Browsing by Author "Lahtinen, Jenni"

Aims. The differentiation of teaching has become the key role of the teacher's work due to a new three-step support model. The differentiation is perceived among teachers as a key means of supporting pupils, but the research information of differentiation is largely subject-specific or secondary school or pre-school-centered. Comprehensive research dealing with the nature and dimensions of differentiation, related to primary school hardly exists. The purpose of this study is to find out how newly graduated class teachers experience and define differentiation and how they implement differentiation in practice. This study also describes teachers' experiences and views on teachers' work and working in a community. Methods. The study was a qualitative study. The data was collected by interviewing and the research group consisted of seven newly graduated classroom teachers, who had taught their own class during the academic year 2013-2014. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data was analyzed by qualitative content analysis. Results and conclusions. Teachers defined differentiation and students' needs for support on the basis of their own classes when the dimensions of differentiation were unclear. Differentiation was seen especially as taking notice of different individuals, which the weaker students will benefit the most from. Differentiation and its planning were seen hard, when the concept of spontaneous differentiation came up clearly. Teachers used a lot of different methods for differentiation and differentiated whenever it was necessary. Teachers differentiated most in mother tongue and mathematics and the least in arts and physical education. Resources for teachers varied greatly. Teachers would have wanted to differentiate more and they needed more ways to fulfill and strengthen the differentiation. The teacher's work was seen as oppressive, but rewarding. Cooperation between teachers was seen as important. The atmosphere in teachers' workplaces was good and they got help whenever they needed. We may say that during the first year of working there is not enough time for differentiation and its planning, when the use of spontaneous differentiation grows. During the first year the overall perception of the work of a teacher is not yet fully established, when it is hard to believe in your own skills as a teacher. This will also influence how a teacher comprehends his own differentiation.