First-Year Experiences of Social Studies Teachers Starting their Profession in the Public Sector

This research aims to reveal the first-year experiences of social studies teachers who have just started their profession in the public sector. Also, it aims to reveal what awaits teachers in the school environment and the current experiences of teachers at the beginning of the profession. Case study design, one of the qualitative research designs, was used in the study. The study group of the research consists of 34 social studies teachers working in secondary schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education (Turkey) in the districts of Ankara. Participants were selected on an equal basis from all districts of Ankara province. Purposeful sampling, one of the non-random sampling methods was used in determining participants. In addition, criterion sampling was also used in the purposeful sampling phase. The obtained data were subjected to the content and descriptive analysis. As a result of the research, following the latest changes and developments and developing their basic knowledge and skills seems important for teachers who started their profession in the public sector. The multidisciplinary of the social studies branch, attractivity, and the fact that there are no alternatives comes to the fore in teachers' decision-making process to become social studies teachers. In addition, teachers participating in the research suggested to new teachers that they should master their fields, maintain their personal development, get to know the target group, and maintain strong communication in school.


Introduction
Teachers start their careers with different competencies and knowledge. Teachers' skills at the beginning of their careers may lose their validity in a short time due to educational reforms, current research, and changes in education policies (Grosemans et al.2015). Teachers' competence can be affected by the quality of the education received before starting the professional career and individual factors (cognitive and affective) (Ontas, 2016). Since they encounter the real school environment when they start their profession, experiencing adaptation problems seems possible for new teachers (Korkmaz et al. 2004). Once their role expectations, role perceptions, and role performances in the school environment are compatible with each other, potential problems may not arise.
The entry/beginning phase of the career is associated with the experience, having less than six years of experience (Bakioglu, 1996;Hong, 2012;Menon, 2012). While classifying the teaching profession into the career stages, Lacey (1977) considered the early years as the "honeymoon" phase. Bakioglu (1996) defined the stages of a career as clarification, empiricism/activism, expertise, and calmness. The teaching profession is a long-term process consisting of different career stages.
Studies on the problems experienced by teachers who are new to the profession go long way back (Veenman, 1984). In the last ten years, many studies have been conducted on teachers' first-year experiences (Avalos & Aylwin, 2007;Fantili & McDougall, 2009;Imig & Imig, 2006;Kyriacou & Kunc, 2007;Menon, 2012;Saka et al. 2009;Ulvik et al. 2009). In Turkey, studies conducted about the beginning phase of the career focus mostly on classroom teachers (Gokce, 2013; Korkmaz et al., 2004;Ontas, 2016;Sari, 2011); however, studies conducted on social studies teachers are quite limited (Yilmaz & Tepedas, 2011). The early years of the teaching profession are the process of adaptation, learning to teach, and the struggle that is accepted as "the time to succeed or break" (Kozinoğlu & Senemoğlu, 2018). For this reason, especially the first-year experiences of teachers from different branches should be investigated, and measures should be taken with pre and in-service training.
Professional development is necessary both to increase productivity and to contribute to the learning process of students. Teachers can also improve their skills through professional development (Kesen & Ozturk, 2019). The principle of continuous professional development also draws attention at both national and international levels, in terms of improving students' outcomes. Today, required characteristics to improve students' outcomes are determined as expertise and conviction, innovation, and cooperation for teachers (Kesen & Öztürk, 2019). Working together inside and outside the school, reflection and professional development are prominent characteristics of teachers in terms of the quality of the teacher in the context of effective teaching (Bakx et al., 2014). In order to increase the quality of education and educational activities, it is necessary to support the professional development of teachers, identify the obstacles against the professional development, and take developmental steps to eliminate these obstacles (Can, 2019). There are many different models available for teachers' professional development (Eroglu, 2019;Soydas, 2019). Teachers working in public schools can benefit from in-service training activities conducted by the central organization of the Ministry of National Education (MoNE), professional development activities conducted by provincial organizations, and school-based professional development activities. Teachers' postgraduate educational activities can also be evaluated in terms of professional development. The obstacles against the professional development of teachers are considered as legal, pedagogical, administrative, and social reasons (Can, 2019).
Reflections of the teacher's professional development are not limited to the teacher. As long as the teacher's professional development continues, students, school administration, colleagues, parents, and the teacher's environment are also affected by this process (Odabasi & Eristi, 2009). It may be positive in terms of professional development that teachers who are new to the profession encounter suitable environments during their first years of profession and within the process of adaptation. In supportive school environments, the adaptation process can get easier through classmates or mentors. Veenman et al. (1998) identified many skills for effective mentoring processes of secondary school teachers. Some of these skills are human harmony, sensitivity, empathy, sincerity, respect, and sharing expertise. Reflection, which can be explained as informal learning processes, especially at school, is reading or learning without interaction with others, experimenting, and collaboration with colleagues (Grosemans et al., 2015). 1739numbered, National Education Basic Law (1973, which determines the legal framework of the teaching profession in Turkey, states that teaching is an expert profession. The history of training social studies teachers in Turkey does not go long way back. Since the teaching process of the social studies course continues under different names at different times, teacher needs in the field have also changed. The course was first started in 1968, named social studies; the name has changed in the following years. Social studies teaching programs were introduced in higher education in the 1997-1998 academic years. As a result of the introduced programs, employee requirements of the field have started to get met.
For a certain period, employee requirements of the field were fulfilled by the history and geography graduates. Recently, due to the overcrowding in the field of social studies caused by the transition to the 4 + 4 + 4 education system, there has been a tendency to the social studies education with the right entitled to change the teaching field.
In this research: The purpose is to reveal the first-year experiences of social studies teachers who have just started their profession in the public sector.
In line with this sub-purpose, this study seeks to address the following research problems: 1. What awaits social studies teachers who are new to their profession in the public sector in the school environment?
2. What are the experiences of social studies teachers at the beginning of their career in the public sector?

Research Goal
The case study design, one of the qualitative research designs, was used in the study. The case study is a research design that aims to reveal detailed information that investigates the participants, institutions, or events in daily life and their effects on each other holistically and realistically (Cohen et al., 2005;Yıldırım & Şimşek, 2013). In addition, it is possible to say that the case study is a research method which is based on how and why questions and which enables to investigate a phenomenon and event that the researcher cannot control in depth (Yıldırım & Şimşek, 2013). According to Akar (2016), regardless of the subject, case studies are helpful in the process of understanding a complex fact. In this research, a detailed examination of the experiences of social studies teachers working in public middle-schools in the districts of Ankara affiliated to the Ministry of National Education regarding the positive and negative situations they encountered in the first years of their career within the framework of their own views constituted a justification for the use of the case study design.

Sample and Data Collection
The study group of the research consists of 34 social studies teachers working in public middle-schools affiliated to the MoNE in the districts of Ankara. Participants were selected on an equal basis in all districts of Ankara province. Purposeful sampling, one of the non-random sampling methods, was used in determining the participants. In addition, criterion sampling was also used in the purposeful sampling phase.
The criterion was determined as working as a social studies teacher in public middle-schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in Ankara province districts and to be in the first five years of the profession. In this context, 34 teachers working in the social studies branch were selected as participants. Some demographic information about participants is included in table 1.

Data Collection Tool
A structured interview form, designed by the researchers based on the literature and expert opinions, was used in the present study. While structured interviews provide the opportunity to obtain complete information and provide instant feedback, it determines the parallelism and difference between the information provided by individuals and makes comparisons accordingly (Yıldırım & Şimşek, 2013). The structured interview form includes eight questions.
Participants were asked what skills should be in undergraduate education, the processes of deciding to become a teacher, the processes experienced in school after starting the profession, the effects of starting the profession on daily life, the difficulties encountered, the first years of the profession, the daily routine of social studies teachers, the factors that bring success in the first years of the profession and their recommendations to new social studies teachers. Firstly, the literature on this topic was reviewed while preparing the questions. The questions were prepared accordingly and sent to three experts in the field for an expert opinion. According to the feedback from experts, some changes were made to the questions. The draft form was finally sent to a linguist to be examined in terms of spelling and orthographic rules, and the interview form was finalized after the corrections.

Data Collection
While it was planned to collect the data from the participants face to face through a semi-structured interview form, it was decided to collect the data via the structured interview form prepared in Google Forms, taking into account the pandemic social distance rules. At this point, the teachers who were in their first five years of their profession were determined by the Ankara Provincial Directorate of National Education, and the structured interview form was sent to them. In addition, the participant teachers were contacted for precautionary problems that may arise during the implementation process, and the necessary feedback was given.

Data Analysis
Within the framework of the answers given to nine open-ended questions in the structured interview form, the data were subjected to descriptive and content analysis. In this descriptive analysis, stages of 1) Building a framework for descriptive analysis, 2) Processing data according to the thematic framework, 3) Definition of findings, 4) Interpretation of findings (Yıldırım & Şimşek, 2013) was taken into account, and these criteria were taken as a basis in analyzing data. The basic process in content analysis is to gather similar data within the framework of certain concepts and themes and to interpret them by shaping them in a way that the reader can understand (Yıldırım & Şimşek, 2013). In order to avoid any data repeat regarding participants' names, the participant names are anonymized and numbered from P1 to P34. In addition, the data in the study was coded by two researchers separately. The formula of Reliability = Consensus / Consensus + Disagreement x 100 was applied (Miles & Huberman, 1994). The consistency percentage ratio between the two encoders was calculated as 82%. Since 70% or more consistency percentage is considered as sufficient to use in terms of data analysis, reliability of the research questions has been ensured (Şencan, 2005).

Findings regarding the skills that social studies teacher should have in undergraduate education:
Social studies teachers who are in the first years of their profession were asked the questions of what skills do you think should have been acquired when graduating from university? Why is that? The theme, category, and codes were determined based on the answers given. Also, the statements of the participants regarding the relevant data are provided after the table.  (3), subject matter knowledge and pedagogy (7), knowledge and skills (6), equipment (5) As can be seen in table 2, as a result of the analysis of teachers' views on the theme of must-haves of undergraduate education, two categories were determined, following changes and developments, and improving their basic knowledge and skills. Twenty-one (21) of the participants emphasized that basic knowledge and skills should be acquired in undergraduate education, while thirteen (13)  "Communication skills, we need to understand the students' needs well and plan the lesson accordingly. In addition, it is important to prepare the student for real-life with the awareness that we are not the leader but the guide of the student by maintaining effective communication" (P16).
Findings regarding the decision process to become a social studies teacher: Social studies teachers who are in the first years of their profession were asked the question -Could you tell of your decision process to become a social studies teacher; the theme, category, and codes were determined based on the answers given. The statements of the participants, regarding the relevant data, are presented after table 3. My interest in history and geography (10), citizenship (1), interdisciplinary (1), sociology (1), psychology (1) Attracts my attention 11 I liked the branch and am interested in (7), my favorite branch (2), my area of interest (2) There is no other alternative 9 Because my score was sufficient (7), graduated from the social department (2) As can be seen in table 3, three categories have been determined; multidisciplinary, I have an interest in, and there is no other alternative. Fourteen (14) participants stated that they prefer history and geography lessons but they choose this field because their chance of being appointed is higher, eleven (11) participants stated they like the field and they believe that their social studies teacher might have been effective on deciding to become a social studies teacher, and nine participants (9) stated that because of they graduated from a social department and their score was not enough for other departments, there was no any other alternative during the decision-making process for them. Some of the teachers' statements regarding this data are as follows: "My interest in the fields of History and Geography has been the biggest factor for selecting Social Studies Teaching" (P1).
"I was studied social department in high school and I loved history and geography. My score was sufficient for all departments, I could not able to choose one between these fields, so I decide on social studies teaching, which is a combination of the two" (P4).
"Actually I did not have such a plan. Since I took the exam from the social studies field, I didn't have much choice" (P12).
"My love for my social teacher in secondary school made me choose this profession and branch" (P16).
"I was not willing to. Because I studied the social department in high school, there were not many options to select. I studied this department because my score was not enough for Geography and Turkish teaching" (P29).
"As a result of my interest in history and the fact that the number of assigned history teachers is very few compared to social studies, I decided on social studies teaching" (P32).

Findings regarding the expectations of social studies teachers from the school they will work in
Participants were asked to evaluate what awaits social studies teachers in the first years of their profession, at their school they will work? The theme, category, and codes were determined based on the answers. In addition, the statements of the participants regarding the relevant data are presented after table 4.

Expectations of teachers from the school
The school is rich in physical resources 14 Adequate amount of school equipment (7), smartboard (3), map (2), globe (2) Support of school stakeholders 13 Support of the school administration (6), good communication between teachers (3), support of parents (2), adaptation to school (2) Qualified student 7 Good students (6), students which can express themselves (1) As can be seen in table 4, the resources of the school, support of the school stakeholders, and the qualified student were determined as the three categories regarding the views on teachers' expectations at school. Fourteen (14) of the participants stated that the school's equipment and instrument infrastructure should be strong, while thirteen (13) teachers stated that they would like to see the support of administrators, colleagues, parents, and students. Seven participants (7) stated that they expected their students to understand themselves and to be qualified. Some of the teachers' opinions are as follow: "I expect the school equipment and extracurricular educational opportunities to be sufficient; I expect the support of the school administration in all matters, good communication between the teachers at the school, high parent support, and students to be well educated in the field of social studies" (P3).
"First of all, the equipment that the school has is very important. In other words, materials such as the set of mines when describing the mines or the Ottoman history timeline when describing the Ottoman history should be available in the school" (P4).
"It is the school that establishes the bond between children and parents. Therefore, it is important that administrators and experienced teachers are among those who can communicate well" (P5).

Findings regarding the effects of working in the public sector on daily life:
The question of what kind of changes happened in your life when you started working as a social studies teacher in the public sector? Please explain was asked, and the theme, category, and codes were determined based on the answers given. Also, the statements of the participants regarding the relevant data are presented after the table.  (1), economic improvement (9), vacation (1), social activity (3) As can be seen in table 5, teachers' opinions regarding the effects of working in the public sector on daily life were analyzed, and increased social status and trust, and planned and comfortable life were determined as two categories. Sixteen (16) participants stated that they gained both social prestige and status and their individual self-confidence increased when they started the teaching profession in the public sector, eighteen (18) stated that taking office in the public sector brought with a planned life, while at the same time, their economic freedom and living standards increased. Some of the teachers' statements regarding this data are as follows: "Actually, the difference as a teacher, rather than on the branch basis is as follows. While everyone who graduated from the faculty of education is a teacher, I reached the status of a teacher in the eyes of the people" (P4

"Social studies teachers are considered "person who knows everything" and the students have expectations from the teacher, as a result, social studies teachers' responsibility is high at school, and in the beginning, I found starting the profession in a way that would meet all expectations challenging" (P17).
"I can say that the only difficulty I experienced was the adaptation process" (P12).

Findings regarding the daily routines of social studies teachers who are new to the profession:
The question of what are the daily routines of a social studies teacher working in the public sector was asked and the theme, category, and codes were determined based on the answers given. In addition, the statements of the participants regarding the relevant data are provided after table 7.  (11), taking a class (8) Personal Life 9 Housework (5), watching TV & film (1), traveling (1), family (2) Following the current issues in the world 6 Following current issues (2), following the news (3), research (1), As can be seen in table 7, as a result of the analysis of the participant teachers' opinions about the new teachers' daily routines, educational affairs, personal life, and following the current issues in the world were determined as category. Nineteen (19) of the participants stated that they spend most of their time at school with students-parents and by getting prepared for the next day's lesson in order to do their job better, while nine (9) teachers spend time with family, housework, and personal hobbies. Six (6) of the participants stated that they spend time following the developments in the world because social studies consider following the current world issues and research valuable. Some of the teachers' opinions regarding this data are as follows: "Like every social studies teacher, we are constantly in motion and research to associate topics with current events and transfer them to the student. Days pass by reading and researching to find out how we can teach our subjects with a different teaching technique in order to make education enjoyable as per our profession" (P1).
"My daily routines are lecturing at school and interacting with teachers and students during the day. Time passes with the studies conducted for the development of students in the field of social studies, interaction with the family in the evening, responsibilities at home, reading books, news and watching TV" (P3).

"Most of the day is already occupied by the school. In the remaining part, the time passes by finding preparatory activities for the next day's lessons and studying to teach lessons in a better way. I also read books to improve myself on my branch" (P4).
"Social studies course covers a very wide area. It is not enough to limit yourself to the courses you teach. Because the topics are updated every day, and therefore we should be included in a routine that constantly researches and improves ourselves" (P7).

Findings regarding the factors affecting the first-year success of social studies teachers who are new to the profession:
The question of what might be the factors affecting the first-year success of a social studies teacher working in the public sector was asked and the theme, category, and codes were determined based on the answers given. In addition, the statements of the participants regarding the relevant data are provided after the table.  (11), motivation (2) Environment and competence of the school 6 The physical structure of the school (6) Current status of students 5 Children's educational status (5) Personal characteristics 10 Professional excitement (3), confidence (2), determination (1), perseverance (1), idealism (1), enterprise (1), courage (1) As can be seen in table 8, the cooperation of stakeholders, the environment and competence of the school, the current status of the students, and personal characteristics were determined as four category of the first-year success of social studies teachers. Thirteen (13) of the participants emphasized that school stakeholders should be in cooperation for the first-year success of teachers who are new to the profession, while six (6) participants drew attention to the environment and physical competence of the school. Five (5) participants emphasized that the education level of students was an important factor in achieving success in the first year of the profession, while ten (10) teachers drew attention to the personal characteristics and competence of the teacher who is in charge of the lesson. Some of the teachers' statements regarding the relevant data are as follows: "Improving themselves is important in terms of academic, general knowledge and formation; cooperation between the school administration and teacher, good student-parent-teacher communication, adequate and effective in-service training, the support given by Ministry for prospective teachers in every respect are important factors" (P3).
"Motivation is very important. As in all areas of life, there will be difficulties. Sometimes children, school administration, or colleagues will put pressure on you, but no matter what happens, not losing the excitement in the profession is the most important factor affecting the success" (P4).
"Self-confidence, an understanding administration, and the presence of teachers who know we are all going through the same paths and who help with good intentions affect success" (P7).
"His/her professional vitality, idealism, breakthroughs that will transform his/her theoretical knowledge into experience, her assertiveness and courage affect his/her success" (P17).
Findings regarding the recommendations for the social studies teachers who will start their profession: The question of what would you recommend to the social studies teacher who will start the profession after you was asked and the theme, category, and codes were determined based on the answers given. In addition, the statements of the participants regarding the relevant data are provided after the table. Being familiar with the field (7), getting prepared for lessons (2), mastering different disciplines (2) "I recommend them to love their job, to educate themselves well in every respect, to make students love social studies lesson, to teach by making students participate in lessons, to work with determination and love despite the difficulties encountered, to establish healthy communication with students and parents, to cooperate with experienced teachers" (P3).
"You should get to know very well the age group you will address. Should read a lot of professional development books. You should know the games, jokes and stories, riddles that children love. Because this will attract their attention. Also, you must have a good command of your area" (P10).
"Being brave and enterprising is very important in this profession. Taking risks, not underrating yourself means starting this profession 1-0 ahead. One should not be afraid of gaining experience that will transform theoretical knowledge into practice" (P17).
"Trying to adapt to the situation they are in instead of waiting for everything to be perfect in their first years will make their job easier during this adaptation period. They should not lose their self-confidence and try to cope with difficulties. Thus, they become teachers and individuals who are more successful and who can adapt to every social environment they encounter wherever they go and who are happy, and who also give happiness to their environment" (P20).

Discussion
Basic knowledge and skills, which are among the qualifications that teacher candidates should acquire in undergraduate education, are constantly changing and developing. These statements have been confirmed by numerous studies conducted from the past to the present. As evidence of this change and transformation; in the past, not getting married, not having a relationship with men, not staying late in the evening, not leaving the city without permission, avoiding smoking, and alcohol, and keeping school tidy, clean, and warm was considered more important for teachers than teaching something to students (Apple, 1987;Goodwin, 2010;Goodwin, 2012;Hargreaves, 2003). In addition to the stated changes, basic skills and expectations for the teaching profession have also significantly changed in the last thirty years. The most important criterion that exemplifies this change and transformation is the profile of the teacher who takes care of the labor market and prioritizes the development of multi-faceted individuals by differentiating education accordingly. In addition, the number of individuals who practice the teacher profession seven days a week and twenty-four hours a day and who think they have such a mission has decreased (Moore Johnson, 2004;Xu, 2013).
Rapid intergenerational changes and differences in expectations have also caused gaps between the teacher profiles that trained and expected. For example; knowledge transfer was an important determinator in being a teacher in the past, but today this criterion is not sufficient for being an efficient teacher (Kelly, 2018;Ogilvie & Dunn, 2010;Richardson, 1997). An efficient teacher is the one who reaches the correct information, uses technology accurately and effectively, and takes responsibility as a role model for building the aimed society (Şad, Açıkgül & Delican, 2015;Tan & Wang, 2011;Yavuz-Konakman, et al. 2013).
As in the world, in Turkey as well teachers need to get trained as professionals who interact with technology and adapts and uses the technology for pedagogical processes for keeping up the future changes and to raise generations who can also keep up these changes (Akpinar, 2003;Reason, 2009;Şad & Nalçacı, 2015). In addition to being equipped with technology and adapting it into professional processes, teachers' adaptation to changes in social and cultural life and active participation in lifelong learning processes are also considered important (Gökçe, 2013;Kozikoğlu & Senemoğlu, 2018).
Selecting the field of social studies education and being a teacher in this field have different reasons. The most important reasons that guide teacher selections are their interest in history and geography lessons, the positive attitudes of social studies teachers encountered during their student years, limited choices, and low scores. Similarly, with a broader perspective, in the studies of Suzanne Stiegelbauer (1992), Yüce et al. (2013) and Ling Low et al. (2011), it was stated that individual's desires to make a difference for students and society, the need for role model teachers, and sharing personal knowledge and expertise were effective on choosing this profession. In addition, studies of Sandra Hayes (1990) and Yüce et al. (2013) reveal that teacher candidates choose this profession due to fact that it makes a positive difference in children's lives, allows the expression of creative talents, and it is a respected profession. In addition, being at the forefront as a role model for students to be individuals with the desired understanding and level is also important for teachers. The fact that many teachers have chosen this profession because of their own teacher as a role model confirms this tendency (Koster et al., 1995;Sheridan, 2011). In addition to these statements, it was stated that as the teachers are more aware of their situations, the more they can be involved in every phase of education and training activities (Hamachek, 1999;Morrison & Evans, 2018). Teachers' ability to integrate such human values as empathy, compassion, understanding, tolerance, love, and flexibility with their professional occupational requirements is also among the qualifications required from today's teachers (Korthagen, 2017;Tickle, 1999). Basic characteristics based on these expressions also constitute the external, internal, and altruistic characteristics of teachers should have (Lee et al., 2019).
Social studies teachers' expectations from school differ. School should be sufficient in terms of tools and equipment, all stakeholders in school should support students' academic success, and communicational development was among the stated expectations of teachers'. Teachers' lack of resources creates an environment for inequalities in educational activities. As actors that trigger and sustain change in the education system, teachers place great emphasis on appreciating their efforts (Moore Johnson & Birkeland, 2003;Harmsen et al., 2017).
Working in the public sector changes the lives of teachers in different ways. While the majority of the teachers stated that their lives became regular and they gained economic freedom, many of them claimed that they gained social status and prestige. Many teachers still have problems in balancing their professional and private lives. It was claimed that the efforts to combine professional and private are considered as unsuccessful teacher profiles and cause their commitment to the profession to get questioned adversely among teachers. It should not be forgotten that teachers who cannot balance their professional and private life cannot fully meet their needs of sports, arts, and socialization.
Social studies teachers encounter different problems while at the beginning of their profession. Adaptation problems towards the settlement, school and students, difficulties in communication with stakeholders of the school, and inadequacy in professional knowledge and skills are among these problems. In addition, it was argued that teachers who have spent many years in the profession and frequently used the opportunity of self-assessment perceive themselves in a better position in the professional sense (Çelikten et al., 2005;Seferoğlu, 2004). Considering these results, teachers who have just started the profession have experienced many disappointments. Disappointments are caused by lack of support in educational activities, excessive workload, economic dissatisfaction and hopelessness towards child victims (Naong, 2011;Ness, 2001). It should also be noted that time and classroom management, difficulties experienced due to students with different needs, support that cannot be received from the school administration and parents, and intolerance trigger disappointments (Britt, 1997;Çakmak et al., 2019). Contrary to these expressions, it was observed that if teachers experience positive emotions such as joy, satisfaction, courage, interest, and relaxation at the beginning of their career, they aim to be beneficial to all their stakeholders by staying happily in the profession for many years (Nieto, 2003). The fact that teachers who are new to the profession become successful and happy individuals can be attributed to social, emotional, and professional supports of experienced teachers (Dewert et al., 2003). In addition, it was observed that teachers who are new to the profession experience control problems in all education and training processes, which causes anger and disappointment in teachers (Orland-Barak & Wang, 2020;Wideen et al., 1998). It should not be forgotten that all these difficulties encountered in the process increase the risk of leaving the profession for teachers who are new to the profession (Donaldson & Johnson, 2010).
The success of Social Studies teachers, who are new to the profession, depends on many factors. The most important factor in the success of teachers in their first year was determined as effective cooperation with stakeholders; the suitability of the physical conditions in the school and the environment, the academic levels of the students, and the teacher competencies were also emphasized among the significant factors. In addition to these expressed expectations, it should not be ignored that teachers are expected to be objective towards students, to teach student-oriented, to act in accordance with scientific criteria, and to take individual differences into account (Çelikten et al., 2005). Important issues such as time, self-confidence, and colleague support were among the dynamics that directly affect pedagogical support (Avraamidou, 2017;Loughran, 1994). In addition to these results, it was stated that teachers who are new to the profession have problems deciding what can be done for students, what can be asked from students, and the differences between reality and goal (Loughran, 1994). The ability of new teachers to overcome the problems and not to leave the profession was mostly based on the abolition of the traditional hierarchical structures in schools and the diversity of communication channels (Moore Johnson, 2004).
In order to improve the process, the suggestions of social studies teachers to their colleagues who have just started the profession also vary. It was frequently stated that teachers who just started the profession should give more importance to their personal development. Participants also emphasized that teachers should have a good command of their fields, gain pre-knowledge about potential student profiles they will encounter, and gain skills in communication techniques. In addition to these suggestions, it should be noted that the harmony between theory and practice, working in cooperation with all stakeholders in the school, and making use of in-service training is highly important for teachers who are new to the profession (Cochran-Smith, 2005;Kutcy & Schulz, 2006). Training of qualified teachers who will advise new teachers is among highly important issues. The existence of an advisory board in schools and universities is essential for the professionalism of the consultancy service to be provided (Kutcy & Schulz, 2006). School-based, collaborative, and student-centered learning is also important for long-term professional development and can be expressed as the most successful process (Garet et al. 2001;National Staff Development Council, 2001;Yurtseven & Altun, 2018).
In addition to these statements, it should be noted that teachers should be versatile, and these aspects are attributed to being at the forefront of innovations in education, working with parents, and taking responsibility for serving society (Cheng & Tsui, 1999). In addition, it is of vital importance that teachers should be supported with a salary and reward system that will serve to the versatility of the teacher and suitable for his/her social prestige (Ezer et al. 2010).

Conclusion
It has come to the fore to develop the basic knowledge and skills of social studies teachers, which are necessary to follow the change and development. It was determined that multidisciplinary, interest, and lack of alternatives came to the fore in the process of deciding to become a social studies teacher. In schools where social studies teachers work, improved physical facilities, support of school stakeholders, and qualified students came to the fore. Social status and trust and planned and comfortable life were identified as the effects of working in the public sector on daily life.
Harmony, contact, personal and physical equipment deficiencies came to the fore in terms of the difficulties of starting a new profession. Stakeholder cooperation, environment and equipment of the school, the current status of students, and personal characteristics were found among the factors affecting the success of social studies teachers in the first year.

Recommendations
Recommendations for social studies teachers who will start their profession are as follows: Field mastery, selfimprovement, knowing the target audience, and strong communication within the school. Similar studies can be conducted with teachers from different branches.
In addition, research can be conducted by observing the first year experiences of teachers. Studies using mixed methods can be conducted for examining the first year experiences of teachers. Further research can be conducted for teachers' first-year experiences, involving other stakeholders of the school.

Limitations
The study was conducted with the participation of 34 teachers, participants were from outside the field, who switched to social studies teaching from different fields can be considered as the limitations of the study. In this study, the experiences of teachers regarding their first year in the profession were discussed. The participants were selected from the public schools where the researcher works. Therefore, the conclusions of this study cannot be generalized.