In this chapter, I explore the study participants' classroom experiences, the instructional decisions they make and the reasons behind their decisions. Delivering a well-planned and engaging lesson to a diverse group of students can be a daunting task for anyone who is new to teaching. Research shows that learning to teach is a complex, long-term process that requires careful training and reflective practice (Johnson & Golombek, 2002; Richards, 2008). It is a socially negotiated process, constructed through experiences with students, families and administrators as well as other members of the teaching profession (Johnson, 1999). We know that one's success as a teacher depends on a wide range of factors, such as the knowledge, beliefs and experiences that teachers and students bring to the classroom; teachers' approaches to designing lessons and conducting the sequence and flow of classroom activities; and contextual variables such as class size and composition, physical setting, school leadership and parent involvement (Freeman & Richards, 1996; Johnson, 2000; Liew, 2013).

The job of the teacher is complicated by the fact that teachers play multiple roles in schools: as instructors, curriculum writers, administrators, classroom managers, counselors, researchers and social workers. In fact, teaching consists of 'not one but several other professions, combining the skills of business management, human relations, and theater arts' (Danielson, 1996: 2). Given the complexities of the profession, how do the participants in this study develop as teachers? How do they react to the demands of the job? What choices do they make and why? This chapter describes the participants' experiences as classroom teachers and the lessons they learned from working with students and colleagues. It describes their strategies for coping with stage fright, tackling classroom management issues, and planning and delivering lessons. It addresses questions such as: What do the study participants know about teaching and learning, and what do they learn as they gain classroom experience? How do they articulate their developing knowledge? What motivates them to teach the way they do?