Trainee and beginning teacher attitude stability and change: Four case studies

A number of researchers, including the present authors, have produced data and arguments supporting the generalization that, in attitudes towards a wide range of concepts concerned with education and schooling, a high level of stability characterizes groups of trainee and beginning teachers. Attitudes held at the commencement of training appear to be very resistant to change, and such changes as do occur during training tend largely to disappear in the course of the first teaching year. In this study the focus is on four individuals followed over two years and a considerable degree of attitude change is observed. Changes appear to be largely idio-syncratic, and those occurring during the first teaching year much influenced by the beginning teacher's particular situation, and the way in which the school community accepts the new teacher.