Discursive positioning of beginning teachers’ professional learning during induction: a critical literature review from 2004 to 2014

Early Career Teachers

“…More importantly, the absence of a strong corpus of professional knowledge makes local practice to be based on the personal, unquestioned experiences of teachers rather than on principles coming from educational sciences. (Shayshon and Popper-Giveon, 2016 [8]). Atkinson and Delamont (1986[13]) call this characteristic 'indeterminacy', and argue that it explains why a significant part of teacher practices remains detached from the explicit knowledge acquired in initial teacher education institutions.…”

“…Although Hogben's work has not been referenced in subsequent reflections regarding innovation and early career teachers, current research seems to confirm his two core observations regarding beginning teachers and innovation. First, school systems do not do enough to recognise or capitalise on beginning teachers' enthusiasm and willingness to be innovative in their teaching (Shayshon and Popper-Giveon, 2016 [8]; McCromack and Thomas, 2003[69]). And second, that as early career teachers are by definition unaware of the routines of the local community of practice, they are therefore a "fertile ground where informal, unplanned and serendipitous innovations can take place" (Correa, Martínez-Arbelaiz and Aberasturi-Apraiz, 2015, p. 73 [31]).…”

“…Understanding induction as a way to transform early professional development should be key to move beyond the idea that reforms of initial teacher education programmes alone can address the ominous challenge of preparing future teachers for their profession. In this sense, the case study of Shayshon and Popper-Giveon (2016 [8]) illustrates the limits of innovative initial teacher education programmes that are not followed up by induction programmes to promote school change. Although the Program for Excellence in Teaching conducted in Israel managed to attract the most successful graduate students and promoted initial professional views to change the system, the authors found that once graduates started to work, their previous ideals around systemic change were progressively abandoned.…”

“…They conclude that without further supporting mechanisms in schools, early career teachers are likely to rely on the on-going unquestioned truths about the nature of teaching -which is accentuated by their identity as 'best and successful students'. Instead, they suggest that a 'more rebellious attitude may be more effective for beginning teachers' (2016, p. 12 [8]), echoing the concluding remark of Cherubini (2009[12]) about the need to raise the conscience of new teachers' sense of individualism.…”

“…The emphasis on the challenges that early career teachers face has framed our understanding of them through a deficit perspective (Martinez, 1994[7]). As a result, initiatives are made focusing mainly on helping novice teachers adapt to their new workplace -which in practice means to help them conform to the existing system (Shayshon and Popper-Giveon, 2016 [8]). Of special relevance here is the question of how desirable is it that early career teachers can be quickly induced and well adapted to the reality of most schools which are not innovative environments?…”