Mining the Truth: Examining Novice Teacher Development Strategies within the South African Education Policy Landscape

Annals of the University of Craiova for Journalism, Communication and Management, Volume 11, 2025 206 206 Volume 11, 2025, 206-211 h0ps://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17849960 MINING THE TRUTH: EXAMINING NOVICE TEACHER DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES WITHIN THE SOUTH AFRICAN EDUCATION POLICY LANDSCAPE Mmalefikane Sylvia Sepeng Department of EducaKonal Leadership and Management, University of South Africa h0ps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4472-169X Abstract This paper investigates novice teacher development strategies within the South African education policy landscape. Despite policy commitments to improving teacher quality and retention, many novice teachers continue to experience challenges in transitioning from theory to classroom practice. Drawing on literature on professional learning, mentorship, and teacher identity formation, this paper explores how induction policies and school-based support structures influence the growth of novice teachers. It critically examines the alignment between national education policies—such as the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development—and their implementation in schools. The paper argues that effective novice teacher development requires a coherent system that integrates policy intent, institutional culture, and sustained professional support. It concludes by proposing a framework for enhancing teacher development practices that promote professional competence, resilience, and long-term teacher retention in South African schools. Keywords: Mentoring. Induction, Novice Teacher, Integrated Quality Management System, Team Teaching, Senior Management Team, Novice Teachers’ Development Introduc)on and background This paper focuses on various development strategies meant to enhance novice teachers’ career potenKal and growth. The crux of the study manifests the alleged high level of confusion that beginner teachers encounter in their early years in the profession. Thus, even if there are plenty of development therapies, it sKll remains paramount to discover those that can harness desirable outcomes. The paper stems from the theme that dealt with effecKve novice teachers’ development (NTD) strategies in a study that was conducted in the rural Sekgosese East circuit of Mopani district in Limpopo Province. Due to the emergence of the COVID–19 pandemic, this qualitaKve study that gathered data through semi-structured face-toface interviews ensured strict compliance with all safety guidelines and protocols. Only novices played a major role in sharing their views on the subject. The study managed to reveal that NTD strategies are diverse and evolving in nature. However, the efficiency of the individual novice might be dependent on each school’s personal context. These NTDs are allegedly instrumental in the development of novices’ self-image and overall job saKsfacKon. Educators culKvate their idenKty through iniKal teacher training and perpetually refine it throughout their careers. Numerous educators at rural insKtuKons encounter difficult circumstances while teaching (Groenewald, E., & Arnold, L,2025). Research Design and Methodology The purpose of this study was to invesKgate exisKng novice teacher development (NTD) strategies. Primarily, the study sought to idenKfy these strategies that are seen to be effecKve as viewed by the novices themselves. The subsequent quesKons provide further clarity on the study's purpose: • What are the most preferred novice teachers’ development strategies? • What are the advantages and disadvantages of these preferred strategies? • What are the changes experienced by novices aker effecKve NTD strategies? The study was conducted in Sekgosese East circuit of Mopani district, about ± 120 km north-eastern side of Polokwane in Limpopo Province, South Africa. This area is predominantly rural, and almost 98 7% of parents depend on the public schooling system for their children’s educaKon. Due to low socio-economic makeup and high unemployment rate among youth, a lot of University graduates venture into the teaching profession. This situaKon Annals of the University of Craiova for Journalism, Communication and Management, Volume 11, 2025 207 207 is further exacerbated by the exodus of Fundza Lushaka and NaKonal School Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) bursary holders who trained as teachers. When these novices enter the teaching environment, some become frustrated as they feel isolated and must fend for their own survival and remain relevant in the field, hence Maciejewski's (2007) “sink or swim mentality”. This paper seeks to examine contemporary NTD strategies and invesKgate which ones are best, effecKve, and most reliable, as suggested by the novices. Approaches This study followed a qualitaKve approach. The advantages of using this approach, as outlined in De Vos, Strydom, & Fouche (2002), enable the researcher to interact with parKcipants in a real-life sepng. The parKcipants’ views and percepKons are well represented in a natural sepng McMillan & Schumacher, 2001). Semi–structured interviews were used to collect data from 9 novices. Selec)on of par)cipants In this paper, an invesKgaKon of NTD strategies in Sekgosese East circuit had a total of 9 parKcipants. This circuit has a total of 48 schools (20 primary and 18 secondary schools). In the sample, there were 9 novices (3 males and 6 females). ParKcipants were randomly and purposively chosen from schools that have recently employed new teachers. Only pseudonyms were used to idenKfy these parKcipants. Novices were idenKfied as NOVI 01 to 09 (3 males and 6 females) by using pseudonyms. Aker obtaining permission le0ers from the Provincial Department of EducaKon and the circuit office, respecKvely, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with these novices. All relevant ethics, as highlighted by McMillan & Schumacher (2003), de Vos (2002), and Cohen, Manion & Morrison (2011), were followed, including principles of Informed consent and voluntary parKcipaKon, as well as anonymity and confidenKality, among others. The following tables (1 to 3) represent parKcipants’ details: Literature review Contemporary literature discusses varied NTD strategies that can be effecKve and efficient and uncovers the best in novice teachers. Dishena & Mokoena (2016) highlighted the value of engaging novices in inducKon programmes. This should be carried out within their first 2 years in the profession with the support of veteran teachers. New teachers need to be familiarized with all the programmes, acKviKes, and stakeholders that are found in a school. Hudson & Hudson (2016) invesKgated the roles that mentoring can play in the early years of teaching. The two authors emphasise the value of using goal sepng as an effecKve ploy in ensuring novices’ efficiency. When specific goals are established for novices, effecKve mentor–mentee relaKonships are maintained, smart objecKves are set, and the mentoring process yields results. Valickis (2014) further stressed the argument above and indicated that when the mentoring process is smartly undertaken, novices will experience changes in their professional skills and self-esteem. Reciprocally, when their self-esteem is desirably higher, this improves their professional skills. In this research, we are not concerned with all the acKons taken by the teacher, only her agenKc acKons that are relevant for her to achieve a parKcular outcome or goal (Groenewald, E., & Arnold, L,2025). !"#$%&'(&)*+H-.%&!%".I%012 GENDER Male 03 Female 06 AGE GROUP 20 – 25 04 2630 04 31 & above 01 PHASE TAUGHT Foundation 03 Intersen 03 Senior/FET 03 TEACHERS’ QUALIFICATIONS 4 year degree TEACHING EXPERIENCE 0 – 12 months 02 13 - 24 months 07 PSEUDONYMS NOVI -01 to NOVI 09 & Annals of the University of Craiova for Journalism, Communication and Management, Volume 11, 2025 208 208 Team teaching is another strategy that is most applied among novices to encourage knowledge sharing. According to Carspersen (2013), reciprocal support and knowledge sharing among novices are pivotal in ensuring that the required level of professionalism among novices is accomplished. Beginning teachers learn best when they share and collaborate with each other. ConducKng team teaching acKviKes ensures that the required skills are evaluated. Novice teachers are someKmes visited in their classrooms, teaching, or their lesson acKviKes are recorded by their fellows or seniors. Recordings are discussed in groups, whilst these talk sipngs are also recorded. During discussions, novices will provide proposiKons and comments towards enhancing their teaching experKse. IQMS (Integrated Quality Management System) forms part of conKnuing teacher development programmes. It was enacted by collecKve agreement 8 of 2003 as a strategy to improve the general management quality among teachers in public schooling insKtuKons. It is an exisKng strategy meant to assess teachers’ (including novices) competencies, their strengths and weaknesses, among others. It is rendered annually through the use of idenKfied performance standards (PSs). Teachers are clustered into 3(teacher, peer, and senior) to form a development support group (DSG). They evaluate one another against idenKfied performance standards. In summary, each teacher is developed in line with the PSs. Subsequently, a school improvement plan (SIP), which outlines all teachers’ weaknesses, is formed. The aforesaid literature provided introductory views on the discussion surrounding current NTD strategies. They best provided a synopsis of the quesKons that the study sought to pursue: • What are the most preferred novice teachers’ development strategies? • What are the advantages and disadvantages of these preferred strategies? • What are the notable changes experienced by novices aker effecKve NTD strategies? As this paper was meant to explore the breadth and depth of exisKng NTD strategies by interviewing novices, it further assisted in unearthing the strengths and weaknesses of those strategies where applicable. Research Gap Contemporary literature puts greater emphasis on novice teachers’ transiKon from university to real school pracKce (Bhargava & Pathy, 2020) and li0le on how these novices are socialized to a new environment through effecKve NTD programmes. In essence, NTD programmes are meant to enhance these novices’ teachers’ abiliKes to be highly competent, self-reliant, and ulKmately improve their learners’ performance Jason, 2020). This paper seeks to highlight criKcal stages in the lifespan of a novice teacher and that requires a professional agency that refers to a teacher's capacity to leverage available opportuniKes to exert influence to achieve a specific objecKve. Teacher agency differs among people, shaped by their diverse histories, personal values, objecKves, and subject experKse. The phrase ‘idenKty-agency’ is employed to highlight the connecKon between agency and a teacher’s professional idenKty. Teachers' monitoring and posiKoning about certain perspecKves, together with their decisions on exercising control, significantly influence their professional idenKKes (Groenewald, E., & Arnold, L,2025). Results and Findings Novice teachers’ percep)ons Beginner teachers’ findings revealed that inducKon, mentoring, and team teaching are the preferred strategies by the novice teachers. There is further indicaKon by this group of parKcipants of high-intensity inducKon workshops. These entail benefipng novices in the acquisiKon of skills in classroom management pracKces, learner behaviour, learner assessment administraKon, and school finances, among others. Using these strategies appropriately provides a posiKve impact on novices’ classroom management pracKces. Lastly, novices’ discoveries further emphasized the importance of NTD strategies on the development of self–esteem and job saKsfacKon. Further revelaKons show a lack of relevance of University studies to ma0ers that address school ma0ers in detail, hence the need to be provided with inducKon and mentoring. Novices’ responses varied as outlined hereunder: (NOVI-08): “Because we are sKll fresh, we need to learn to resolve challenges as a team rather than as individuals. The spirit of collaboraKon is created, and we either win or lose together. I strongly support the teamteaching approach”. (NOVI-02) “When you arrive at a school, you need support from the experienced personnel. The provision of inducKon is really important when new teachers arrive at school. It is be0er to experience things on your own, where you can make deadly mistakes”. (NOVI-01) “Mentoring is very important when it is used together with intensive inducKon”. (NOVI-07) “My mentor in English played a major role in upgrading my competence in grammar and literature teaching. I concur with wriKngs that support the use of mentoring because it makes valuable contribuKons to the development of a novice teacher”. Annals of the University of Craiova for Journalism, Communication and Management, Volume 11, 2025 209 209 (NOVI-06) “There are areas where we need to be developed without any compromise, especially in administraKon, school finances, and general classroom management”. Researcher: So, you would highly require intensive workshops that address all school areas? (NOVI-06) “Absolutely, because as new teachers, we all aspire to become leaders and managers of schools. Learning all areas can be helpful. We need to be inducted on how the SGB funcKons, office work, and communicaKon with role-players like circuits and the district”. When analysing novices’ findings, priority, as preferred by novices, should be given to inducKon. Mentoring also plays a criKcal role, as it creates a necessary learning experience because novices teach while learning from their seniors. Benefits of using these preferred NTD strategies Novices were unequivocal in agreement that inducKon, mentoring, and the use of highly intensive workshops create beneficial ground for novices on their career path. InducKon enables novices to get a grasp on all school funcKonaries. As explained by: (NOVI-04) “InducKon is needed because it provides us with the chance to finally understand school acKviKes and programmes to a greater extent. (NOVI-09) Through mentoring, a new teacher cannot be lek stuck alone. Support from our HODs makes us grow, and we are best suited to solve an emerging challenge:”. Shortcomings when using these preferred NTD strategies When the aforemenKoned NTD strategies are in use, there might be some disadvantages, as lamented by the novices below: Researcher: According to you, what are the shortcomings of using these NTD strategies? (NOVI-06): “Using high-intensity NTD strategies consumes a lot of Kme, resources, and preparaKon. The duraKon of the workshops is oken longer. It requires a significant amount of resources because it encompasses a wide range of areas. It can someKmes encounter challenges, especially when it is facilitated by a person with general knowledge”. (NOVI-04) “Focusing on team teaching can create problems, especially if one novice teacher starts dominaKng discussions. Further arguments might remain unresolved because we are of the same age group and have similar experiences. Much emphasis should be placed on involving seniors to mentor us”. (NOVI-03) “Mentoring and inducKon someKmes create over-reliance on the seniors for all teaching and learning acKviKes without promoKng iniKaKves on the part of the novices”. (NOVI-07) “The most notable disadvantage of using mentoring can be a lack of individualism and autonomy on the novices’ side. They can someKmes be formal in nature and restrict novices”. (NOVI-09) “I feel that using team teaching can lead to frustraKon if it is not monitored by seniors. Teams can oken create unnecessary arguments”. Novices’ percep)ons of learners’ behavior on their classroom management prac)ces In order to provide answers to the three quesKons that disKnguish effecKve NTD strategies in this paper, novices unveiled how learners’ conduct has a negaKve bearing on their general classroom management tasks. There are indicaKons by novices of learners’ behavioural challenges. Learners’ behaviours underscore novice teachers’ performances in classroom management pracKce, as alluded to below: (NOVI-02) “SomeKmes, it is difficult to teach in classrooms that are overcrowded, where learners misbehave. Some learners bunk classes and fail to write assessment tasks. As a new teacher, I oken call upon my seniors to assist in controlling this deviant behaviour. Eventually, my classroom control is compromised”. (NOVI-01) “There is a group of boys who oken come to school late. When they enter the class, they disturb my class acKviKes because I have to stop and concentrate on them”. The above revelaKons weigh heavily on the efforts put in by these novices in creaKng a favourable teaching and learning environment. Due to these learners’ poor conduct, there is a need to empower novices in areas of classroom management and learner discipline. Self-esteem versus job sa)sfac)on As alluded to in Barghava & Pathy (2020), new teachers’ self-efficacy and job saKsfacKon are reciprocal; novices’ findings transparently showed this asserKon. InteresKngly, 2 novices said: (NOVI-03) “Ever since I received assistance from my seniors regarding classroom management, administraKon, and extracurricular acKviKes, my self–esteem has improved drasKcally”. Researcher: How? May you please clarify more on these improvements? Annals of the University of Craiova for Journalism, Communication and Management, Volume 11, 2025 210 210 (NOVI-03) “I am now able to enforce the right balance of mind among learners, ensuring that they complete assessment acKviKes on Kme. Thanks to the role played by my HOD. Subsequently, my level of confidence has improved”. Researcher: What was the cause of your low self-esteem? (NOVI-03) “I suppose it is because you are not sure of your story. Learners can noKce that and someKmes take advantage of this situaKon. There are learners who were unable to write assessment tasks. This undermined my authority greatly”. (NOVI-04) “When I first arrived here at school, I had many challenges, like a lack of discipline management, poor classroom management, and a lack of knowledge on assessment techniques. This had a great bearing on my self-esteem. My job performance also took a knock. Thanks to my seniors’ intervenKon, I was able to improve my performance. It was a blessing to be surrounded by unselfish veteran teachers who are prepared to provide assistance”. Novices’ comments above indisputably applaud the support given by their seniors. The impetus of NTD strategies like inducKon, mentoring, and team teaching is strongly instrumental in developing novices’ self-esteem, and ulKmately, job saKsfacKon becomes evident. Summary and Recommenda)ons Novice teachers’ percepKons of NTD strategies revealed that their classroom competencies are dependent on how they are socialized in the work environment from their terKary insKtuKons. It remains incumbent upon the senior management teams in schools to ensure that the beginners perform at their best. From interacKons with novice parKcipants, there is considerable consensus that novices’ entry into the profession should be preceded by an inducKon phase of at least 2 years. In addiKon, veteran teachers should be assigned the responsibiliKes to monitor, support, and nurture these new teachers in a planned and structured manner. Novices suggest that school management should encourage these new teachers to work as a team when addressing school ma0ers. When all these preferred NTD strategies are in use, they should encompass high-intensity skills geared toward developing novices in ICT, finance, administraKon, and extracurricular acKviKes, as well as general classroom management. Empirical evidence from novices’ interacKons concluded that: • The most preferred strategies are inducKon, mentoring, and team teaching. • High-intensity NTD workshops and not low-intensity workshops remain the lifeblood of novices’ teaching lifespan. • Self-esteem is high when job performance is high. • Novices’ high job performance oken leads to effecKve learner performance. Conclusions Against the background of suggesKons made by novice parKcipants concerning current NTD strategies, the following recommendaKons can provide assistance: • For maximum professional novice teacher development, effecKve NTD strategies should be uKlised. • Well-structured, high-intensity NTD programmes rather than low-intensity programmes should be engaged to empower novices. • Novices’ self-efficacy develops when effecKve NTD strategies are used. • Novices’ improved self–esteem is instrumental in learners’ be0er academic performance. • The use of IQMS in its current form as an NTD strategy is unappreciated by novices. • Whilst acknowledging the Department of EducaKon’s contribuKons. References Ariff, N. Mansor, M, & Yusof, M. (2016). Availability of novice teacher professionalism: A content analysis. InternaKonal Journal of Academic Research and Social Sciences. Vol. 6 (12), (353373). Carspersen, J. (2013). 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