“There is a fairly widespread belief that knowing the subject matter is sufficient for teaching and that there are no universally valid principles in education. However, these views are extremely simplistic and fail to take into account the impact of the initial training and induction phases in teaching,” said Dr. Denise Vaillant.
For this reason, the dean of the Institute of Education examined in depth the transition period between a teacher’s initial training and their entry into a school—with a particular focus on the Latin American context—in the chapter titled “The Integration of New Teachers in Latin America: Some Certainties, Many Challenges.”
First, Vaillant examined the factors that influence the attrition and mobility of new teachers. Second, he analyzed the difficulties and challenges associated with the teaching profession. Finally, he outlined some avenues for improvement and reflected on post-pandemic lessons learned in this area.
“The Integration of New Teachers in Latin America: Some Certainties, Many Challenges” is part of the book Getting Off to a Good Start: Experiences with Induction and Mentoring Programs for New Teachers, edited by Carlos Marcelo García and Paula Marcelo Martínez.
The publication, which is available for free download, focuses on presenting a conceptual framework for the teacher induction period and, in particular, on describing examples of programs that have been successfully implemented in various countries.
In addition to the chapter by Vaillant, has from Dr. Carlos Marcelo García and Dr. Jesús Manso, thesis advisors for the Doctor of Education program at Universidad ORT Uruguay.