Demographics of a pedagogical framework:
Induction in low-income New Zealand primary schools
Squirrel Main
The University of Auckland
Paper presented at the British Educational Research Association Annual Conference, Institute of Education, University of London, 5-8 September 2007
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Page 1
Introduction
Over the past two decades, the processes for inducting beginning teachers into the realities of full-time teaching have increasingly become a source of international focus. New Zealand has a fairly comprehensive and constantly evolving induction system for its beginning teachers (BTs). BTs complete teacher training and begin their teaching career with a reduced teaching load that entails 0.2 release time for the school to support the BTs in the first year and 0.1 in their second year. BTs also are assigned a tutor teacher, given access to beginning teacher meetings and/or networks, and subject to a national requirement for portfolio submission in order to receive full registration. As schools in New Zealand are self-managing, each school designs its own induction program and decides how to expend the 0.2 release time resource. The combination of these parameters makes New Zealand an ideal country for examining variations within structured guidelines for induction programs.
This article is part of a larger study that is the first to blend qualitative and quantitative methodologies in examining induction programs in New Zealand primary schools in low-socioeconomic areas. The data-collection for the larger project is an equivalent-status mixed methods approach that occurs in three distinct phases. Phase one centres around a survey of schools and their programs for BTs, with the subsequent data analysis resting on the quantitative end of the spectrum. Phase two blends survey results with a series of interviews with principals to select success case sites. Phase three uses success-case methods to more fully investigate five schools with exemplary induction programs. This article discusses the findings from phase one.
After discussing survey design and distribution, this article reviews the age and experience of the BTs, as well as the pedagogical practices taking place in NZ induction. The second section discusses the results of factor analyses performed on the induction-related items. The third section examines cluster analyses of induction activities, particularly in relation to age, experience and stress levels. Lastly, the article concludes with a discussion of the findings and suggestions for future research
Methodology
New Zealand schools are divided into ten deciles based on the socio-economic resources of the students’ homes; the focus of this study is on the two lowest deciles. In July 2006, surveys were mailed to the 467 BTs in all 212 NZ decile one and two primary and intermediateschools. The survey questions (Appendix A) focused on the support and mentoring received by the BTs. Data were analysed using factor, cluster, ANOVA, and MANOVA analyses.
Survey Design
Recent Australasian research provides a wide range of surveys concerning induction programs (Canberra Department of Education Science and Training, 2002; Grudnoff & Tuck, 2005; Renwick, 2001; Yuen-Fun, 2003). To create a survey for this study, themes from the BT survey created by theNewTeacherCenter in Santa Cruz, California(Barrett, 2005) were adapted anditems were modified to include (1) practices common to the NZ context as well as (2) measures of stress, efficacy, and effectiveness. The final survey included questions about: the frequency and usefulness of induction activities; methods of tutor teacher selection; BT support, efficacy and attitude towards teaching; self-reported stress level; assumed leadership roles, and demographic information. Except demographic and tutor selection questions, responses were on a 5-point Likert-type scale. A draft survey was piloted on twelve primary BTs from the South Auckland region on 30 May 2006. Based on frequencies from the original NTC survey, no unexpected or wildly deviant results surfaced in the pilot response averages. Feedback from initial reviewers prompted the inclusion open-ended space for comment and three questions (42-44) regarding teachers’ perceptions of their students’ achievement. Collaborative efforts in September 2006 allowed feedback from this survey to provide feedback for the nationwide survey of beginning teachers conducted by the New Zealand Teachers Council./nice
Participant Identification via BTTA
For this study, beginning teachers are defined as first and second year teachers listed on the Ministry of Education Beginning Teacher Time Allowance (BTTA) database. The BTTA is a subsidy available to state schools that employ provisionally registered teachers. The BTTA gives schools an extra 0.2 full-time teacher equivalent for each first-year BT and 0.1 full-time teacher equivalent for each second-year BT employed via Teacher Salaries. To be listed on this database, teachers must be appointed to a position for at least 10 weeks and for at least 0.5 time. Given the download date of 10 July 2006, some BTs hired in June or July may have been excluded from the survey, which was mailed 28 July 2006. Furthermore, some schools pay beginning teachers out of their Bulk Grant rather than through Teacher Salaries, which means they are not eligible for the BTTA. Overall, approximately 90% of first year beginning teachers are on the BTTA database (Murray, 2006).
Contacting Participants through Mailings to Principals
Using contact data from the Ministry of Education database, initial phone calls were made simultaneously to the initial mailing. As per the University ethics requirements, surveys were posted to principals, who were asked to sign a consent form and distribute the survey to the beginning teachers in their school. Surveys were returned directly by beginning teachers via postage-paid envelopes for a first round return rate of 22% (n=103). Three weeks later, follow-up phone calls were made, which increased the response rate to 31% (n=146). Surveys were re-posted to schools who had not replied by 6 September 2006. This second mailing produced 62 more responses for a final response rate of 44% (n=207). This is similar to the average (48%) found by Green (1997) in her meta-analysis of surveys mailed to educators. As a point of comparison, the Teachers Council BT survey had a response rate of 23%.
Potential Pitfalls: Time, Non-Random Response, and Potential Lack of Anonymity
There were other disadvantagesto the one-shot survey.For example, relying solely on the BTTA database excluded approximately 10% of BTs who may be under-supported due to their alternate funding status. Furthermore, in sending the survey to the principals, 11 principals declined to forward the survey onto their BTs due to Education Review Office visits, survey inundation, and school-wide tragedies. Non-responding BTs may have viewed the survey as time consuming, especially as it lacked remuneration. Thus, the data may be biased by the non-random response pattern of the surveys being returned by less stressed BTs; although the 44% response rate is somewhat comforting.
Data Analysis
Part I: Independent Variables
The mean respondent age is 30. There are 108 (52.2%) BTs under 30 years old; 78 (37.7%) are 30 years or over; and 21 (10%) who declined to answer the question. The range of ages of survey respondents mirrors the national data for beginning primary teachers, which is younger than the overall national average teacher age of 44 (Galvin & Murray, 2005). For all statistical analyses, age was re-coded into two categories based on the median age: under-30 and 30-and-over. Given the survey date of October, all teachers who began teaching in February (the beginning of the NZ school year) had taught for 0-8 months. Of the 207 respondents, 93 (49%) have been teaching 0-8 months, 51 (27%) have been teaching 9-16 months, and 47 (25%) have been teaching 17-24 months. Six did not respond to this question.
There are fourteen accredited teacher training institutions in NZ, eleven of which (plus three outposts) were represented in this survey. Most BTs who responded to the survey graduated from a teacher’s college affiliated with a University. Like age, training was recoded in order to consolidate the data into more powerful subcategories. All satellite campuseswere merged into their parent university. The non-Universityprogramswere combined under “other” (11%), although it is acknowledged that these “other” campuses may have vastly different programs and calibre of graduates. The distribution of attendance at the various institutions mirrors the national statistics closely, with the exception that The University of Auckland is over-represented in the response pool, which is not surprising given that the Auckland region has the highest concentration of low-SES schools.
Table 1: Training Institutions Recoded by ParentUniversity
Survey Respondents / Percent / Graduates from Primary Teacher Education Programs in 2005[1] / National PercentChristchurch / 22 / 11% / 458 / 12%
Waikato / 37 / 19% / 334 / 9%
Dunedin / 8 / 4% / 189 / 5%
Auckland / 79 / 40% / 767 / 20%
Massey / 20 / 10% / 687 / 18%
Wellington / 11 / 6% / 92 / 2%
Other / 13 / 7% / 917 / 23%
Subtotal / 192 / 92.8 / 3893 / 100%
Missing / 15 / 7.2
Total / 207 / 100.0 / 3893 / 100%
Approximately half the BTs taught below Year 4 (age 9), with only 13% teaching above Year 6 (age 11). Fewer BTs are represented in both intermediate (13%) and new entrant (7%) years. A high percentage (82%) of BTs report working between 46 and 65 hours per week, with the majority (75%) reporting their current stress level as ‘coping’ or ‘effective.’ Most BTs assume additional roles (mean, 1.77 extra roles; mode, 1), with 59% reporting being an extracurricular activities leader, 39% serving on an academic committee, 44% taking a role in social committees, 14% assuming a leadership role in professional development, and 7% assuming curricular leadership roles (e.g., ICT, Māori).
Two itemsdealt with the tutor teacher (TT), the named school-site mentor for the BT during the induction process. As no special qualification is necessary to assume the TT role, it is instructive to note the formal positions of the TTs. The majority (60%) of TTs served in a formal leadership role such as syndicate leader (33.5%), deputy principals (11.73%), and assistant principals, with a sizable minority (39%) being regular classroom teachers. Six TTs were principals. On the other hand, principals played the most active role (63%) in TT selection, with only 3.5% of BTs having input in the selection of their TT.
Move towards a Pedagogical Stance
The essential premise of the pedagogical model is that quality professional development of BTs encompasses more than providing a nurturing environment. Tickle (2000) explained this distinction as the division between the teacher as technical and the teacher as professional. Overall, the BTs were satisfied with the induction program they are receiving; the overall rating of induction was high (mean=3.71, mode=4). TTs are seen as valuable and helpful in problem solving. In addition, the typical BT agreed that using assessment data, curriculum development, and observation are an integral part of the induction process. The impact on both student achievement and the overall professionalisation of the teaching culture remains a question, as these variables were the only two scoring below neutral (3.00).
Table 2: Descriptive Statistics for PedagogicalItems
Mean / SDTT valuable / 4.42 / 0.91
TT helps problem solve / 4.36 / 0.95
TT helps me improve / 4.17 / 1.11
I feel comfortable being observed / 4.16 / 1.01
Other teachers help me improve / 4.13 / 0.87
I am a good teacher / 3.93 / 0.68
Satisfied with job / 3.76 / 0.81
TT and I develop curriculum / 3.75 / 1.22
School induction program quality / 3.71 / 1.08
TT and I use assessment data / 3.70 / 1.23
DP helps me improve / 3.68 / 1.19
Principal holds TT accountable / 3.66 / 1.13
TT helps analyse student work / 3.65 / 1.22
Principal helps me improve / 3.64 / 1.25
TT assists me with lesson planning / 3.59 / 1.31
Student reading relative to other BTs / 3.04 / 0.71
I help TT become a better teacher / 2.92 / 1.08
Student reading relative to all teachers / 2.89 / 0.75
New Zealand’s Pedagogical Approach Viewed through the Lens of Age and Experience
Response data from items concerning the frequency (never, once, twice, 3-5 times, more than 6 times) and perceived utility (extremely beneficial, very beneficial, beneficial, slightly beneficial, not beneficial) of specific induction practices further illustrates NZ’s pedagogical induction approach (Main, 2007). Itemsincluded meeting with a tutor teacher, attending external professional development, observing a tutor teacher demonstration lesson, and videotaping lessons. Two of the demographic variables—BT age and number of months teaching—emerged as having significant relationships with several of these practices. Below are two scatterplots illustrating the average frequency and utility of induction practices for two different BTs—young, new BTs and older, second year BTs (Figures 1 & 2).Clearly, these scatterplots are relatively similar. The upper right quadrant of these charts represents an array ofpedagogically-oriented induction practices that are practiced frequently and perceived as beneficial. Nonetheless, an examination of the subtle-yet significant (p<0.05) differences between these charts enables us to more clearly understand the topography of NZ induction. For instance, examining the four outlying variables in the remaining three quadrants raises interesting questions about the pedagogical nature of induction. First, BTs who reported that keeping a written record was useful were more likely to be older (30 and over, mean=3.51; under 30, mean=3.39). The inverse trend can be seen with meeting with a group of BTs.[2] Likewise, video practices were infrequent for both groups, but second year older BTs cite slightly less benefit.
Figure 1: Frequency and utility of induction practices for BTs aged under 30 during their first year of teaching
Figure 2: Frequency and utility of induction practices for BTs aged 30 and over during their second year of teaching
When combining the factors of age and experience, more significant patterns surfaced. For example, teachers over 30 were more likely to find written documentation useful, especially in the latter third of their provisional registration period (p=0.051), however, their perceived utility of TT demonstration lessons also declined. Moreover, the number of months teaching was related to the utility of demonstration lessons, with second-year teachers in both age categories finding TT demonstration lessons significantly less useful (Figures 3 & 4). These comparisons illustrate that different groups of BTs derive different benefits from different induction practices. These initial findings prompted me to focus on the overall influence of age and experience, two variables that have not been researched in the NZ induction setting.
Figure 3: Utility of keeping a written record by age and experience
Figure 4: Utility of observing TT demonstration lessons by age and experience
Data Analysis Part II: Factor Analysis
A maximum-likelihood factor analysis with oblimin rotation was used in order tofacilitate variable analysis. Accordingly, the data was organised into six induction themes: Level of staff support, tutor teacher pedagogical practices, induction utility, perceived efficacy, perceived effectiveness, and degree of networking with other BTs. The sub-items for the six themes are outlined below.
Table 3: Six factor analysis themes and supporting items[3]
1. Level of staff support
Overall, my principal helps me to effectively improve my instructional skills and teaching strategies (0.68)
Overall, my deputy principal helps me to effectively improve my instructional skills and teaching strategies (0.65)
Overall, other teachers in the school help me to effectively improve my instructional skills and teaching strategies (0.57)
My school’s support and guidance program for beginning teachers is exceptionally good (0.43)
My principal holds my tutor teacher accountable for his/her performance as a tutor teacher (0.41)
2. Tutor teacher pedagogical practices
I feel comfortable being observed by my tutor teacher (0.40)
My tutor teacher helps me analyse student work (0.68)
My tutor teacher assists me with lesson planning (0.79)
During meetings with my tutor teacher, I help my tutor teacher to become a better teacher (0.49)
Working with my tutor teacher is valuable for my teaching (0.70)
My tutor teacher helps me to effectively use student assessment data to guide instruction (0.73)
My tutor teacher and I discuss teaching and/or solve problems together (0.83)
My tutor teacher helps me to understand more about developing curriculum (0.77)
Overall, my tutor teacher has helped me to effectively improve my instructional skills and teaching strategies (0.71)
Meeting with a supervising tutor teacher who is fully registered (rate usefulness) (0.63)
3. Induction utility (rate usefulness)
Engaging in professional discussions with colleagues focussed on students' learning (0.40)
Participating in external professional development experiences (0.48)
Keeping a written record of advice and guidance program (0.32)
Being videoed for professional development (0.67)
Being formally observed (0.62)
Observing and discussing the work of other teachers (0.66)
Watching my tutor teacher demonstrating lessons in my classroom (0.62)
Networking, sharing and learning with other teachers (0.58)
4. Perceived efficacy
I am a good teacher (0.64)
I am satisfied with the job that I am doing as a teacher (1.00)
5. Perceived effectiveness
Relative to other beginning teachers in New Zealand, I believe that my children are progressing in reading at the same (or better) rate as students in other classes (0.87)
Relative to all other teachers in New Zealand, I believe that my children are progressing in reading at the same (or better) rate as students in other classes (0.83)
6. Degree of networking with other BTs
Networking, sharing and learning with other beginning teachers (rate usefulness) (0.92)
Meeting with a group of beginning teachers at my school site (rate usefulness) (0.44)
Correlations between the factors show that the six factors provide somewhat unique measures of BT induction experiences. ANOVAs against the independent variables also revealed several interesting relationships (Appendix C). Additionally, Table 4 shows the correlations between factor themes. The following sections examine these relationships, especially in light of age and experience.