Publication Date

2002

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Wholeben, Brent E.

Degree Name

Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)

Legacy Department

Department of Leadership in Educational and Sport Organizations

LCSH

First year teachers--Illinois--Attitudes; School environment--Illinois; Effective teaching--Illinois

Abstract

This was a study of novice teachers' perceptions of building climate. Due to the significant number of teachers who leave the profession in the first five years and the increase in need for teachers, it is vital to have an understanding of how teachers perceive their work environment. Eighty-five first-year teachers who were matched with 85 veteran teachers who taught the same subject in the same building composed this study. The teacher sample was drawn from 10 schools in the northeastern portion of Illinois. The study was a pretest posttest design utilizing the National Association of Secondary Schools Comprehensive Assessment of School Environments Teacher Satisfaction Survey. This study looked at where novice and veteran teachers' perceptions were at the beginning and end of the year and compared novice teachers' perceptions at the end of the year with veteran teachers' perceptions at the beginning of the year. When comparing end-of-the-year perceptions with the beginning-of-the-year perceptions, the following were found: novice teachers' perceptions of building climate decreased in every area associated with school climate, and the novice teachers reported decreased level of satisfaction in eight out of the nine constructs being studied. The study also examined how novice teachers' perceptions at the end of the year compared to the perceptions of veteran teachers at the beginning of the year. Only three significant differences existed between novice teachers' posttest when compared to veteran teachers' pretest. The differences were found in the areas of communication, compensation, and curriculum and job tasks. This study found that novice teachers' perceptions of building climate evolve into those of the veteran teachers after their first year of employment. These findings are important as they may have a bearing on students, novice teachers, veteran teachers, building administrators, and district administrators. The results of this study can help teacher candidates assess their work environments, help school administrators to determine staff development needs, and assist in broad organizational planning.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references (pages [208]-212).

Extent

[xiii], 239 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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