Intended for beginning teachers in Virginia, this handbook is designed to serve as a guide for negotiating the first few years of teaching. The concept of teacher as problem solver is promoted throughout the manual. The handbook is organized around the idea that the beginning teacher's main tasks are to: (1) discover how to learn from their own teaching experiences; (2) learn how to analyze and solve teaching problems; (3) develop an expanded teaching repertoire; and (4) develop a sound conception of teaching. The first two chapters build the basic rationale that teaching should be viewed as problem solving and that professional development depends on not getting "stuck" with an unnecessarily restricted teaching repertoire as a result of negotiating the survival period. Chapters 3 through 6 provide an orientation to the major problem areas most beginning teachers encounter--instruction, classroom management and discipline, beginning the school year, and development of professional relationships in the school and community. (CB)