Factors Affecting the Professional Adaptation of Beginner Physical Education Teachers

Abstract

The first years of work at school are considered to be one of the most important stages of teachers’ training and it puts the basis for the professional development and further career decisions. The period of becoming a responsible teacher is related to the new experiences, challenges and the concept of professional adaptation. The aim of this paper is to reveal facilitating and impeding factors of the professional adaptation at school of young physical education teachers. Methods: semi-structured interview and qualitative content analysis. Seven beginner teachers (no more than 3 years of work experience, aged 23-26) were selected according to a convenience criteria method and interviewed. Physical education teachers’ adaptation at schools is influenced by the following factors: individual (the motivation of choosing this profession, the perception of this profession, the quality of preparation) and a professional environment (support system, physical working conditions, the interaction between the young teacher and school’s administration and staff). The factors which facilitate young teachers’ adaptation at schools are as follows: job satisfaction (they love working with children, they love doing sport); the will to increase their qualification; the type of their job (challenging, non-monotonous), the support from school administration as, for example, receiving a personal mentor. The impeding factors are: the lack of experience for preparing documentation (lessons’ plans, e-daybook, certain requests); difficulties with administration and colleagues (the lack of help, constant pressure), difficulties with students (testing new teacher, aggressive behavior, disinterest in PE, students psychological and physical changes in the period of adolescence, teacher’s difficulties with class management). Finally, better physical working conditions at work motivate young teacher, however beginner physical education teachers do not mention that worse physical working conditions make the professional adaptation more difficult. When assessing their readiness for professional activity, beginner teachers emphasize quality of knowledge at university, but note the lack of theoretical and practical training in the class management and in motivating children. Keywords: beginner PE teachers, professional motivation, support for the teacher, professional environment . DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15823/sm.2015.3