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Stage 1 – Apprentice Teacher/Survival Stage
Apprentice teachers are normally first-year teachers who are idealistic,
passionate, full of energy, and displaying a rosy and sometimes an unrealistic idea
about teaching. Many are unsure of their teaching ability but believe teaching is
easy. Additionally, classroom management, discipline, teaching all students well,
and determining students’ grades are often very difficult for them because they want
their students to like them. They use the prescribed guides, district lesson plans, and
grade-level texts provided by the school district for all ability groups and tend to do
everything with whole-class teaching (Katz, 1972; Lynn, 2002; Steffy et al., 2000).
During this stage, teachers are focused on themselves and ask questions such as:
• I’m new; how do we do things around here?
• Can I really do this kind of work day after day? Did I pick the right career?
• How can I get through the day in one piece?
• Will the students like me?
• Will other teachers like me?
Apprentice teachers go from exhilaration to survival. They experience fatigue
and extreme exhaustion that may translate into impatience and intolerance. They
may develop low self-confidence and low teacher self-efficacy. Thus, these teachers
need PD to
• build their professional vocabulary;
• help them link theory to practice;
• develop a broader repertoire of instructional approaches and strategies that
improve students’ learning—for example, by attending problem-solving
workshops that focus on such skills;
• deal with discipline and classroom management issues—for example, by
participating in book studies related to these topics; and
• learn how to handle things like stress, grading issues, and teacher self-esteem
issues—for example, by attending group sessions in which strategies are shared.

Stage 2 – Professional Teacher/Consolidation Stage
In this stage, professional teachers have increased both their confidence and
self-efficacy as they see they are making a difference with some students. They have
addressed and developed good classroom management skills as well as gained better
observational skills. However, they are still worried about what others think and
conform to expectations of others (Katz, 1972; Lynn, 2002; Steffy et al., 2000). During
this stage, teachers are worried about all their students and ask questions such as
• How can I help certain children who do not seem to be learning or even want to
learn? What should I change?
• How can I help the student who tattles, or who bullies, or who clings?
• How can I make transition times more effective?
• What can students do while I am working with small groups?
Professional teachers in this stage are ready to seek growth opportunities and are
not afraid to seek help and assistance from other teachers. Because of the change in
attitude, teachers are moving from an instructional paradigm to a learning paradigm.
Thus, these teachers need PD to
• be part of a peer/coaching team (either grade level or content area) that looks
at teaching practices; ideas can come from their own teaching or from teaching
experiences watched via YouTube and other resources to promote more
reflective practice;

Changing Perspectives on Teaching and Learning 27