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Understanding the Induction of a Science Teacher: The Interaction of Identity and Context

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Abstract

The demanding first years of teaching are a time when many teachers leave the teaching profession or discard the reform-minded practice emphasized in teacher preparation. If we are to lessen teacher attrition and more effectively support teachers during their development, a better understanding of what occurs during their induction into the profession is needed. The question that drove this research was what factors influence how a beginning science teacher negotiates entry into teaching? Specifically, we sought to understand how a beginning science teacher’s identities interact with the teaching context; how this interaction shapes his use of reform-minded teaching practice; and how the negotiation of identity, context, and practice influence a novice teacher’s employment decisions. The study involved 2 years of data collection; data included classroom and school observations, questionnaires, interviews, and teaching artifacts (such as lesson plans and assessments). The results demonstrate how conflicts in identities, institutional expectations, and personal dispositions of this novice influenced his transition in becoming a member of his school community. Implications of these interactions for teacher preparation and support are provided.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Eregli Faculty of Education, Bulent Ecevit University, Eregli, Zonguldak, 67300, Turkey

    Yavuz Saka

  2. School of Teacher Education, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA

    Sherry A. Southerland

  3. Department of Mathematics and Science Education, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA

    Julie Kittleson

  4. Department of Educational Administration, University of Texas Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

    Todd Hutner

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  1. Yavuz Saka
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  2. Sherry A. Southerland
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  3. Julie Kittleson
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  4. Todd Hutner
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Correspondence to Yavuz Saka.

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Saka, Y., Southerland, S.A., Kittleson, J. et al. Understanding the Induction of a Science Teacher: The Interaction of Identity and Context. Res Sci Educ 43, 1221–1244 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-012-9310-5

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