A draft of the Beginning Teacher section of this handbook was written. Other educational professionals gave input on the draft. The handbook has been used by teachers in Washington State's Teacher Assistance Program. The teaching profession presents challenges which make entering this profession a unique experience. A beginning teacher has a more difficult talk ahead, in many ways, than a beginner in another profession.
Teaching is something that has to be experienced in order to be clearly understood.
Sitting in a student's desk for 16 years does not give one a true picture of what teaching is really like. Student teaching experiences, in general, are not extensive enough to provide a teacher with the full breadth of experiences necessary to be a master teacher. Literature on beginning teachers has outlined the stages in teacher development. The induction stage, or the first few years of teaching, has been identified as a unique and important time in a teacher's career. This is the transition from being a student who learns about teaching, to being a teacher.