Elementary School Teachers’ Experiences :

Successive Interviews During Their First Year

Abstract

  The purpose of the present study was to examine elementary school teachers’ experiences in their first year of teaching in Japan.  Participants were 9 new teachers (FYTs; 6 women and 3 men): 2 first-grade teachers, 4 third-grade teachers, 2 fourth-grade teachers, and 1 sixth-grade teacher.  The teachers cooperated with semi-structured and successive interviews 4 times during the year.  Data from the interviews were analyzed using the Modified Ground Theory Approach. In the first interview, the teachers were unsure and explained that they knew that children have various aspects.  Through their experiences in this first year, they came to terms with their own teaching style.  During the year, they experienced conflicts about their perception of teaching; also, what was necessary for teaching became apparent to them.  When the teachers had many difficulties with their classes and little support from colleagues, they felt burdened with the extent of their responsibilities as classroom teachers.  At first, the shock and stress of this new environment often disturbed the teachers’ developmental processes, but this problem lessened over time.  The teachers’ relationships with their colleagues and the children’s parents improved or worsened their experience, depending on the circumstances.  These results suggest that it is important for new elementary school teachers to develop independence.