First-year physical educators may abandon the goals promoted in teacher education programs and face "reality shock" in the workplace called school. This case study examines the perceptions of Mr. Miller, a beginning physical education teacher with no formal induction program available to him, and the effect of school culture on his teaching. Data collection methods included observation, formal interviews, informal discussion, and extensive field notes. Results suggest that: (1) like so many physical education teachers, Mr. Miller was allowed great autonomy within his subject area allowing him to adapt his teaching and curriculum; (2) he was deemed successful by the principal, colleagues, and even by himself on the basis of positive student response, but not necessarily on student achievement; (3) some workplace factors can be controlled, some cannot; (4) Mr. Miller's teaching schedule and the cultural norms of the school did not facilitate implementation of the curriculum and pedagogical methods he had learned during preservice teaching experiences. It is implied that had Mr. Miller been better prepared to deal with the realities of the school as a workplace as well as the micropolitics of school culture he might have been better prepared to confront school norms. (Contains 21 references.) (LL)