This presentation focus on Organization Socialization.

1. Stroot, S., & Whipple, C. (1996).
Organizational socialization: Factors
impacting beginning teachers. Student
learning in physical education: Applying
research to enhance instruction, 339-
366.
Renee’ Brown and Adam Keath

2. Type of, purpose of study/paper,
theoretical framework/background
• Purpose- to examine the potential
developmental stages of prospective teacher
and the influence of the workplace on the
teacher and the socialization factors that
affect beginning teachers.
• Literature Review (How To Manual)
• Theoretical Framework –Socialization and
Quality of Work Life

3. Background and significance of study
• This article built upon Lawson’s 1986 study:
Occupational Socialization and the design of teacher
education program.
– Focused on one important aspect—organizational
socialization, or the process by which one is taught and
learns the ropes of a particular organizational role.”
• Developmental Stages of teachers
– Survival (1st year)
– Consolidation (2nd year)
– Renewal (3rd or 4th year)
– Maturity (Final Stage)

4. Background
• Learning the Ropes—understanding the process
that teachers follow as they learn about teaching
and what it means to be a teacher.
• Three work orientation adopted by new teachers.
– Custodial Orientation
– Content Innovation Orientation
– Role Innovation Orientation
• Socialization has huge implications for beginning
teachers.

5. Induction into the first year of
teaching
• Reality Shock
– Major concern of beginning teachers
– Are preparation programs really helpful?
• Washout Effect
– Described as the period when the effect of the teacher
education program diminish.
– Ex. At the beginning of the year, I did physical Fitness, then
basketball… By the end of the year, it came down to kids who
wanted to play basketball and others who did their own thing
while I graded papers.
• Isolation
– Most common problem—so much time spent with students and
no time to vent/talk to.

6. Induction into the first year of
teaching
• Marginalization of Physical Education
– Legitimacy of PE as a subject area is a serious issue
• Workload and Role Conflict
– Most teachers teach 6-9 classes per day plus additional
duty, which can take away from their job
– EX. Coaching, Administrative Work, etc.
• Management Concerns
– First year teachers found that they were not always able to
cope with students’ lack of respect
– Teachers expectations were challenged—hard to find
success.
– Ex. Inner city schools

7. Induction into the first year of
teaching.
• Instructional concerns
– Most common concern was grading.
– Behaviour rather than student learning had been
the basis of grading
– “Failing gym is like failing lunch or recess.”
• Interactions with Colleagues
– One of the most powerful contextual variables in
the beginnings teacher’s ability to be successful in
elementary/secondary setting.

8. Strategies for Beginning Teachers
• Seek out Mentors
– What type?
– Who chooses?
– How often?
– What is the expectation of me and my mentor?
• Take Advantage of Published Resources
– Journals
– Websites
– Become members of state and national professional
organizations, and many journals will become available as
part of the membership

9. Strategies for Beginning Teachers
• Be Reflective
– Systematic observation instruments to code
feedback
– Action research
– Journal writing
• Network
– Figure out how to become socially and politically
active.

10. Conclusion
• Teachers must be provided with the
knowledge, opportunity, assistance and
support to practice their teaching skills in a
variety of settings—especially in tough urban
settings.
• Collaborative efforts between university and
school faculties

11. Take Away
• Renee’- Knowing the socialization pitfalls a
new teacher can fall into is crucial to avoiding
them.
• Adam- How to manual; the impact
marginalization in PE both for beginning
teachers and veterans.

12. Questions
• For those of you who have taught in a school,
what components of negative teacher
socialization did you face and how did you
overcome or succumb to those factors.