Beyond generic induction: Supporting novice Bedouin Arab female teachers through the academic incubator model in Israel

This qualitative phenomenological study examines the induction experiences of novice Bedouin Arab female teachers in Israel through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Drawing on in-depth interviews, the findings indicate that entry into teaching extends beyond a professional transition, constituting a socio-cultural process shaped by intersecting gender norms, community expectations, and hierarchical school structures. Participants described navigating a “double burden” of developing pedagogical competence while adhering to culturally embedded expectations of modesty and respect for authority. School-based relationships, including principals, mentors, and colleagues, were found to both support and constrain the satisfaction of teachers’ basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. At the same time, the Academic Incubator model functioned as an alternative professional space that enabled emotional support, reflective learning, and the gradual reconstruction of professional identity. The study contributes to research on teacher induction by demonstrating how power relations, minority status, and gender intersect to shape early career experiences and the development of situated professional agency in marginalized educational contexts.