen et al, 2016 ;Lehtonen et al, 2017) révèlent que les besoins et les questionnements des enseignants qui exercent depuis moins de cinq ans ont trait à la dimension sociale du métier et aux défis qu'elle pose, en particulier s'agissant des interactions avec les élèves à l'intérieur et à l'extérieur de la classe, des relations avec les collègues et du travail d'équipe, ainsi que de la collaboration avec les parents. Tout cela renvoie aux aspects essentiels de gestion de classe et de travail collaboratif, qui sont au coeur du métier d'enseignant.…”