How intern teachers experience underachieving students : a qualitative study of intern teachers at the University of Tennessee

This study was to determine the perceptions of intern teachers regarding their motivations to become teachers and the educational, professional, and personal resources they rely on to become more effective in the classroom. I focused on the interns' perceptions of their ability to teach children with problems that cause them to be underachievers. Three factors were investigated: (1) personal efficacy, (2) formal teacher education, and (3) a professional support system. Data were collected using two different methods: a survey of the elementary and secondary intern teacher population at The University of Tennessee during the academic year 1995-1996, and follow-up, in-depth interviews with volunteer participants. The results showed that while the interns were highly motivated, capable, and caring teachers, they often didn't feel effective in the classroom because of not knowing their students, problems they had with classroom management, and the lack of practical, effective strategies to deal with underachieving students. Most interns felt their education courses provided useful general information but lacked specific instruction on difficult problems that came up during the internship. They felt that their personal efficacy, or belief in themselves plus the help they received from mentoring teachers and peers was often more useful in getting them through difficulties than their formal coursework. In the school environment, they initially felt rather isolated, relying, again, on mentoring teachers to learn the way things were done. They sensed constantly that they were being observed, which sometimes led to competitive feelings towards other interns. Several resented doing the work of mentoring teachers without being paid, especially during the second semester. Taking graduate classes during the internship experience provoked strong opinions. The interns felt frustrated and exhausted by the requirements placed on them, which at times did not seem to facilitate their needs or obligations in the classroom. Classroom responsibilities were deemed to be more important. The results of this study suggest that intern teachers are highly motivated and committed to their students, and they want those students to be successful as learners. Listening to the true-life experiences of these dedicated teachers can only benefit and improve our program.