Induction of Women Beginner Teachers at Two South African Community Secondary Schools

Abstract

The quest of beginner teachers becoming experienced teachers remains a major issue within the educational terrain. Induction experience(s) of beginner teachers particularly women in selected community secondary schools in South Africa was the focus of this research. In this research, the problems that women beginner teachers face at some selected schools, as well as the types of induction programmes used to support them, as they grappled with the problems, were explored. A qualitative research approach involving semi-structured interviews and non-participant observation was used in the collection of the requisite data. A sample comprising two community secondary schools and four women beginner teachers were selected to take part in the research. To make meaning of the data which were collected, inductive analysis of the data was conducted. Communities of Practice was used as the theory that underpinned the research findings reported in this paper. Based on the data analysis and the communities of practice theory that served as the framework, the paper among other findings reports that induction programmes used in sampled/selected schools were highly ineffective in supporting the women beginner teachers to overcome the problems revealed. The research contributes to the body of knowledge on the lived experiences of beginner teachers at the beginning of their teaching career and provides recommendations on classroom management and dealing with ill-disciplined learners. Keywords: beginner teacher; community practice; education leadership; teachers’ induction; women teacher.

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