The Career Cycle and the Second Stage of Teaching: Implications for Policy and Professional Development

Teachers' careers are often considered to consist of two parts: pre-service and in-service. In-service refers to the entire time between a teacher's entry and exit from the profession. Recent research suggests teachers' careers actually consistent of several parts, known as phases or stages and, collectively, as the career cycle. This further suggests that as they pass through different stages, teachers' professional development needs may change. This article presents a review of literature on the career cycle, examines the portion known as the “second stage,” and discusses the policy and professional development implications for music teachers.