Guiding the New Teacher: Induction of First-Year Teachers in Japan

Abstract

What a stressful day for Yoko Matsubara. In the eighth month of her first year of teaching, she still has much to learn — about teaching, about her pupils and about herself. She cannot spend much time thinking about these issues now, because she must prepare for the many visitors coming to her classroom. This afternoon, her guiding teacher, a supervisor from the pre-fectural in-service center, the principal, vice-principal and several teachers from her school will visit her classroom to watch her teach a science lesson. In addition, two American educators will be in attendance. And after the lesson they want to interview her. What could she possibly tell them? Yet, because her principal has asked her to co-operate, she has agreed.