Challenging moments of novice teachers: survival strategies developed through experiences

Abstract

The main objective of this qualitative research study is to demonstrate Norwegian and Turkish novice teachers’ reflections on bumpy moments and which strategies they use to cope with the challenges they have faced in practice. The participants of the present study are novice teachers (n = 17) with a maximum of five years’ teaching experience. The logbook and interview were the main data collection tools used to reflect novice teachers’ challenging moments. The data were recorded and transcribed separately in the two countries, and then the categories across the data were identified and the codes compared. The results mainly indicate that the novice teachers in both contexts are learning from their bumpy moments and using their problem-solving skills, based on either their repertoire gained during school practicum or their own strategies developed over time to find solutions to their challenging experiences.