Teacher Efficacy in High Performing Teachers: Barriers and Enablers for New Graduates

Abstract

Teachers with a high sense of self-efficacy are more resilient to difficulties, experience greater job satisfaction and have higher expectations of their students. This study investigated teacher self-efficacy in high performing teachers at two points in their development: 1) as preservice teachers, halfway through their undergraduate degree using the Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES) (Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001) 2) as new graduates through a qualitative interview focused on efficacy. These 24 teachers participated in the National Exceptional Teaching for Disadvantaged Schools program (NETDS) at Deakin University during their BEd (Primary) degree. They demonstrated lower self-efficacy than their peers in Efficacy for Instructional Strategies (TSES). As graduates, however, they presented as confident teachers with high self-efficacy. It appears that their studies, their placements in low socioeconomic schools and as well mentored new graduate teachers, had helped make them into effective teachers who were ready for their new profession.