Reconciling personal and professional values and beliefs with the reality of teaching: findings from an evaluative case study of 10 newly qualified teachers during their year of induction

Abstract

This article is concerned with newly qualified teachers' endeavour to reconcile their personal values and beliefs with the reality of teaching. The article arguesthat they do not only need to become experts in the technical aspects of teaching, but need also to develop the professional capability to manage conflicts arising out of the interaction of their personal and professional lives. The 10 newly qualified secondary teachers participating in this qualitative study were amongst the first cohort to undergo the statutory induction programme introduced in England in September 1999. By adopting a case-study approach, data collection took place by means of semi-structured questionnaires and interviews. Particular attention is paid to the way in which the newly qualified teachers attempted to develop into reflective-reflexive practitioners by negotiating a balance of professional autonomy and institutional conformity and by reconciling their personal beliefs and values with those expected by and of the profession.