The (re) construction of beginning teachers : a narrative journey.

In a performativity-driven school system, where academic results determine the
annual assessment of its teachers. an undeniable amount of pressure is exacted on
beginning teachers, Within each school in such a system, there exists a set of cultural
practices that dictate how teaching is done, so as to maximize the academic output of
its pupils, It is within such an environment that beginning teachers learn to survive
after their initial teacher training. It is thus important to understand how such a school
culture impacts and influences the beliefs and practices of beginning teachers. In the
midst of the massive recruitment of teachers. the questions that naturally arise are
'Are beginning teachers' identities and their pedagogical approaches socialized by
school systems? and 'If so, in what ways?' This narrative study is set within the
context of Singapore, where the performativity discourse is dominant. It explores the
journey of four beginning teachers from their pre-service training to their second year
of teaching. The beginning teachers' narratives reveal how the micropolitics of the
schools shape their values, beliefs and practices. It uncovers the process of teacher
socialisation in the Singapore school system. Through a narrative approach, their,
otherwise suppressed, stories are heard, And with this revelation, teacher education
and the teacher education institute's existing relationship with schools must
fundamentally change.