Selected Perceptions Of Second Career Novice Teachers

Schools in America employ more K-12 teachers than hospitals and universities combined employ registered nurses, doctors, and professors (US Bureau of Census, 1998, in Ingersoll & Smith, 2003). This points to the critical importance of teachers in American society. Since American children of today are required to attend school from age 7 through 17 (US Dept of Education, 1997), this dramatically increases the segment of the population directly comprising our education system. Addressing problems connected to such a large proportion of our society should constitute a national priority. Identifying and solving these problems require a multiplicity of studies and efforts, including the incorporation of novice teachers into the system. This study seeks to identify some of the factors contributing to the success of novice teachers in the classroom. In particular, this study documents and analyzes the perceptions of second career novice teachers, especially how novice teachers see themselves becoming a part of the culture of the teaching profession and, more specifically, of their own schools and individual classrooms.