Types of support provided for first-year teachers as perceived by the teachers and by the principals of those teachers

The focus of this study was on assistance given to first-year teachers in Nebraska elementary schools. The primary purpose of the study was to seek answers to questions concerning the perceptions of principals and first-year teachers about the types of support that were provided/received, the types of support that should be provided/received, and the frequency that the types of support were and should be provided/received. In addition, principals were asked to report why certain types of support were not provided for first-year teachers. The data were obtained by means of separate questionnaires sent to (1) Nebraska elementary school principals who supervised a first-year teacher during the 1988-89 school year and who returned to the district for the 1989-90 school year, and (2) Nebraska elementary school teachers who were first-year teachers during the 1988-89 school year, were supervised by a principal during that year, and who returned to the district for the 1989-90 school year. The collected data were analyzed and tested to determine if significant differences existed in the perceptions of principals and teachers. The findings of the study were: (1) A significant difference was found for 13 of the 27 types of support when comparing the principals' and first-year teachers' perceptions of the types of support that were provided/received. (2) The reason cited most often by the principals for not providing a type of support for the first-year teacher was "not necessary." (3) The responses of the principals and teachers differed significantly on six of the 27 types of support when their perceptions of the types of support which should be provided/received were compared. (4) Principals appeared to support the concept that teachers should have received more types of support during their first year of teaching than they currently received. (5) Although the teachers' responses indicated they received assistance during their first year of teaching, they perceived more support was needed than was currently provided.