The developing confidence of new teachers: effects of experience during the transition period from student to teacher

Abstract

The study examines changes in the level of confidence of new teachers over the first term of full‐time teaching. Path analytic procedures are employed to explore possible causal effects of sex of teachers, teaching experience, attitudes to discipline, teacher idealism and entry levels of confidence, together with levels taught and contact time, on the changes in idealism, attitudes and confidence. All 128 subjects were new graduates of university academic programs about to commence full‐time teaching and part‐time teacher education. In general their only preparation for classroom teaching was a four‐week introductory course offered by the University of Hong Kong. Previous part‐time experience did not affect the level of confidence to deal with classroom management problems. The less idealistic teachers were more confident initially, and over the first term of teaching became more confident and more idealistic with respect to the qualities of a teacher. How confident or capable the new teacher perceived himself to be was largely determined by the entry level of confidence and the class level to which they were assigned to teach. The study points to a need for teacher educators and school administrators to take into account the differences in classroom management requirements for junior and senior classes, and the confidence of teachers to deal with the issues at each level before being assigned a specific teaching load.