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Abstract
The purpose for conducting this study was to examine the relationship of self-esteem and collegial relationships of beginning teachers in Lincoln, Omaha, and Class III schools in Nebraska.
The survey population was licensed teachers, employed as full-time classroom teachers in Nebraska schools during 1990-91, with no prior contractual classroom experience. A questionnaire was mailed to 236 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Teachers College graduates who met the criteria established for the study; 80 percent of the teachers responded.
The following findings were statistically significant at the.05 level: (1) Significant differences in self-esteem, collegial relationships, and the relationship of self-esteem and collegial relationships were found between beginning teachers who "frequently" were supported by their administrators and teachers who were "never" or "sometimes" supported. (2) Novice teachers who taught in public schools in Nebraska had significantly higher self-esteem scores than teachers who taught in private schools. (3) Elementary school teachers had significantly stronger personal and professional relationships with their colleagues than did junior/senior high school teachers. (4) Positive correlations indicated direct relationships between: (1) global self-esteem and role self-esteem (r =.7491), (2) team/department relationships and general faculty relationships (r =.8078), and (3) total collegial relationships and total self-esteem (r =.4750).
Although not statistically significant, the following findings were worthy of further research: (1) Beginning teachers' global self-esteem scores were higher than their role self-esteem scores. (2) Both global and role self-esteem scores were relatively high for the beginning teachers. (3) Beginning teachers had stronger personal and professional relationships with their team/department members than with their general faculty members. (4) There was no significant difference in self-esteem or collegial relationships between teachers who did or did not have a mentor assigned to them during their first year. (5) Support from college instructors did not provide a significant difference in the self-esteem or collegial relationships of beginning teachers.
