ABSTRACT
Teaching is an art and a science that demands exceptionally skilled practitioners. Teachers are expected to know their subject matter very well, and that is just the beginning. Teachers also must understand managing classroom activities, the learning modes and processes of students, the developmental characteristics for the age level they teach, and the dynamics of student relationships. They must understand the structure of schools, how to relate to colleagues and administrators, and how to tailor their teaching to meet the needs of their individual students, especially given students’ diverse backgrounds and family circumstances. Most teachers entering the field know their subject matter and are able to pass certification standards required for their discipline. Once they become teachers, however, a large exodus of well educated early career teachers occurs over the first few years (Ingersoll, 2003; Ingersoll & Merrill, 2010; Ingersoll & Smith, 2003; Kopkowski, 2008; Riggs, 2013).
