Teacher Induction Revisited

Abstract

Four beginning teachers' experiences of induction programs in Queensland secondary schools are described. Interviews with principals and other senior teachers indicated keen and sympathetic awareness of the complexities of entry into teaching. The beginning teachers of the study complained that induction programs offered were inadequate, inappropriate, or both. These research findings are discussed in terms of the research literature and current official policy on induction in Queensland. It is argued that current induction programs are based for the most part on a deficit model of beginning teachers. Recommendations are made for further research in two main areas: critical examination of teacher induction, the term itself, its purpose and underlying theoretical assumptions; and context-specific studies of programs of support for new teachers.

Mentoring and Beginning Teachers' Workplace Learning

“…This nding con rms the ndings from other qualitative studies (Beynon, 1997;Jacka, 1994;Martinez, 1994).…”

Early Career Teachers

“…In some cases, the partnership with other institutions or working through a network of schools can facilitate the production of such information (Paniagua and Istance, 2018 [10]). From the point of view of academic research, Makel and Plucker (2014 [75]) show the persistent problem of educational research to produce sound policy and practice given the almost inexistent replications of studiesonly 0.13% of education articles are replications of previous ones. This finding also illustrates how in education novelty is valued over truth, which also has consequences in the way innovation is acknowledged and implemented in schools -see Box 3.…”

Inducción de profesores novatos en Chile: un estudio de caso

“…Además, el análisis reveló la preocupación de los profesores novatos en temas como la falta de equipamiento o infraestructura apropiada, situación que se considera un obstáculo para su desarrollo profesional. En este sentido, Martínez (1994) otorga una gran importancia a los aspectos contextuales que rodean el nombramiento de un profesor novato, argumentando: «Mientras los profesores principiantes continúen siendo ubicados en escuelas que están estructuralmente cargadas con dificultades, ningún programa de inducción será capaz de revertir las desventajosas condiciones contextuales existentes» (p. 179). Sumado a esto, los sayings de los profesores novatos conectaron la inducción con la práctica de la formación inicial, las que aparecen como interconectadas.…”