Pedagogy In Medias Res - Responding (in tangent) to Siobhan

I wonder, when is the best time to introduce a new instructor to pedagogical practices and theories?

The model that I've always seen practiced is that the new instructor goes in to her first class basically blind, but with the promise of professional assistance along the way. Many times, this manifests itself as a series of weekly or biweekly workshops or meeting where new instructors can come together and talk about the difficulties of, well, instructing. This is useful, for sure, and allows for much comfort in the heart of the new instructor -- what with being surrounded by a dozen or so other people who feel equally lost (and, hopefully, equally exhilarated). But in practical terms, how much time does this allow for a serious discussion of pedagogy? And should a new instructor not have some kind of theoretical rumblings of pedagogy brewing before stepping foot into the classroom?

The idea of learning to teach through teaching is a tried and true method, for sure. It forces new instructors to simultaneously encounter and solve problems without the benefit of "over thinking it." This method of developing pedagogical chops also suits the needs of the university: classrooms need teachers as soon as possible, and if we can condense the instructors learning time and teaching time into one experience, all the better. But, as I said above, how much time does this really leave for theoretical discussion of pedagogy? It seems as if the new instructor is expected to craft a pedagogical stance like a jazz musician burns through a solo. So the questions becomes: what happens when the soloist has little, if any, conception of musical theory? Or even practical knowledge of the instrument itself.

It's not a perfect analogy by any stretch of the imagination. But I can't get past the idea that many new instructors are forming their personal pedagogies based on little or no knowledge of actual methodology. And after doing this for a few semesters, does it not reinforce the very kind of aversion to standardization in comp/rhet that theorists strive for -- essentially fostering an attitude of "my way is the best way?"