The relationship between novice and experienced teachers' self-efficacy for classroom management and students' perceptions of their teachers' classroom management

Abstract

This study explored the relationship between novice and experienced teachers’ self-efficacy for classroom management and students’ perceptions of their teachers’ classroom management. The study was conducted with 10 novice and 10 experienced English teachers and 295 students of those teachers at Marmara University Department of Foreign Languages Preparatory School in the spring semester of 2004. Data were collected through two questionnaires and interviews done with 16 of the 20 teachers. The questionnaire administered to teachers measured teachers’ selfefficacy for classroom management. The questionnaire completed by students provided data about their perceptions of teachers’ actual classroom management practices. Both the teacher and student questionnaires consisted of 36 Likert scale items. The interviews provided insight into teachers’ feelings, experiences, and practices concerning classroom management. To analyze the data, t-tests and Kendall’s tau were calculated. The results reveal that teachers have high efficacy for classroom management. When the two groups were compared, novice and experienced teachers were found to differ in their self-efficacy for classroom management, but not in their efficacy for personal teaching and external influences. Students did not distinguish between novice and experienced teachers’ classroom management, viewing both positively. No significant relationship was found between teachers’ efficacy levels and students’ perceptions. In order to improve teachers' efficacy for classroom management, in-service training programs and regular meetings where teachers share their experiences can be held. Teachers may also spare time for class discussions or administering questionnaires to their students to learn about their students' perceptions of their own teaching and classroom management practices.