Barbara Brock

Beginning Teacher Induction Programs: The Role of the Principal

T he literature on first-year teachers identifies the difficulties of the transition into teaching and supports the need for first-year teacher induction programs (Ryan 1979, 1986; Veenman 1984; Brock 1988, 1990; Zumwalt 1984). However, little attention has been paid to the principals role in the induction of beginning teachers. Although principals are called on to be instructional leaders, the research provides little information for principals to use in meeting the challenges of beginning teachers.