The Hidden Curriculum of a Teacher Induction Program: Ontario Teacher Educators' Perspectives

This article investigates the hidden curriculum of Ontario's New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP). The study involved interviews with 47 teacher educators from eight faculties of education. Responses revealed concerns about (a) who chooses the mentors, (b) the probationary status of new teachers, and (c) the evaluation of new teachers' competence. In the opinion of some teacher educators, the structure of NTIP may discourage new teachers from critiquing the system that employs them thus decreasing the likelihood of their taking a critical democratic stance in their teaching. These findings have implications for any induction or mentorship program for new teachers.