This paper reports some findings of a longitudinal study of a group of teachers during their final year of teacher training in 1972 through their first five years of teaching. The two features focused upon as indices of socialization are pupil control ideology and commitment to teaching. The major characteristics that are analyzed are sex, teaching subjects, stability of tenure, original training institution, and commitment to teaching. Subjects of this study were teachers at both the elementary and secondary level. Survey results and the followup interviews conducted appear to support the notion that the first five years of teaching typically consist of an initial year of "reality shock" and four years of consolation, much less traumatic and more professionally satisfying than the first year of teaching. (JD)