The Contribution of Teachers' Roles to Beginning Teachers' Perceptions of Success

Abstract

Beginning teachers leave the profession at an alarming rate. Role expansion and role intensification have become more predominate in the profession as a result of numerous reform and accountability movements, including No Child Left Behind. Research suggests that social supports and engagement in multiple roles can buffer the effects of stress and work intensification. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between beginning teachers’ perceptions of success, work role satisfaction, commitment, and retentions intentions while understanding the influence of role intensification and multiple roles on those relationships. The population of interest in this study was North Carolina State University’s College of Education graduates employed as teachers. This study used a single time survey design to evaluate teachers’ perceptions of Mentor Support, Colleague Support, Administration Support, Classroom Management, Encouraging Student Success, Curricular and Instructional Resources, Assignment and Workload, Parental Contacts, Satisfaction, and Commitment through the Perceptions of Success Inventory for Beginning Teachers (Corbell, 2008a). In addition, questions surveyed beginning teachers about occupation of additional roles (i.e., parent, spouse, caregiver, student, etc.) and role intensification surrounding high-stakes testing. In all, 127 graduates for the College of Education were included in this study. A measurement model that was a modification of the model validated by Corbell (2008a) included beginning teachers’ multiple roles as a moderator and beginning teachers’ role intensification as a mediator. Path analysis determined that the measurement model was not a reasonable depiction of the relationships. However, there were other findings of interest discovered in the process. First, when calculating a composite score for beginning teachers’ perceptions of success, Mentor Support accounted for the least amount of variance. This finding supported previous research regarding mentoring relationships and its effect on beginning teacher retention. Next, role intensification surrounding high-stakes testing had a significant relationship with beginning teachers’ perceptions of success. Although the measurement model was not significant, post hoc analyses determined that the relationship between role intensification and satisfaction and commitment worked through beginning teachers’ of success. Finally, this study replicated the original model validated by Corbell (2008a). Replication of the original PSI-BT model with a teacher preparation institution’s graduates encourages its use as a cost-effective means for tracking graduates in the field, their perceptions of success, and retention intentions. Teacher preparation programs can use similar data on their graduates to adapt their programs to the challenges that beginning teachers from their programs report facing.