The Bliss and Blisters of Early Career Teaching: A Pan-Canadian Perspective
Benjamin Kutsyuruba
Keith Walker
Editors
Published by Word & Deed Publishing Inc., May 2017
ISBN: 9780991862696
SUMMARY
Anchored within the pan-Canadian research exploration of teacher induction and mentorship programs, this hopeful and resource-filled book provides a unique collection of perspectives on the bliss and blisters of early career teaching. Over 40 educators offer a wide, deep, and rich array of descriptions of, and prescriptions for, both the difficult and the delightful realities associated with being a new teacher and supporting new teachers. This book is an excellent resource for teacher educators, mentors, scholars, program coordinators, practicum and course instructors, school administrators, policy makers, teacher candidates, and new teachers who wish to hear the voices of their colleagues, mentors, and experts with across-Canada viewpoints.
Praise for The Bliss and The Blisters
As a former school administrator and someone who teaches about leadership, I am pleased to see a book about early career teacher induction and mentorship across Canada. We need Canadian examples for us to better understand our own challenges and strengths. With their background and expertise, Keith Walker and Benjamin Kutsyuruba have provided us with an engaging and enlightening collection. – Ann Sherman, PhD, Dean of Education, University of New Brunswick.
Canada in the 21st century is changing. As a nation, we are experiencing significant shifts to our social, demographic, cultural, technological, economic and political contexts. New teachers in Canada are entering a profession which is tasked with interpreting these new realities for our children and youth, who are facing a world where globalization and tribalism are now vying for power. Unfortunately, many new teachers are unable to cope with these challenges, and drop-out rates are high. In this important new book, educators from many parts of Canada examine the issues facing new teachers and explore how early career teacher induction and mentorship programs might assist in keeping more new teachers in the profession. – J. Tim Goddard, PhD, Professor of Education, University of Prince Edward Island
Bliss and blisters indeed! With over 40 authors from across Canada contributing to 25 chapters, this book offers the reader a pan-Canadian perspective on our differing approaches to schooling, mentorship and teacher education. Noting provincial differences sheds light on inequities and suggests new directions for the retention of the newest members of our profession. – Olenka Bilash, PhD, Professor of Education, University of Alberta
This volume addresses the essential topic of Early Career Teachers within the Canadian context. It will be an important read for educational administrators, teacher educators, field-based mentors, and for early career teachers themselves. – Jacqueline Kirk, PhD, President, Canadian Association for the Study of Educational Administration
This book is long anticipated by those of us who work with early career teachers. For the first time, we will have a Canadian compilation of the realities of this group of colleagues along with some real suggestions as to what might be done to support them. The editors have invested significantly in timely and thoughtful research to compile this important and well-worth-spending-time-with book. It will leave you more committed than ever to supporting this sometimes vulnerable group of our teacher colleagues and equipped with ideas on how to do so. – Beverley Park, Senior Administrative Officer, Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association
L’entrée dans la profession enseignante présente de nombreux d.fis qui s’intensifient d’année en année. Par la diversité et la pertinence des expériences partagées, cet ouvrage offre une mine riche en pistes d’éclairage et de solution pour toute personne que ces défis interpellent. – Claire Lapointe, PhD, professeure titulaire, Faculté des sciences de l’éducation, Université Laval
I am thankful to Benjamin and Keith for guiding this important and timely contribution to the literature surrounding the education, induction and mentorship of early career teachers. The voices presented within this book should help those of us who work in teacher education to gain an improved understanding of the impact on early career teachers of a teacher development model that assumes education programs are just one step in the development of teachers. – Mark Hirschkorn, PhD, Former President of the Canadian Association for Teacher Education (CATE)
Collaboration, change, and diversity are normal features of today’s classrooms for beginning teachers. This work spearheaded by Kutsyuruba and Walker makes a significant contribution to our understanding of early career teaching by giving space to the voices of beginning teachers and by providing information to school leaders about support models and practices in use across Canada. It is especially significant that this book emphasizes the creation of a culture of both collaborative and self-directed professional learning for early career teachers. – Ken Brien, PhD, President, Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration and Management (CCEAM)
Sound, research-based professional induction processes for teachers are of significant importance to professional teacher organizations. This pan-Canadian review of the experiences of beginning and early career teachers is welcomed. My hope would be that the research itself, but more importantly the voices of teachers that contributed to the research, will inform the development of a broad array of robust supports for new and experienced teachers and administrators. Congratulations to all of the contributors to this valued volume of work. – Gwen Dueck, Executive Director, Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation
In the aptly titled The Bliss and Blisters of Early Career Teaching: The Pan- Canadian Perspective, Drs. Kutsyuruba and Walker have provided essential solutions to the puzzle of how we support, or should support, new teachers. Too many new teachers leave our teacher development programs to become stranded in the purgatory between graduation and first contract known as the substitute pool. These highly motivated and well trained novice teachers deserve more from the system that ultimately hires them, and this pan-Canadian perspective on early career teaching is a direct contribution to this process. – Kirk Anderson, PhD, President, Association of Canadian Deans and Directors of Education (2017-2019)
Combining the lessons learned from a national study as well as the textures of individuals immersed in the field, Kutsyuruba and Walker have produced a thorough collection of initiatives in, experiences of, and perspectives on early career teacher induction and teaching from across the country. This collection has much to offer to the field—from beginning teachers in the classroom to policy-makers, alike. – Michelle Prytula, PhD, Dean of Education, University of Saskatchewan
This book is a valuable resource for teacher unions committed to mentorship for early career teachers. Within this pan-Canadian collection, readers can explore mentorship research, programs and practices that empower beginning teachers through collaborative professional development and affirm the centrality of place and community in teacher work. – Glen Hansman, President, British Columbia Teachers’ Federation
I am so pleased, excited, and thankful to the contributors of this book. As teacher education continues to be challenged by the rapidly changing contexts teachers face every day, this work is much needed and timely. Its Canadian coverage adds to my excitement. I look forward to reading the work. – Randolph Wimmer, PhD, Dean (interim) and Professor of Education, University of Alberta
This vital book is a unique collection of the Canadian research on teacher induction and mentoring. It makes a timely and valuable contribution by bringing together the pan-Canadian voices of authors who are passionate about the development of early career teachers. It is an excellent guide to scholars, practitioners, and policymakers who want to make a difference. – Rebecca Luce-Kapler, OCT, PhD, Dean of Education, Queen’s University
Early Career Teachers 