Principal Perceptions of New Teacher Effectiveness

Abstract

Relatively little research has been conducted on the professional satisfaction of principals with recently hired beginning teachers. This study surveyed principals to learn their perspectives on these new teachers in relation to National Board Standards. Data were gathered using an online survey of 423 principals throughout the state of Indiana and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results suggested that principals were satisfied with the affective and attitudinal approaches of new teachers, but were moderately well satisfied with their general instructional abilities and content knowledge. Finally, the data showed that principals were less satisfied overall with five important areas of teaching–-classroom management, differentiated instruction, professional development, parent communication, and effective assessment. Implications for practice and future research are described.