Influence of the organizational environment on the induction stage of teaching

Using the Teacher Career Cycle Model as the theoretical framework, this study extended our understanding of how teachers professionally develop during their first year of teaching. The purpose of this study was to describe the induction activities and socialization process that novice agricultural education teachers experience, and to determine their psychosocial attitude after completion of the first year of teaching. Thirty-one agricultural education teachers in their first year of teaching participated in the study, and both quantitative and qualitative research methodology was utilized to collect and analyze the data. Researchers concluded that factors related to the organizational environment of the school influence the induction stage of teaching. Novice teachers were not prepared for isolation and socialization issues, were challenged by complex program management responsibilities, and expressed frustration by the amount and quality of support that was provided by the school administrator. Novice teachers learned that they serve an important role in students' lives, and reported "love/hate" aspects of their career. It was determined through the use of a semantic differential scale that novice teachers concluded their first year of teaching with an overall positive psychosocial attitude.