Self transformation of lived emotional experiences to social strategies in adapting to teaching environment of beginning teachers

Studies have shown that teachers experienced huge emotions in their teaching. The aim of this study is to better understand the place of emotions, as a significant part of that range of learning experiences, of the beginning teachers in classroom teaching and school life. The sample was eight beginning teachers in their first two years of teaching after graduation in teacher education in the Hong Kong Institute of Education. The method of study is qualitative basis that personal histories, in-depth interviews, notes from the beginning teachers were the data sources throughout the two years of study. It was found that many types of emotions, both positive and negative were experienced by the beginning teachers. The beginning teachers experienced more negative emotions in the first year of teaching and more positive emotions in the second year of teaching. It was also found that most of the beginning teachers had self transformation of their lived emotional experiences into social strategies. The main social strategies included 'goal oriented problem solving approach', 'cognitive restructuring' and 'positive self talk'. It is concluded that the process of learning to teach is an idiosyncratic process and it becomes the 'Personal and Situational Adaptive Learning' (PSAL) of individual teacher.