Strategies to Thrive : Supporting New Teachers in the Transition to Teaching
By Dr . Rebecca Baelen University of Illinois • Chicago , IL
This article is composed of excerpts from Rebecca Baelen ’ s chapter in CSEE ’ s upcoming book Reframing Self-Care for Independent School Faculty , coming out this fall .
Transitioning into any new life experience can be challenging . Transitions are filled with unknowns and can bring up feelings of uncertainty , self-doubt , and even fear . The transition into teaching is no different . It has often been described as a “ trial by fire ” or “ sink or swim ” experience ( Johnson and Birkeland , Lortie ). It is particularly challenging , because a new teacher is immediately tasked with the same responsibilities as more experienced teachers , even though they have yet to develop the capabilities and skills necessary for executing these responsibilities ( Feiman-Nemser et al .; Schon ). Research has also shown that new teachers are highly vulnerable to stress , which can lead to low teacher motivation , increased in burnout , and attrition from the profession ( Cunningham ; Haberma ; Hong ; Ingersoll ; Liu ; McCarthy et al .; Richards ; Sutton and Wheatley ).
Conversely , adaptive teacher beliefs , mindsets , and orientations toward teaching serve to counteract these tendencies and bolster teachers ’ social and emotional competencies ( SECs ; e . g ., self-awareness , emotion regulation , compassion ), motivation ( Lin & Gorrell , 1998 ), and willingness to improve ( Runhaar et al ., 2010 ; Thoonen et al ., 2011 ). These factors in turn foster greater teacher well-being , job satisfaction , and retention in the profession . Furthermore , teacher well-being and SECs are related to more supportive and healthier classroom climates , enhanced student wellbeing , and greater teacher effectiveness ( Robertson-Kraft and Duckworth ; Spilt et al .; Pianta et al ., 2007 ; Huberman , 1993 ). More recent research also shows that teacher SECs are foundational for creating positive learning environments that promote student well-being and healthy development ( US Department of Education ; Lever et al .).
Given the importance of teacher well-being and SECs , cultivating the beliefs , mindsets , and competencies early on in a teacher ’ s transition to teaching is a promising approach to help teachers thrive , perform , support students , and continue in the profession .
Page 20 Fall 2022 CSEE Connections