As a contribution to the scholarship of teaching (Boyer, 1990), the author conducted a self-study of praxis (Kemmis & Smith, 2008) to identify and describe how certain pedagogies help students meet "stage one" challenges in doctoral education (Lovitts, 2001) at one university. Findings from a literature review identified the challenges typically experienced at "entry and adjustment," including gaining formal knowledge about the structure of a discipline; experiencing growth in conceptual development and modes of scholarly inquiry; learning about and experiencing the role of graduate student and independent researcher; forming relationships with peers and faculty, and participating in department culture and professional networks; and learning about the role, responsibilities, and work of faculty as teachers, researchers, and stewards of a discipline, field, and profession. The author identified seven core strategies associated with stage one doctoral pedagogy and analyzed how and why they supported students in their journey to become scholars and independent researchers.