Teachers’ Joys and Stressors: Investigating the Experiences of Novice Teachers

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Saturday 7:45 am
  In Poster Session: Mentoring, Induction, Novice Teacher Support, and Mental Health

Abstract

Novice teachers are particularly vulnerable to teacher attrition, and stress and workload both contribute to this problem. While teacher induction programs are one piece of the solution, support of novice teachers should be tailored to their experiences. This project examines the time-based workload of novice teachers through time diaries and semi-structured interviews. To better understand causes of teacher retention and attrition, I identify sources of stress and joy within their use of time, as well as novice teachers’ feelings about work-life balance. Initial mixed-methods analysis highlights the connection between new teachers’ joys and stressors. By better understanding the experiences of novice teachers, schools and administrators can incorporate greater support for those teachers to reduce attrition and increase quality of instruction.

Author

• Annie McClellan, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign