Date of Award
2020
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Organizational Unit
Morgridge College of Education, Teaching and Learning Sciences, Curriculum and Instruction
First Advisor
Paul Michalec
Second Advisor
P. Bruce Uhrmacher
Third Advisor
Garrett Roberts
Keywords
First-year teachers, Social and emotional competence, Social and emotional learning, Teacher well-being
Abstract
This study is an exploration of the social and emotional competence of first-year teachers with particular attention directed to how these five core competencies influence the way new teachers navigate tension and exercise agency. Tension is embedded into the fabric of a teacher’s first year. New to the field and still learning the complex art of how to teach, novice teachers must navigate an unfamiliar context without a complete understanding of the potential threats to their well-being. The study explores tension experienced by first-year teachers and their social and emotional competence through classroom observations, interviews, and weekly voice memos with the methodological approach of educational connoisseurship and criticism. The experiences of the four participants in the study are described in detail and shared through a series of vignettes, which highlight prominent tensions experienced by the first-year teachers and show how their social and emotional competencies operationalize in the classroom. The relevant findings in this study are disseminated through six themes categorized under teacher-student relationships, classroom atmosphere, and decision making. Ultimately, the study invites a reconsideration of how prospective teachers are prepared through teacher education programs and what type of support is provided for teachers during their first year in the profession.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
P. Daniel Riordan Jr.
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
File Format
application/pdf
Language
en
File Size
339 p.
Recommended Citation
Riordan, P. Daniel Jr., "Navigating Uncharted Waters: An Exploration of the Social and Emotional Competence of First-Year Teachers" (2020). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1827.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1827
Copyright date
2020
Discipline
Teacher education, Education