Teaching is never an easy job.

It is hard most especially for us beginning teachers who are

fully aware of what is really happening in the field or in the world of teaching. Although we
are exposed to internship and practicum, still our experiences as a teacher has only
contributed a little in our development as a teacher. Because of this, our performance in the
real scenario are also affected, thus resulting some of us to frustration. This is where
supervision and mentoring from the school head, principal and colleagues come in. since we
are just novice teachers, we shall need some tips and ideas on how to deal with the students,
specifically the use of varied strategies, approaches, methods and techniques for the
successful teaching- learning process.

The article merely tells us the role of the principal and the challenges faced by the
beginning teachers in their first years of teaching. It has been said that the principal plays
a great role in the success of teaching of the teachers and in leading, directing, advising or
mentoring the beginning teachers. Though the neophytes are expected to be fully formed
and equipped with the necessary skills, still their knowledge and skills of teachers like us
are not enough for us to be successful in the teaching arena. This mean to say that the
school-based support is also important and the people in the school community can be of
great help for us beginning teachers. Our means of classroom preparation is also critical as
mentioned in the article. We teachers should be observant and well aware that the classroom
management also plays a vital role because it also affects the teaching-learning process.

According to (Avalos and Aylwin, 2007; Flores 2014 as cited in Flores 2017),
“Available evidence indicate that many beginning teachers are not receiving the type and
level of help they need to function effectively after taking up their appointments.”
Personally, I believe this is true because as a beginning teacher, I have also experienced
that kind of treatment even up to this time. Yes, some of us are not really receiving any help
from our colleagues or even from our principal with regards to the things that we need to
do in for us to function effectively and efficiently inside the classroom. This is just one of
the problems of the novice teachers like me, I believe, in the field. It is imperative for the
teachers to be technically and socially adept and it is expected from us because we are
dealing with our students as well as our colleagues, but the problem is we graduated from
college with only little experience and that’s why we need help from the supervisor and from
our colleagues regarding with their practices.

Further, I believe the author is right somewhere along the way when she said that
management of student behavior was recognized as one of the greatest problems facing
beginning teachers. Indeed, it is not easy to handle students with different personality and
different learning styles and different attitude towards learning. It takes a lot of courage,
patience, flexibility and versatility in dealing those kinds of learners. Furthermore, the
knowledge, skills and experience we gained from school are contrary or are not in lined with
the new developments of teaching. Although we were taught with many teaching strategies
and techniques, however they are not enough because there new trends in instructional
delivery that are new to us which we can also utilize or practice inside the classroom. Because
of these problems, the quality of education that we are aiming for is compromised. In line
with this, we need the support of the principal by sending us to different trainings and
seminars for us to be aware of the emerging trends in instructional delivery.

Moreover, this is where now principal’s role and obligation come in. I do believe that
one of the main functions of the principal is supervision and leadership of the teaching staff
most especially the novice teachers. Also, principals serve as a coach and a mentor. They
should be the ones guiding and giving pieces of advice to the beginning teachers. School-
based support starting from the principal is very important for us tenderfoots because it
will also affect our performance in school. If we will just only depend on our personal
experiences then we will be lagged behind. That is why the principal shall send novice
teachers to trainings and seminars that will enhance their way of teaching and will be
equipped with various strategies and techniques. Also, continuing professional development
can also be of great help because we will be learning new and unlearning some things that we
used to practice.

As an overall conclusion, we teachers should not only limit ourselves with the things
that we used to do. We should also be open and be absorbent of new learnings and ideas
from one another or from other sources. We must always remember that the welfare and
the future of our students lie within our hands. If we teach them better then we can produce
high quality graduates.
 Several researchers has been researching on beginning teachers’ induction in Chile,
the reason why Catherine Flores has conducted thorough research on this on 2017 entitled
“Beginning teachers’ induction: the perspective of the principals.” The researcher wanted
to tell us about the status of the beginning teachers in their first years in the field, the
problems and challenges they have encountered and also the role of the principal in the
induction of these beginning teachers. It was stated that the beginning teachers in Chile
has not been receiving any type and level of help they need to be effective, efficient and
competent in the field. The principal, particularly, has a great role in influencing those
teachers so that they will be guided on what to do and how to deal with the students and
what strategies or techniques they shall use. I strongly believe that principals and the
seasoned teachers or colleagues are the ones responsible in guiding, supervising, mentoring
and coaching beginning teachers like us so as to achieve the quality education that we are
aiming for.
The article tells us that principals expect too much from the beginning teachers to
perform well in the field of teaching knowing that they have already all the necessary
skills they need, however that's not the case. The researcher presented in the article
from the very beginning the roles of the principal in the success of teaching of the
teachers and in leading, directing, advising or mentoring the beginning teachers. Though
the neophytes are expected to be fully formed and equipped with the necessary skills, still
their knowledge and skills of teachers like us are not enough for us to be successful in the
teaching arena. The research article also tells us the problems and the challenges facing
by the neophytes and the principals are the ones responsible enough in guiding us along the
journey of teaching profession. We cannot simply say that we are already expert in our
field, but we need someone to support, guide, and coach and mentor us so that our
performance will not be compromised.
The researcher stated only all the facts of the research based on her interviews
with the principals. He had objectively stated that principals do play a critical role in the
induction of the novice teachers. I strongly agree with her when she said that “Available
evidence indicate that many beginning teachers are not receiving the type and level of help
they need to function effectively after taking up their appointments,” (Avalos and Aylwin,
2007; Flores 2014 as cited in Flores 2017.) This does mean that beginning teachers need
help, support and guidance from the principal the moment they entered the school. First-
year teachers assume responsibilities similar to those of experienced teachers while
learning their job with limited experience and preparation (Wildman, Niles, Magliaro, &
McLaughlin, 1989 as cited in Wang, et.al, 2008). I believe this is true because, I have
experienced this king of responsibilities when my principal appointed me to be the English
coordinator, Research Coordinator and Brigada Eskwela Coordinator. I really wanted to
decline the appointment but I have no choice but to deal with and perform my duties
without guidance from the seasoned ones especially my principal.
Upon reading the research article, I can say that the researcher has succeeded in
telling us what principals should do to novice teachers like us. It is very evident and relevant
that one of the main functions of the principal is supervision and leadership of the teaching
staff most especially the novice teachers. Also, principals serve as a coach and a mentor.
They should be the ones guiding and giving pieces of advice to the beginning teachers.
School-based support starting from the principal is very important for us tenderfoots
because it will also affect our performance in school. If we will just only depend on our
personal experiences then we will be lagged behind. That is why the principal shall send
novice teachers to trainings and seminars that will enhance their way of teaching and will be
equipped with various strategies and techniques. Also, continuing professional development
can also be of great help because we will be learning new and unlearning some things that we
used to practice.

Further, Austin, 1992 stated that to survive the shock of classroom reality, novice teachers
need collegial support from experienced teachers and peers which is not actually happening
in the school where I am assigned now. We are doing our duties and responsibilities
independently. The author pointed out that some of the novice teachers leave the job
profession because of the inadequate support from the principal. It is evident when
Robertson, Hancock, and Allen 2006 as cited in Flores, 2017 said that teachers often pointed
to a lack of support from the school principal as a key reason for leaving.

All in all, the researcher wanted to tell us that any forms of planned support for
beginning teachers should be done by the principal. The researcher is much concerned and
wanted to tell the school community that we beginning teachers do need support from them.
The researcher has explained well and has written the research in orderly and
comprehensible manner, thus making us understand the totality of the research.

Research on Learning To Teach: Implications for Teacher Induction

and Mentoring Programs
Leslie Huling-Austin
First Published May 1, 1992

EFFECTS OF TEACHER INDUCTION ON BEGINNING TEACHERS’ TEACHING A CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE

LITERATURE Jian Wang Sandra J. Odell University of Nevada, Las Vegas Journal of Teacher Education, Vol.
59, No. 2, March/April 2008 132-152 DOI: 10.1177/0022487107314002 © 2008 by the American
Association of Colleges for Teacher Education