Teaching Challenges and Education Support Mechanisms for Graduate Mathematics Teachers Across Elementary Schools in Kuwait

This research investigates the challenges faced by newly graduated female mathematics teachers in teaching public school elementary students in Kuwait, as seen through the perspectives of mathematics department heads. The research aims to identify the primary difficulties encountered by these teachers, explore the underlying causes of these challenges, and evaluate the support mechanisms available to enhance teacher performance and effectiveness. A qualitative approach was employed, utilizing descriptive thematic analyses, which aligns with the study’s objectives. The research involved a randomly selected sample of 76 mathematics department heads from elementary schools, representing 26% of the target population. The results reveal twelve significant challenges, with "managing the classroom" (11.96%) and "preparing lesson plans" (11.20%) being the most prevalent, while "engaging with students' parents" is the least reported challenge (2.47%). The primary causes of these difficulties include insufficient academic, professional, and practical experience, inadequate teacher preparation programs, and a lack of ongoing support and training. The research proposes several recommendations to better support newly graduated teachers, including the need for field studies to anticipate challenges and the development of custom pre-service preparation programs. These findings offer insights into strategies that could improve the professional development of mathematics teachers at the elementary level in Kuwait.