Research Paper on Educational Support

Significance Statement

Educational support does not stop with learners alone but also goes towards equipping tutors with the right skills and attitudes of handling the students. However, new tutors often experience job shock as they begin their new assignments in their new learning institutions where they are posted. Therefore, they require constant support of different dimensions to become effective in the delivery of instructional objectives. It is critical to address the challenge of job shock that always awaits new teachers since their continued unsettlement only derails their efforts in curriculum implementation. The formation of tutors' alumni became essential in the provision of mentorship and desired experience which would impact not only additional skills in new teachers but also alleviates unforeseen challenges after that (Fiene et al., 2009). The significance of seeking a solution and supporting new tutors or improving it altogether ensures that there is a smooth transition of tutors from their colleges or universities to new work stations.

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Definition of Key Constructs

The critical constructs in this study include support programs, teacher-learner enrolment ratio, and tutors mass entry and exit from the teaching service. Support programs can be construed as any activity that aims at aiding newly recruited teachers joining the service with the aim of improving their skills in retaining their job. It captures all arrangements undertaken by stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition during the new appointment of teachers. Teacher-learner ratio refers to the number of teachers that exists for every learner available (Hicks, Glasgow &Mcnary, 2005). Finally, the mass exit and entry of teachers refers to the unlimited number of tutors leaving the service and vice versa.

Evaluation of Research Studies

There exist various ways of supporting new tutors to become effective in their upcoming school years. The system should help the new teachers establish routines in their new workstations including the performance of assigned duties. The goal of every academic endeavor remains excellence pursuance for both teachers and learners. However, excellence can only be achieved through continuous practice. The new tutors, therefore, should be supported to develop consistency in their tasks (Meister, 1990). For instance, the development of professional documents including personal timetable becomes critical in the list of various supports that should be given to the new tutor. They should also be supported to create new relationships with the older staff members. The job induction should take care of the needs of every newly recruited tutor. The system should also help in building ethos which integrates positive cultures acceptable to all.

Credibility

Sources become credible and authentic if their authors borrow further knowledge from other scholars. Their relevance is further attached to the manner with which they address the research question. Therefore, the sources used in this study are credible since they correctly tackle the research question effectively. The sources are expanded knowledge from earlier studies due to their relatively newer version. A source is considered credible if the author's credential relates to the field of study chosen. The researchers that have authored "What Successful Mentors Do: 81 Research-Based Strategies for New Teacher Induction, Training, and Support" are tutors as they opine in their publication (Hicks, Glasgow, &Mcnary, 2005). The sources further adhere to the fidelity of the qualitative, quantitative and mixed research principles as they apply to individual researches. For instance, "Help for New Teachers: Developmental Practices that work. Research for Better Schools Inc., 97" uses a qualitative kind of research though it also incorporates the use of a case study as an approach in itself (Meister, 1990).

Critical Thinking

Overly, a supported tutor becomes enthusiastic about the job, and the result of such reflects in the performance of the learners. The research articles acknowledge the frustrations that often meet new tutors and propose the need to support them. For instance, "Mentoring Matters: Mentoring New Teachers--What Teacher Education Programs can do to help. English Journal," emphasizes the need for peer support for the first year of teaching. Critically, it acknowledges the significance of support rendered to the new teachers in effective educational, instructional objective delivery. Education remains a continuous lifelong process that no single individual can claim to possess, but rather people continue to learn even at their advanced stages of life - the article "Montana Beginning Teacher Support Program Research: Report for Pilot Year One. Montana State Board of Education" critically provides a breakthrough into the significance of support that new tutors can receive from conferences among other avenues of support as highlighted in its seven case studies of support (Spuhler, & Zetler, 1993).

Recommendations

Unlike other careers and professions where recruit undergoes job induction which remains one of the most effective types of career support, most cultures believe the teaching dogma that anybody can teach. Therefore, even the most inexperienced freshly graduated teachers are often expected to deliver in their assigned tasks in the first year of teaching. It is, however, recommended that the kind of support that new tutors receive does not only dwell on their academic qualifications but also caters for their practical experience needed in classrooms. While these sources provide various ways through which new tutors can be supported including attending conference training, the first day in school as a teacher should be met with the desired expectation of learners as a teacher. The much-needed enthusiasm and passion for teaching should inform the kind of support accorded to new instructors as part of the standard based recommendation (Spuhler & Zetler, 1993).

Reflection on Ethical Considerations

Ethically, any support rendered to the new tutors should acknowledge and anticipate individual differences. Some people possess high intelligence quotient and require minimum assistance in navigating a task. Therefore, the support rendered should proportionately relate with the different abilities of mixed categories of new tutors. The support should also acknowledge the different abilities occasioned by gender, social status, or even disability (Spuhler & Zetler, 1993). For instance, new tutors with special needs should receive assistance that addresses their challenges occasioned by their disabilities condition. The support should also consider non-discriminatory approach kind of assistance that does not aim at leaving a particular category. It should also take into account that the support should not bear any connotation to gender bias approach whatsoever.

Reflection on Cultural Competence

The researchers of these sources remain teachers primarily and have demonstrated cultural competencies applicable to education as a discipline. Culturally, any educational exercise ends with an evaluation assessment in ascertaining its effectiveness and relevance to the target audience. The research utilized in this study target teachers as the audience - for instance, the research article, "Montana Beginning Teacher Support Program Research: Report for Pilot Year One. Montana State Board of Education" concludes with the success of the programs tailored at supporting new tutors. Cultural competence primarily involves communicating with and understanding diverse categories of people which in this regard the researchers have demonstrated their abilities in communicating with educationists in addressing the challenges of and supporting new tutors (Stansbury & Zimmerman, 2000).

References

Fiene, J., Wehman, T., Brannon, D., Jares, D., Burke, L., & Young, M. (2009). Mentoring Matters: Mentoring New Teachers--What Teacher Education Programs can do to help. English Journal, 98(6), and 3. Retrieved from HTTP//: www.ncte.org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/journals/ej/issues/v98-6.

Hicks, C., Glasgow, N., &Mcnary, S. (2005). What Successful Mentors Do: 81 Research-Based Strategies for New Teacher Induction, Training, and Support. Doi: 10.4135/9781483328959

Meister, G. (1990). Help for New Teachers: Developmental Practices that work. Research for Better Schools Inc., 97.

Spuhler, L., & Zetler, A. (1993). Montana Beginning Teacher Support Program Research: Report for Pilot Year One. Montana State Board of Education.

Stansbury, K., & Zimmerman, J. (2000). Lifelines to the Classroom: Designing Support for Beginning Teachers. Knowledge Brief. WestEd, 17.