Pedagogical leadership to support new teachers' growth

Abstract

This study aims to discover the impact of pedagogical leadership on new teachers’ growth. The research is focused on three questions: 1) Are new teachers’ feelings and challenges being understood?; 2) How do new teachers receive support from principals and the school community?; and 3) How does pedagogical leadership impact new teachers’ growth? The research uses the qualitative approach of case studies. Four Finnish schools were selected as participants. The principals of each school and their five new teachers, with less than three years of experience, participated in the interviews. Teachers in Finland have common challenges when they first enter the profession. Finnish school communities exhibit an in-depth understanding of the challenges faced by new teachers; however, not every school has support programmes focused exclusively on new teachers. In Finland, general support for all teachers or informal support is more common. Moreover, the findings showed that pedagogical leadership for new teachers’ growth encompasses multiple dimensions: understanding new teachers, providing systematic support and fostering a supportive school culture. Pedagogical leadership had significant impact on new teachers’ professional growth. It helped them to smoothly adapt to the profession, reduce stress and stimulate their motivation. The principals believed that their priority is to promote learning of students and staff, but regretted having very limited time to support them. The study concludes that various aspects of pedagogical leadership should be developed to support new teachers and to bridge the gap between teacher education and the first experience as a teacher.