Abstract:

New aims and objectives of the education reform in Lithuania require that the teacher should be comprehensively prepared and have respective abilities necessary for a successful induction and adaptation in the professional field, in the transition from studies to work at school. In the first year at school, teachers have to adapt to specific working conditions, to identify their professional role, which requires a great deal of effort in mastering of new abilities. In order to manage this process of ensuring opportunities for novice teachers’ professional growth and career development, a mandatory pedagogical internship is established at the national level (Teacher Training Regulation, 2018). It aims at creating learning environment for novice teachers, leading to improvement of competencies acquired during studies, providing support for successful induction into a pedagogical community of the educational institution. The project ‘Continue!’ (‘Tęsk!’) aimed at testing a new model of pedagogical internship for novice teachers has been implemented in Lithuania. The novice teacher professional development is supported by the appointed mentor, the internship supervisor, experts, and the school community. The appointed supervisors are university teacher trainers, their role is to coordinate, to monitor and evaluate the induction process.

This paper presents the findings of the qualitative evaluative research of novice teachers, conducted by supervisors. The content analysis of evaluative Progress Reports of Novice Teachers, who participated in the project, has provided evidence about the progress made. It also made it possible to identify the difficulties faced. Novice teachers have improved their didactic and ICT competences, competences of class management and communication with pupils’ parents. The main difficulties faced were: formulation of lesson goals, work with special needs children, assessment and documenting of learning. The analysis has shown that the model tested in the project turned out to be useful. The main success factors were: the close cooperation of novice teachers with school mentors (advisors, supporters); their common activities (projects, events), assistance in the lessons; support of school community and managerial staff and the effectiveness of team (novice teacher-mentor-supervisor) collaboration.

Keywords:

Induction period, novice teacher competence development.