Latest / New Teacher Talk / Ep 206: Building Confident Teachers: What Early-Career Educators Need to Stay and Thrive

Transcript

Ep 206: Building Confident Teachers: What Early-Career Educators Need to Stay and Thrive · New Teacher Talk

Welcome back to New Teacher Talk.
Thanks for hanging out with us today.
This is your space for honest conversations about what
early career teaching actually feels like.
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I'm Dr.
Beth, one of the co-hosts of New Teacher Talk.
My background includes serving as a high school band
director, mentor, and teacher educator.
And I'm Dr.
Anna,
an early childhood generalist who mentors educators as they
begin their careers and on their journey toward national
board certification.
Today, we're excited to welcome Dr.
Virginia Shank.
Dr.
Shank joins us from Liberty University where she works
closely with early career educators and studies what helps
new teachers feel capable, confident, and supported.
Her research and mentoring experience give her a unique
lens on what early career teachers need in order to thrive.
Dr.
Shank, if you don't mind,
we'll probably call you Ginny moving forward in this
conversation today.
We are excited to know that you're going to be talking
about teacher self-efficacy.
At the heart of every new teacher's journey is the belief
that I can do this.
This conversation today walks us through what strengthens
new teacher's confidence, what can shake it,
what support really matters,
and how mentors and leaders can help early career teachers
thrive.
So let's get started.
Ginny,
when you think about new teachers stepping into their first
classrooms,
how would you explain teacher self-efficacy in practical
terms to them?
And why is it such a powerful predictor of their day-to-day
confidence and success?
Thank you so much for having me.
In practical terms, self-efficacy is the belief that I,
as a teacher,
can be successful in positively impacting my students.
This includes academic success,
their engagement in learning,
and just making an overall meaningful difference in their
lives.
I think this is why the majority of people enter the
profession.
Teacher self-efficacy is not natural talent or personality.
And thankfully, it's not fixed.
It can really vary based on the types of students you're
serving and subject matter.
For example, my background is in literacy.
So I have high self-efficacy for teaching reading,
but very low self-efficacy for teaching high school
students biology.
So the good news is that teacher self-efficacy can be
improved.
And it matters because you're right.
It is a predictor of success as teachers with high self
-efficacy are much more likely to serve their students well
even when it is challenging.
You know, in my research,
I found that self-efficacy impacts how teachers instruct,
how they manage their classrooms,
and their willingness to be inclusive or include a wide
range of diverse students with different academic and
cultural backgrounds.
And self-efficacy not only benefits students,
but also teachers.
Low self-efficacy has been linked to poor health,
more stress, and lack of job satisfaction.
While teachers with high self-efficacy are more likely to
be motivated, persist through difficulties,
and continue in the field.
Ginny, I just have to speak to that idea of persistence.
I was texting with one of my mentees this morning and she
was talking about a real concern for her day tomorrow
because conditions in her school were changing and she's
very worried about how she's going to be able to manage
through that day without the usual support that she
regularly has and I talked to her about keeping it simple
and replicating structures in her classroom that have been
successful in the past so that she could have a better day
tomorrow.
Oh, it sounds like you gave her powerful advice.
Ginny,
let's go a little deeper with this and let's pull on this
thread a little bit more.
Anna has just given us an example of mentoring she's been
doing and tomorrow is a big day for one of her mentees.
Let's just dig deep into what kinds of classroom moments or
challenges tend to chip away at a new teacher's sense of,
I can do this.
I wish that I could say that what Anna just shared is
unusual,
but I think it's very typical that our mentees are feeling
like they need support.
And when something changes,
it can really create a lot of stress and wondering what's
tomorrow going to be like.
But the main thing I hear from teachers is that when they
feel ineffective or unproductive,
especially during instruction,
that they become very discouraged.
You know,
many of them have shared with me that they don't feel
prepared to address some of the emotional issues that their
students are displaying,
some of the severity of behaviors that they're seeing in
their classroom.
I think new teachers in particular also seem to feel
personally responsible when their students don't make the
academic progress that they were hoping to see.
And I think the additional pressure of high-stakes testing
and how those results might reflect on them or their school
or district just adds to sort of this pressure cooker,
which can leave new teachers struggling to understand the
way they're feeling and how to regulate their own emotions.
They may feel isolated without a strong support system in a
new school or a new environment.
So Anna, I love that your mentee has you to reach out to,
but I would say that there are many early career teachers
who don't have someone with whom they can communicate
regularly and get that kind of support and advice,
and they need it for just these situations.
And on the flip side,
we've talked about those things that happen that aren't so
positive for early career teachers.
But what classroom experiences or those small wins,
have you seen that really strengthen a new teacher's
ability to see themselves as capable?
I think that's a great question.
You know, I asked some of my new teacher friends,
some of my former teacher candidates,
some of participants in my research study,
and what has come up again and again is that creating and
building and maintaining strong relationships with their
students seems to be the most important win for teachers
when it comes to strengthening their belief in their own
abilities.
Knowing their students well, developing trust between them,
and they shared that they felt that there was a direct
connection between their relationships with students and
their students willingness to put forth the effort to
achieve academically, follow their classroom rules,
to really engage in the learning process.
You know,
another boost that I've observed for teachers is when they
have some additional training in either special education
or social and emotional learning.
This could be additional coursework,
but it also could be professional development or something
where the teacher is taking time to do their own reading
and learning.
However, they are developing their skills,
it seems to help them to know how to escalate challenging
situations,
and it gives them some practical strategies for meeting the
needs of each of their students, not just academically,
but as a whole person.
The idea of reaching students as whole people and building
that sense of trust is really quite helpful because if the
students don't feel that you're worthy of giving effort,
and that they see that you've put effort back into them,
and that you have a sense of belief in them as students,
it's hard for them to have their own feelings of self
-efficacy as learners if you're not devoting effort into
getting to know them and expressing your belief in their
ability to learn.
Absolutely,
I always encourage my new teachers to go to your students'
games, get to know what is important to them,
because once they realize that they're important to you
even outside of the classroom,
they are so much more interested in what you have to share
within the classroom.
It's that idea of the investment in them.
That's so well said.
I know we're getting to the end of the school year now,
and there's still many things that can be done to
strengthen those relationships or send our students off to
their summer vacations,
feeling good about the connection you've made with them.
And of course,
when we start back in the fall with our new students,
building that relationship and building one's teacher self
-advocacy right away is so important.
Might you share an example or two of this relationship
building as it relates to teacher advocacy here at the end
of the year or at the beginning of the school year, Ginny?
Absolutely.
Let's start with the beginning of the year.
Getting to know students,
asking questions and remembering their answers,
even if that means you have to put some notes in your phone
or on a little scrap of paper.
We're human.
We can't always remember everything,
but being intentional about remembering what they told you
about their family,
remembering that it was grandpa's birthday and asking them
on Monday, how did the birthday party go?
Or did you win your soccer game?
Or what about the new puppy?
Whatever it is that's important in the student's life.
And I think this applies, whether they're elementary,
middle, high school, and even college,
getting to know what matters to them and taking an
interest.
Being interested enough to remember and ask again and
follow up.
And it also gives the teacher a chance to share about
themselves.
And I think that's a great way to begin is just being very
intentional about getting to know them and asking
questions.
Obviously, as the school year progresses,
you start to have so many shared experiences.
And I would always try to build those experiences,
whether that is bringing in a special book to share a guest
speaker, a video,
something that we could all share together.
That's a shared experience.
And you know, there are students who long for summer,
and then there are students who really school is their safe
place.
As teachers, we have to keep that in mind.
And so being accessible to students and letting them know
that you are going to miss being their teacher,
you're going to miss seeing them every day and that you're
looking forward to reconnecting in the school year or even
sharing things where you're in touch with parents and
checking on the students,
just really maintaining that relationship so that when the
school year returns,
and those students see you again in the hallway,
even if they're no longer primarily in your classroom or in
your class period,
they still see you as a positive difference maker within
the school and someone that they feel cares about them and
sees them as capable.
You know,
I had the privilege of being a reading specialist.
So I was able to work with a wide range of grade levels
each year within an elementary school.
And it was amazing how sometimes the relationship I built
with an older sibling would transfer to a younger sibling
just through the family before I'd even taught them,
because I had become close with the family maybe had gotten
to know them through going to a ball game.
And, you know, events still happen in the summer.
And it's a great way for students to still see their
teachers when they show up at community events or things
that they think will be important to students.
Those community events are what really connect you as the
teacher to you as the human,
to you as part of that wider community.
And again,
it comes back to that idea that you're trustworthy.
And when you talk about being a reading specialist,
you have to be very vulnerable in that situation because
often you're having to share things about you that are
hard, that you're struggling with something.
And by having those positive relationships with families,
with the student, then that student who comes to you says,
Dr.
Schenk,
she's going to be able to help me get to where I want to
be.
It's an amazing opportunity.
I have one of my first students who works now at my
neighborhood grocery store,
and I get the chance to see him often.
And at first,
he was so shocked to see me in a store outside of the
school building, I suppose,
but it's such a treat as a teacher to see your students
grow up,
to see them become citizens and part of the community.
And so those relationships can extend far beyond the
classroom.
You made an important point.
I think that when you develop trust and they see you as
someone who is on their team for the long term,
they're willing to take risks with you and for you.
And that is really important when they're struggling,
whether that struggle is emotional or academic,
they're willing to go with you if they trust you.
One of the things I used to always say to my students is
that sometimes when things were hard, try a little bit,
and I know that you want to get there,
but make this first try for me,
and eventually you'll be able to try and get it and do it
for yourself.
Because we have trust, try for me for the first time.
I love that.
That's just really great.
This collective working together and encouraging the
students and finding out what they are interested in all
really comes back to the culture of the classroom,
culture of the school, and how as a new teacher,
you are self efficacious when you have those positive
experiences.
And even on those bad days of pushing through,
having that grit and persistence.
And that's what I really liked Ginny when you started out
earlier in our conversation about defining what is teacher
efficacy.
Before we jump back in, are you job hunting?
The AAEE Job Search Handbook for Teachers is one of our
favorite go-to resources for new educators.
It's practical, it's helpful, and it works.
Grab the link in the show notes.
I'm curious at this point if you could speak to the link
between teacher self-efficacy and teacher retention,
especially in those early years as an educator.
In particular, I'm curious if you'll also address,
what should our mentors and induction leaders understand
about that connection?
Well, I think, based on my research and experience,
teacher self-efficacy and retention are very closely
linked.
As I did mention earlier,
teachers with high self-efficacy are not only more
effective, but they're more motivated to keep going,
to persist, to show that resilience,
even when difficulties and tough times arise,
and they will for all of us.
And on the contrast,
teachers with lower self-efficacy can tend to get burnt out
quicker and leave the field.
One statistic I read said that about 50% of American
teachers were leaving education within the first five
years.
And sadly, that was pre-COVID.
And so I suspect that that percentage could be even higher
or maybe within the first three years instead of five years
today.
And so you mentioned mentors and induction leaders,
you know,
they're in a unique position to help boost teacher self
-efficacy and retention in a few different ways.
I think the most important is strong mentoring programs.
You know, they're really a necessity in our schools.
And I encourage my teacher candidates to ask specific
questions about a school or district's mentoring program
during their interview process,
because it makes such a difference in the critical first
years.
From my experience and observation,
the best programs seem to include both some school-based
and outside mentors.
They meet with the new teachers consistently.
It's not just a drop in when it's convenient.
It's we have set times to meet and they can have really
honest conversations that aren't evaluative.
I think when your only mentor is your direct supervisor,
that leads to less honesty in conversations because none of
us, when we're new in a career,
want to admit all of the struggles that we're facing,
maybe to the person who's coming to observe us the next
day.
And so I think it's really important who is chosen.
And so I really encourage induction leaders to be selective
when they choose who should be the best mentors.
You know,
the research indicates that teachers who have a passion for
training new teachers and the next generation of educators
and those who are given some sort of recognition or
incentive for serving in this way make the best mentors.
You know,
when someone has volunteered that they're going to be a
mentor,
I don't think that sets them or the mentee up for success.
I think once the partnership has been established,
induction leaders can provide guidance on what are we
talking about in this month's meeting or this week's
meeting.
You know,
really giving them the topics that would be important for
new teachers and to talk through with them and seeking
feedback from both the mentor and the mentee about how the
process is working and being open to make changes and
improvements to the process when needed or for a specific
parent.
You've talked about trust here and trust between the new
teacher or the early career teacher and the mentor.
I fully support your idea about having an internal mentor
as well as one outside the school district.
I know Anna does that regularly in different places around
the country.
It is so eye-opening,
the ability of mentors both inside and outside the school
district to deeply help that early career teacher.
It is worth the money that schools invest in that and trust
has to be a foundation to all of that.
If there's no trust, there can be no growth.
And someone who is struggling,
and we all struggled as new teachers,
every professional year is a struggle.
It's not unique to teaching.
But to have the support that you need and when you need it
is so important.
And as you know,
the school year has different ups and downs.
It has a different pace to it at the beginning versus the
middle and then after spring breaks and as the year comes
to a close.
So I really appreciate your approach to that question.
I think it's so critically important that our mentors and
induction leaders understand the process that's so helpful
to new educators.
I appreciate what you shared about it being an investment
because it is an investment of resources to bring in
outside mentors.
It's an investment of time,
but I agree with you that that investment is returned
tenfold when teachers stay and grow instead of having to
replace teachers on a regular basis.
Research shows that it costs more to replace teachers every
year than it does to offer a high-quality mentoring and
induction program because when early career teachers feel
supported and they receive the support that they need on a
regular basis, it makes a big difference.
Thank you.
Absolutely.
And finally,
based on your research and experience in preparing new
teachers,
what kinds of support make the biggest difference in
helping them stay, grow, and thrive in our profession?
Well, this is such an important question.
And I think there are many kinds of supports,
but I think there are some that are the big difference
makers.
And so one of those,
and I'm a little biased as a professor,
but I think one is having a strong partnership between
colleges and universities and local schools.
This allows for frequent and varied field experience for
teacher candidates.
And they're benefiting from the supervision of both
university and K-12 faculty.
And this better prepares them, I think, for the real world.
And if done well,
it can alleviate some of the lack of preparation that I
think early career teachers feel for what they experience
when they get in their own classrooms.
Now, once a candidate is hired by a school again,
I'm gonna hit mentors again,
because they do need to be assigned to that strong mentor,
but I would also advocate for that to support to extend
beyond the first year.
I think it needs to be a longer term mentorship,
whether that's two or three years, it can vary,
but I do think it needs to go beyond just that first
semester or first year in the classroom.
Another big difference maker I've seen is training that is
scenario-based.
And what I mean by that is when new teachers are given the
opportunity within their schools to get training on
practical situations that they're going to face and get the
chance to walk through them, discuss them,
whether this happens in a new teacher meeting with mentors
or whether this is part of a professional learning
community with their grade level teams or subject area
teams.
But topics might be things like,
how do you respond to challenging behaviors?
Or how do you have the tough conversation with a parent
when it's almost parent-teacher conference time?
You all had spoken about the seasonality of a school year,
and I think timing these scenario-based trainings to get
ahead of what we know or some of the pressure points
throughout a school year is so beneficial.
And lastly,
I really encourage school and district leaders to provide
resources for early career teachers.
They need resources related to resilience and grit and self
-care.
Teaching is a marathon, not a sprint.
And I think those of us who are veteran teachers and those
who are in leadership really need to create supportive
communities within our schools to support, encourage,
include, and help these new career teachers thrive.
And part of that is hosting or helping to present
meaningful professional development opportunities each
semester.
There are topics that are relevant to everyone,
but then there are topics that are especially helpful for
early career teachers.
And in my experience,
they've shared that it's most helpful when it's something
that they can use in their classroom sooner rather than
later.
When the speaker is credible, and usually for new teachers,
that feels like another teacher who has proven skills and
success.
And that having the opportunity to talk through scenarios,
participate in professional development,
and just be part of a supportive community,
I think all of those things keep early career teachers
growing and thriving in what I believe is a noble
profession.
We believe that too, Dr.
Shank.
I know you do.
Well thank you, Ginny, for being our guest today.
I hope our listeners have left with at least one or two new
ideas that they had not considered specific to the topic of
teacher efficacy and being resilient and making a
difference every day in your classroom.
We want to thank everyone for being here today and each
week we want you to know that we post a free resource you
can snag on Instagram and BlueSky at New Teacher Talk.
For example on Tuesdays we share a ready to use
downloadable and then on Thursdays we provide some
motivation so you can keep showing up as your best teacher
self.
And we also hope you'll become a regular follower of our
podcast channel.
And remember, keep going.
Every day in the classroom is shaping the teacher you're
becoming.
We're in this together.
You've got this.
See you next time.