First-Year Teachers' Support Networks: Intentional Professional Networks and Diverse Professional Allies

Leveraging the relationship: knowledge processes in school–university research networks of master’s programmes

“…This observation seems to be related to outcomes of studies on personal networks, which suggest that people deliberately create and manage their own personal networks to achieve their individual purposes (Nardi, Whittaker, and Schwarz 2002;Baker-Doyle 2012). Evidence of such networks can be found in MS1's report on intentionally involving colleagues to increase the future buy-in of the knowledge she was developing in her research.…”

Don’t let me forget the teacher I wanted to become

“…Each of the system supports provided to the teachers in this study fits within 'traditional models' of beginning teacher support described by Baker-Doyle (2012) with a focus on familiarisation with schools and curricula, whilst also performing a regulatory function. This reflects an 'apprenticeship' model of teacher education and professional learning (Haggarty et al 2011) rather than a social constructivist model where professional learning is deemed to occur through interaction in professional contexts.…”

“…Opportunities to share their own knowledge, skills and ideas within the school environment influence teachers' commitment to remain in the profession (Margolis 2008;Baker-Doyle 2012;Pogodzinski 2012). However, Pogodzinski (2012) warns that socialisation into a professional learning community can also have negative consequences, as beginning teachers may come under pressure to conform to school norms and expectations at the expense of their own visions or opportunities to grow.…”

“…Baker-Doyle (2012) categorises these programs along a continuum with 'traditional' approaches at one end and 'reform' approaches at the other end. Traditional programs focus on personal socialisation and familiarisation with school routines and curricula (BakerDoyle 2012) and often perform some kind of regulatory function as well, for example, probation (Hagger, Mutton, and Burn 2011;MacBlain and Purdy 2011).…”

“…The focus is on system needs rather than the needs and concerns of the beginning teacher (McIntyre, Hagger, and Wilkin 1994;Haggarty et al 2011). In contrast to traditional models of mentoring and induction, Baker-Doyle (2012) describes reform-oriented models as those that position the beginning teacher as a professional rather than a technician. Interactions with the beginning teacher move beyond system compliance and towards 'confronting the common ideas and the contested ideas' (Haggarty et al 2011, 938) from their teacher education, and also the school and system they are teaching within.…”