The beginning teacher in basic education: cognitive conflicts and learning

Abstract

Initial training does not end the learning process of becoming a teacher, but includes ongoing training and beginners' practice in the classroom. Thus, the first years of teaching are a phase in which practice is structured and can lead to the establishment of routines and crystallized certainties about teaching, which will accompany the teacher throughout their career. Beginner teachers face conflicts due to the difficulties of relating the knowledge acquired in academia to the needs of teaching practice, notably the content of the subject they will teach, the methodologies, teaching procedures, and the management of conflict relationships in the classroom. There is a shortage of support programs for beginner teachers in Brazil; however, we can mention the Educational Tutoring Project, developed by the Municipal Department of Education of Manaus. This project is aimed at early childhood and elementary school teachers who have been in the municipal school system for up to three years. This article aims to promote the professional development of beginners by encouraging reflection on their classroom practices, based on a relationship of partnership and shared responsibility between the tutor (experienced teacher) and the mentee (beginning teacher). Several conditions are essential for the success of the induction period for beginner teachers: financial support, such as reducing the workload; clarity about the roles and responsibilities of all involved; cooperation between the parts of the system; quality management, which involves the competence of mentors and school leaders; and a school culture that promotes collaborative learning, benefiting the professional development of all participants.