Beginning Teachers: Sink or Swim?

Abstract

Varah, Theune, and Parker provide a brief review of the literature on begin ning teachers and document the need for induction programs. The authors also describe the University of Wiscon sin-Whitewater Teacher Induction Pro gram and describe how induction teams, consisting of mentor teachers, school administrators, and university personnel, identify areas of accomplish ment, concern, and improvement for be ginning teachers. Finally, data are pre sented from a small scale experimental study that suggest that the induction program is achieving its primary objec tive of enhancing teacher growth.