This article reports the experiences of three retrained teachers as they made the transition to science teaching. The stories of their survival in a new school context were constructed from data obtained in an evaluation of the retraining program and interpreted using a reflexive methodology. These mature professionals had developed an approach to the use of power that characterised their teaching style, and this "identity" influenced the way they interacted with the school culture. The school is likened to a hamlet, in which a new resident alters the balance of relationships and brings changes to the cultural codes. A less teacher-centred style in the classroom, and a tolerant attitude to the value of the individual, appeared to increase the likelihood of successful integration into a new school environment.