The Content and Context of Professional Dilemmas Encountered by Novice and Senior Teachers

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Abstract
The study was aimed at disclosing some of the content and context of dilemmas encountered by novice and senior teachers. Six teachers of various seniority ranges, working in various teaching environments, were interviewed using the ‘think aloud’ technique. The interviews were protocolled verbatim. The analysis of protocols yielded several major contexts in which dilemmas occur. The transition from being a student to becoming a teacher was a characteristic context for dilemmas of the more novice teachers. The salient topic in this context concerned their career choice. Dilemmas in the context of classroom teaching and management were characteristic of both novice and senior teachers. Dilemmas in the societal context concerned gaps between ideology and reality, and were encountered by the more senior teachers only. The findings are discussed in the context of professional development.