The Newly Qualified Teacher: A Leader and a Professional?

The study examines the first year of newly qualified child carers at daycare centres. The study consists of two parts that focus on:  1) how newly qualified child carers experience the everyday routines at daycare centres and the impact of this has on their professional development; 2) how daycare managers perceive and evaluate the skills of the newly qualified child carers.

Teachers and managers agreed that the identities of newly qualified child carers are weak. Newly qualified child carers’ understanding of professional requirements is unclear. The general knowledge developed through the theoretical training is not directly transformed into practical activities at daycare centres. Moreover, it is problematic for newly qualified child carers to develop authority, as child carers and assistants have the same duties despite the fact that child carers have three years of university education, while assistants for the most part have no university education. Finally, it is difficult for child carers to develop their professional authority due to their young age compared with e.g. assistants who are often older. The study suggests that support from experienced child carers is essential for newly qualified child carers. Therefore, managers should focus on creating opportunities for newly qualified child carers to engage in professional dialogue and collaboration with experienced child carers.

Data collection consisted of text from 30 logbooks from seven newly qualified child carers and of semi-structured face-to-face interviews with eight daycare managers that had been chosen on the basis of institution size and geographical area and that managers should have some experience with newly qualified child carers.

Grimsath, G.; Nordvik, G.; Bergsvik, E. (2008). The Newly Qualified Teacher: A Leader and a Professional? A Norwegian Study: Journal of In-service Education 34 (2) S. 219-236.