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A close look at one professional's career change into teaching illustrates unique challenges and qualities, showing in stark relief what makes the induction smoother and the experience more successful. This article presents the story of a novice career changer teacher that illustrates their unique problems and dispositions, as well as practical steps that could be made to enhance their induction.

The assumption behind movements to get alternatively certified teachers quickly into classrooms as full-time teachers is that high-performing college graduates with content knowledge can become good teachers through a summer of training and full-time, evening, teacher training courses. But when the authors asked new, precertified teachers who were teachers of record in urban schools--after only a summer of training through a well-known alternative certification program--what they thought teacher prep programs should include, their responses implied these novices needed more preparatory experiences. The respondents' comments suggested six things alternative preparation programs should offer nontraditional new teachers: opportunities to learn from experts; strategies for teaching content; guidance on logistics; experience with students; help managing expectations; and time for reflection. (Contains 2 endnotes.)

The learning of facilitators who participated in an intensive immersion professional development experience aimed at preparing them to work with new teachers was investigated through case study. The intensive immersion experience was documented, and the facilitators' perceptions of their roles were explored. Analysis and discussion of data highlight what the group of 28 participants learned about facilitation as they interacted with the program curriculum. Working with clay as an alternative medium for exploring roles, reflecting on learning, and sharing ideas surfaced as particularly effective practices for helping participants understand the distinctive nature of the facilitator role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]