The novice teacher phase coincides with a predictable, objectively determined point in a teacher’s career. While this phase cannot be associated with a specific chronological age because of the many alternative routes into teaching, it can be associated with an officially sanctioned professional status.

The novice or preservice teacher has not yet completed some predetermined course of study or certification process, and is not yet a fully licensed teacher. The words that best define the novice experience are transition and tension. During this time, the preservice teacher is making the shift from student to teacher—from one side of the desk to the other—and exploring and expanding perspectives and possibilities. Novice teachers typically are challenged in their thinking and encounter the unexpected. Negotiating this phase successfully requires courage, risk-taking, and a high tolerance for ambiguity.
Links/Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Opportunities for Reflection