Volume 5 Issue 3 (2016)

Training Second-Career Teachers: A Different Student Profile, A Different Training Approach?

pp. 173-201  |  Published Online: September 2016  |  DOI: 10.12973/edupij.2016.53.1

Marlies Baeten, Wil Meeus

Abstract

Second-career teachers are career changers who leave their current jobs to become teachers. This study conducts a narrative literature review which explores the student profiles of these teachers, asking how they differ from school leavers entering teacher education. The literature review also explores the characteristics of training approaches that are most suitable for second-career teachers based on their general student profile. Results show that second-career teachers are older, have strong intrinsic motivation, possess a wide range of knowledge and skills, have a self-directed and application-oriented approach to learning and teaching, and appreciate peer support. They benefit from teacher education programs that are flexible and include a preparatory period, that transfer their expertise into the teaching profession, provide opportunities for self-directed learning and peer support, integrate coursework and field experience, offer a significant amount of field experience and provide intensive mentoring support.

Keywords: second-career teacher, career changer, teacher education program, teacher training

References

Adcock, P., & Mahlios, M. (2005). Nontraditional alternative teacher certification programs: Their purpose, design and participants. Essays in Education, 15.

Anthony, G., & Ord, K. (2008). Change-of-career secondary teachers: Motivations, expectations and intentions. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 36(4), 359-376.

Arbaugh, F., Abell, S., Lannin, J., Volkmann, M., & Boone, W. (2007). Field-based internship models for alternative certification of science and mathematics teachers: Views of interns, mentors, and university educators. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 3(3), 191-201.

Berger, J., & D’Ascoli, Y. (2012). Becoming a VET teacher as a second career: Investigating the determinants of career choice and their relation to perceptions about prior occupation. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 40(3), 317-341.

Bolhuis, S. (2002). Alternative routes to teaching in secondary education in The Netherlands. European Journal of Teacher Education, 2(3), 223-238.

Boone, W., Abell, S., Volkmann, M., Arbaugh, F., & Lannin, J. (2011). Evaluating selected perceptions of science and mathematics teachers in an alternative certification program. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 9(3), 551-569.

Bradbury, L., & Koballa, T. (2007). Mentor advice giving in an alternative certification program for secondary science teaching: Opportunities and roadblocks in developing a knowledge base for teaching. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 18(6), 817-840.

Brindley, R., & Parker, A. (2010). Transitioning to the classroom: Reflections of second‐career teachers during the induction year. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 16(5), 577-594.

Brouwer, N. (2007). Alternative teacher education in the Netherlands 2000–2005. A standards-based synthesis. European Journal of Teacher Education, 30(1), 21-40.

Casey, P., Dunlap, K., Brister, H., Davidson, M., & Starrett, T. (2013). Sink or swim? Throw us a life jacket! Novice alternatively certified bilingual and special education teachers deserve options. Education and Urban Society, 45(3), 287-306.

Castro, A., & Bauml, M. (2009). Why now? Factors associated with choosing teaching as a second career and their implications for teacher education programs. Teacher Education Quarterly, 36(3), 113-126.

Chambers, D. (2002). The real world and the classroom: Second career teachers. The Clearing House, 75(4), 212-217.

Chin, E., & Young, J. W. (2007). A person-oriented approach to characterizing beginning teachers in alternative certification programs. Educational Researcher, 36(2), 74-83.

Dochy, F., Segers, M., & Buehl, M. (1999). The relation between assessment practices and outcomes of studies: The case of research on prior knowledge. Review of Educational Research, 69(2), 145-186.

Flores, B., Desjean-Perrotta, B., & Steinmetz, L. (2004). Teacher efficacy: A comparative study of university certified and alternatively certified teachers. Action in Teacher Education, 26(2), 37-46.

Garza, R. (2009). Improving mentoring for beginning alternatively certified teachers: Is functional feedback a viable means. Journal of the National Association for Alternative Certification, 4(2), 2-17.

Haggard, C., Slostad, F., & Winterton, S. (2006). Transition to school as workplace: Challenges to second career teachers. Teaching Education, 17(4), 317-327.

Humphrey, D., & Wechsler, M. (2007). Insights into alternative certification: Initial findings from a national study. Teachers College Record, 109(3), 483-530.

Humphrey, D., Wechsler, M., & Hough, H. (2008). Characteristics of effective alternative teacher certification programs. Teachers College Record, 110(1), 1-63.

Johnson, S., Birkeland, S., & Peske, H. (2005). Life in the fast track: How states seek to balance incentives and quality in alternative teacher certification programs. Educational Policy, 19(1), 63-89.

Jorissen, K. (2002). Retaining alternate route teachers: The power of professional integration in teacher preparation and induction. The High School Journal, 86(1), 45-56.

Jorissen, K. (2003). Successful career transitions: Lessons from urban alternate route teachers who stayed. The High School Journal, 86(3), 41-52.

Kee, A. (2012). Feelings of preparedness among alternatively certified teachers: What is the role of program features. Journal of Teacher Education, 63(1), 23-38.

Laming, M., & Horne, M. (2013). Career change teachers: Pragmatic choice or a vocation postponed. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 19(3), 326-343.

Lee, D. (2011). Changing course: Reflections of second-career teachers. Current Issues in Education, 14(2), 1-19.

Lee, D., & Lamport, M. (2011). Non-traditional entrants to the profession of teaching: Motivations and experiences of second- career educators. Christian Perspectives in Education, 4(2), 1-39.

Maloy, R., Seidman, I. E., Pine, G. J., & Ludlow, L. H. (2006). Arriving on the fast track: Perceptions of teachers from an alternative licensing program about their first four years in the classroom. Teacher Educator, 42(2), 106-121.

Mayotte, G. (2003). Stepping stones to success: previously developed career competencies and their benefits to career switchers transitioning to teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 19(7), 681-695.

Melchers, M., Bokhorst, K., Geervliet-van der Hart, J., & Smit, A. (2003). Vraag- en aanbodgestuurd opleiden van zij-instromers. Afstemming op eerdere ervaringen van cursisten in een duaal traject. Tijdschrift voor Lerarenopleiders, 24(4), 24-31.

Myers, S., McMillan, S., Price, M., Anderson, C., & Fives, H. (2007). Partnering with secondary schools to prepare highly qualified teachers: Alternative certification through a professional development school model. Journal of the National Association for Alternative Certification (JNAAC), 2(1), 18-28.

Ng, J., & Thomas, K. (2007). Cultivating the cream of the crop: A case study of urban teachers from an alternative teacher education program. Action in Teacher Education, 29(1), 3-19.

O’Connor, E., Malow, M., & Bisland, B. (2011). Mentorship and instruction received during training: Views of alternatively certified teachers. Educational Review, 63(2), 219-232.

Powers, F. (2002). Second-career teachers: Perceptions and mission in their new careers. International Studies in Sociology of Education, 12(3), 303-318.

Priyadharshini, E., & Robinson-Pant, A. (2003). The attraction of teaching: An investigation into why people change careers to teach. Journal of Education for Teaching, 29(2), 95-112.

Richardson, P., & Watt, H. (2005). ‘I’ve decided to become a teacher’: Influences on career change. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21, 475-489.

Salyer, B. (2003). Alternatively and traditionally certified teachers: The same but different. NASSP Bulletin, 87(636), 16-27.

Schonfeld, I., & Feinman, S. (2012). Difficulties of alternatively certified teachers. Education and Urban Society, 44(3), 215-246.

Schoon, K., & Sandoval, P. (2000). Attracting, preparing, and keeping great urban teachers: The urban teacher education program, option II. Urban Education, 35(4), 418-441.

Sribner, J., & Akiba, M. (2010). Exploring the relationship between prior career experience and instructional quality among mathematics and science teachers in alternative teacher certification programs. Educational Policy, 24(4), 602-627.

Tigchelaar, A., Brouwer, N., & Korthagen, F. (2008). Crossing horizons: Continuity and change during second-career teachers’ entry into teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24(6), 1530-1550.

Tigchelaar, A., Brouwer, N., & Vermunt, J. (2010). Tailor-made: Towards a pedagogy for educating second-career teachers. Educational Research Review, 5(2), 164-183.

Tigchelaar, A., Vermunt, J., & Brouwer, N. (2012). Patterns of development in second-career teachers’ conceptions of learning. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28(8), 1163-1174.

Unruh, L., & Holt, J. (2012). First-year teaching experiences: Are they different for traditionally versus alternatively certified teachers. Action in teacher education, 32(3), 3-14.

Uusimaki, L. (2011). In favour of mature-aged graduates (MAGs) – tapping the potential for real educational change. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 39(4), 327-338.

Wayman, J. C., Foster, A. M., Mantle-Bromley, C., & Wilson, C. (2003). A comparison of the professional concerns of traditionally prepared and alternatively licensed new teachers. High School Journal, 86(3), 35-40.

Williams, J. (2010). Constructing a new professional identity: Career change into teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26(3), 639-647.

Williams, J., & Forgasz, H. (2009). The motivations of career change students in teacher education. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 37(1), 95-108.

Zeichner, K. M., & Schulte, A. K. (2001). What we know and don’t know from peer-reviewed research about alternative teacher certification programs. Journal of Teacher Education, 52(4), 266-280.

Announcement

EDUPIJ News!

► Journal Metrics

  • 9% acceptance rate
  • 1.8 (2022) CiteScore (Scopus)
  • Q3 (2022) CiteScore Best Quartile
  • 0.294 (2022) Scimago Journal & Country Rank (SJR)
  • 0.612 (2022) Source-Normalized Impact per Paper (SNIP) 

EDUPIJ Statistics from Scopus

CiteScore: 1.8, view Scopus page

SCImago Journal & Country Rank

► Educational Process: International Journal is member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). 

► New issue coming soon! (Volume 13 Issue 2, 2024)