Teachers College Graduates’ Professional Identity and their Views of Teacher Pre-Service Training

The present study was designed in order to gain insight into newly qualified primary school teachers’ professional identities ‐ how they perceive their capabilities as a teacher and their professional orientation toward the teaching profession. Grounded upon the professional literature three main indicators of teacher professional identity are distinguished; teacher efficacy, professional orientation and commitment to teaching. For that purpose 440 graduates from teaching training colleges in Israel were required to fill the following questionnaires (60% answered. N= 264): The Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy scale (12 items, 4-point Likert scale) Teachers' Professional Orientation scale 4-point Likertscale, 13 items) and the Commitment to Teaching (5- point Likert scale six items).

Cluster analyses using MANOVA and ANOVA were employed for the analysis of the data collected. The results of the cluster analysis showed three types of professional identity to exist among newly qualified primary teachers. The largest group of graduates is characterized by moderately levels of teacher efficacy, professional orientation and commitment to teaching. The results of the MANOVA and subsequent ANOVA suggest that graduates who have a more positive attitudes toward their teaching training in terms of faculty support and in terms of their preparation for teaching are more likely to report higher teaching efficacy, a more extended professional orientation and a stronger commitment to teaching. Our findings also point to the significance provided by faculty members, particularly the mentors during practical experience in schools for graduates' professional identity.