All’s well? New Zealand beginning teachers’ experience of induction provision in their first six months in school

Abstract

While the importance of induction for increasing beginning teacher retention and supporting professional development is widely recognized, less is known about the nature of support that novices encounter when they first start teaching. This study investigated twelve first-year New Zealand primary teachers’ perceptions of their induction experiences in their first six months of teaching. Semi-structured interviews (N=24) were the primary sources of data for this qualitative study. The study showed that despite New Zealand’s longstanding commitment to the induction of beginning teachers, the participants’ experiences were diverse and variable. The findings point to the learning and development opportunities open to beginning teachers when they work in schools that both recognise novices’ particular needs and have a school-wide commitment to the ongoing professional learning of all teachers.