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University Microfilms International 300 North ZM b Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 46106 USA St John's Road, Tyler s Green High Wycombe, Bucks. England HP10 8HR ?9a?i<>b NEHnftN, KATrtEklNE KINCAID “100LE-ACLR EXPERIENCED TEACHERS■ PERCEPT 10 MS HE THEIR LAKEER OfcVELUPMEM. THF OHIJ STATt UNIVERSITY, PH.D., 19 76 University M k r o H m s International 3 0 0 n ite e HQftU, ANN a r b o a , m i t e i o e © Copyright by Katherine Kincaid Newman 1978 MIDDLE-AGED EXPERIENCED TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR CAREER DEVELOPMENT DISSERTATION Presented In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Katherine Kincaid Newman, B.A., M.A.T. ■jV * * •* The Ohio State University 1978 Reading Committee: Approved By Kevin Ryan James K. Duncan William W. Wayson ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A written page is insufficient in both length and medium for expressing my appreciation to those who have supported this endeavor. I am especially grateful to the following people: Bill and Cathy Newman, my parents, for teaching me the value of my own and others' education; Kevin Ryan, my adviser, for providing me so many rich opportunities in my graduate education and vigorously promoting my interest in developing teachers; Kelly Duncan for his perceptive listening, clear answers and kind encouragement; Bill Wayson for the stimulating conversations in which we interpreted the results of the study; Don Sanders for his assistance conceptualizing the problem; the ten teachers for their time, seriousness, and absorbing narratives and reflection; the "et al" of my graduate education, those colleagues and friends who were cooperators, problem solvers, reinforcers, advice seekers, socializer-sunshiners, and empathizers; Ann Levine through whose patience and competence this dissertation is well typed. ii VITA Education 1975 - 1978 The Ohio State University: Doctoral Studies College of Education: Curriculum and Foundations Majors: Teacher Education Reading 1974 - 1975 The University of Chicago: Doctoral Studies Major: Teacher Education 1969 - 1970 The University of Chicago: Master of Arts in Teaching Major: Teaching of English 1963 - 1967 Carleton College: Bachelor of Arts Major: English Professional Experience: 1977 - 1978 Graduate Research Associate, Ohio State University, College of Education. 1975 - 1977 Graduate Teaching Associate for "Theory and Practice in Secondary Education," Ohio State University, College of Education, Faculty of Curriculum and Foundations. 1967 - 1969 Teacher of High School English, DuSable 1970 - 1974 High School, Chicago Public Schools, Chicago, Illinois. H o n o r : Recipient: Experienced English Teacher Fellowship, University of Chicago, 1969-1970. Professional Activities: Presenter: "An Intensive Study of First Year Teachers with others. American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Annual Meeting, Chicago, 1978. Presenter: "How to Educate Teachers Through Language Experience Approaches," with Jane H. Applegate. National Council of Teachers of English, Annual Convention, New York, 1977. Presenter: "New Teachers: Inside Voices, Outside Eyes," with others. James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, 1977. Phi Delta Kappa, Ohio State University Chapter, Columbus, 1977. , American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Annual Meeting, Chicago, 1977. Association of Teacher Educators, Conference on Innovative Education, Atlanta, 1977. Presenter: "The First Year Teacher Study," with other American Educational Research Association, Annual Meeting, New York, 1977. Publications: "Internal Value Conflict in Inner City Students." Urban Education 12, January, 1978. The First Year Teacher Study, with Jane Applegate and others. ERIC, ED 135 766, July, 1977. "Ralph Tyler, Education's Mr. Fix-it," with Kevin Ryan and John Johnston. Phi Delta Kappan 58, March, 197 7. "An Interview with Ralph Tyler," with Kevin Ryan and John Johnston. Phi Delta Kappan 58, March, 1977. "New Teachers: Inside Voices, Outside Eyes," with Kevin Ryan and others. In Innovative Practices in Teacher Education: Preservice Through"Inservice, edited by Barry L^ Klein and others, 1977. "Reel Thang: The DuSable Film Festival," with John Germaine. In Teaching English in the Secondary School, Robert P. Parker, Jr. and Maxine E. Daly, 1973 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......................................... ii VITA..................................................... ill LIST OF TABLES........................................... viii CHAPTER I. PROBLEM.................................... 1 Popular View of a Teacher's Career.................. 2 Possible Patterns of Teacher Career Development.... 6 The Occupation of Teaching................. 7 Adult Development.................................. 9 Contemporary History................... 10 Purpose of the Study................................. 11 Rationale for the Study.............................. 12 Teachers' Self-Understanding.......... 12 Teacher Education.................................. 14 Distinctiveness of Middle-Aged Experienced Teachers 16 Importance of Teachers' Own Perceptions............ 18 Overview of the Study.................... 19 CHAPTER II. RELATED LITERATURE....................... 21 Teacher Career Development.......................... 22 Studies of the Teaching Career.................... 23 Narrative Accounts, . .............................. 26 Theories....................................... 28 Characteristics of Teachers by Age. ............. 32 Career Development................................... 36 Adult Development.................................... 41 Adult Stages....... 41 Characteristics of Middle Age..................... 44 Contemporary History...... 46 Impact of Historical Events....................... 46 Changing Values................................... 49 The Teacher Image in Culture.................... 50 Summary............................................. 51 The Occupation of Teaching................ 52 Review................................................ 54 v CHAPTER III. PROCEDURES................................ 55 Rationale for the Methodology....................... 56 Data Collection..................................... 57 Rationale............................................ 58 Sample................................................ 60 Criteria for sample............................... 61 How sample was obtained.......................... 62 Description of final sample..................... 64 Procedures...................................... 64 Initial telephone contact........................ 66 Interview circumstances.,........................ 67 Content of interviews. ........................ 69 Data Analysis.......................................... 71 Mechanics............................................ 72 Writing of the Biographies......................... 73 Group Analysis...................................... 75 Areas from interview data ................... 76 Areas from literature,........................... 80 Final areas of analysis......... 81 Problems in Methodology....... 82 Validity and Reliability. ..................... 82 Generalizability.................................... 86 Summary.................... 88 CHAPTER IV. RESULTS.................................... 90 Professional Biographies............................. 91 Carol Clements.................................. 91 Wilson Jennings..................................... 106 Linda Robinson................................ 130 Preston Stone...................... 143 Nina Cecil........................................... 156 Judd Milton.........................................