Date of Award

Summer 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Committee Chair

Kelsey Greer

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the formative experiences that contribute to beginning teachers’ (BTs) readiness and perceived success during their first year in the classroom. Grounded in Kolb’s (1984) Experiential Learning Theory, I examined how BTs process and apply learning through cycles of experience, reflection, conceptualization, and experimentation. Ten regional finalists in the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teachers Beginning Teacher of the Year program were interviewed to uncover the supports that shaped their early success. Readiness emerged not solely from teacher preparation or certification, but from layered experiences—mentorship, job-embedded professional development, and prior life experiences—that built resilience and instructional confidence. Participants emphasized the value of consistent mentoring, real-time feedback, and practical support in navigating classroom demands. The study supports a shift toward experiential, individualized teacher development and challenges one-size-fits-all preparation models. It also calls for further research on nontraditional pathways, teacher identity, and emotional regulation. By capturing the voices of exemplary BTs, this study offers guidance for improving institutes of higher education, district induction programs, and school-wide support systems

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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