A study of first-year teachers and their principals: Perceptions of readiness among participants from traditional and non-traditional teacher preparation programs

Mary Wilson Black, Fayetteville State University

Abstract

This dissertation examined first-year teachers' and their principals' perceptions of readiness among participants from traditional and non-traditional teacher preparation programs. To conduct this study, the Teachers' and Principals' Perceptions of Readiness Survey, adapted from Belchier's Assessment of Readiness for Employment (1998) instrument was administered to 183 teachers and 89 principals from three of the largest school districts in North Carolina. Treatment of the data was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to determine if there were significant differences between first-year teachers and their principals' perceptions of readiness competencies for classroom teaching. Readiness competencies included: Instructional Planning, Instructional Approaches, Learning Environment, Evaluation of Student Competency, Application of Technologies, Students as Learners, Professional Development, and Parent/Colleague Community Relations. The findings indicated that principals' perceptions of readiness were less positive of new teachers than the perception new teachers had of themselves. There were no significant differences among first-year teachers' perceptions of the readiness among participants of traditional and non-traditional teacher preparation programs. However, there were significant differences in principals' perceptions of readiness competencies in five of the eight competency areas: Learning Environment, Evaluation of Student Competency, Application of Technologies, Students as Learners, and Professional Development.

Subject Area

Teacher education

Recommended Citation

Black, Mary Wilson, "A study of first-year teachers and their principals: Perceptions of readiness among participants from traditional and non-traditional teacher preparation programs" (2003). ETD Collection for Fayetteville State University. AAI3345778.
https://digitalcommons.uncfsu.edu/dissertations/AAI3345778

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