Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/teacher-induction--a-lifeline-for-novice-teachers/5021820/
If you started your early childhood career as a classroom teacher, you know from your own experience that the demands during the first year of teaching are daunting. Most novice teachers struggle with classroom management issues, lesson planning, and how to support children with special needs. Many are overwhelmed by the recordkeeping and paperwork required for child assessment, accreditation, and other aspects of program accountability.The hard truth is that very few novice teachers step into jobs where they receive the kind of emotional and technical support they need to successfully navigate the challenges of their first year. The more common scenario revolves around stories of disillusionment and dashed expectations. It’s not uncommon to hear teachers reflecting on their first year of teaching using colorful language like ‘reality shock,’ ‘sink-or-swim,’ or ‘trial by fire.’ The attrition rate in the first few years is staggering, prompting some to call education “the profession that eats its young.” It doesn’t need to be this way. Other fields recognize the needs of new recruits and have implemented professional pathways that support the beginner. In early childhood education it is even more important that we address this issue, because so many new teachers have limited specialized ...