Transition from military life to teaching

Abstract

In 1995 Bedford County Public Schools in Bedford, Virginia, hired eight former military men to teach from a federally sponsored program known as Troops to Teachers. Only one of the men hired had completed a teacher licensure program; the other seven were utilizing the alternate route to licensure allowed by the Virginia Department of Education. These men were hired and placed in the classroom without any program especially designed for them by the division to assist in their transition from military life to the classroom. This study focuses on their first year as teachers.

For this study, twenty-nine individuals were interviewed who were involved in the Troops to Teachers' first year experiences. Those interviewed were the eight Troops, seven Principals, eight Mentors, four Professors from the teacher licensure programs in which they were enrolled, the school division Superintendent and the Director of Instruction. Case studies were conducted using interviews to gather in-depth information using the key sources who worked with the Troop to Teachers participants. The interview protocols were developed to correlate with the research questions formulated for this study. Data obtained through interviews were analyzed.

The findings indicated that the Troop to Teacher encountered some adjustment problems that are indicative of first year teachers. A number of problems encountered were unique to the individual Troop. The reliability and validity were solidified through triangulation of the interview data. At least two individuals were interviewed concerning each troop. Their experiences were categorized as follows: adjustments to education, adjustments to students, adjustments to instruction, support programs, barriers faced, job satisfaction, and suggestions for activities for future Troops to Teachers hired by Bedford County Public Schools. This study presents clear implications for practice.