NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Sahtu Settlement Area, Dehcho Region, North Slave Region, South Slave Region

Tags: social sciences, social support, social responsibility strategy, teachers, northern community, personal experience, educational evaluation, cross-cultural, cultural awareness, work-life balance, school-career transition

Objective(s): This qualitative study will examine the experiences of beginning teachers in the Northwest Territories. Through in-depth interviews, at three stages during the induction year, the experiences of four beginning teachers will be examined. The primary focus will be on the following areas of concern: the personal, professional, and cultural needs of beginning teachers and effective and responsive teacher induction supports during their first year of teaching. Through this study, the researcher hopes to gain some insight into the most significant needs of beginning teachers - personal, professional, cultural. It is hoped that through descriptive interviewing, the participants will describe their experiences as beginning teachers. Secondly, it is hoped that the participants will describe the induction supports they received during their first year and elaborate on which were helpful and which were not. Finally, the researcher hopes to gather information that will be informative for NWT educators involved either in pre-service training or in teacher induction.

Project Description: The researcher will complete a descriptive study using qualitative methods. Beginning teachers in Northwest Territories communities will be surveyed to identify their professional, personal and cultural needs and to identify the most useful supports provided during their induction period. Each participant will be interviewed three times during the year: October, February, June, with the following interview questions being utilized: (1) What is your background, history and education?; (2) Why did you decide to teach in your present community?; (3) What is the setting - community, school, culture, region- of your position?; (4) What has been your experience teaching in your community?; (5) What are some of the lessons you have learned this year?; (6) What supports have you received which helped you professionally, personally and culturally?; (7) What are some additional supports which would have been helpful in your first year of teaching in your community?; and (8) What advice would you give to a teacher who was considering taking a teaching position in your community? Participation in the study is voluntary, and all participants will sign a consent form. Interviews will be taped, to facilitate data collection. Results of the survey will be shared with the participating Education Councils.