Educating the Educators
Induction
“High-poverty schools often have the lowest achievement levels and tend to be staffed by teachers who are less experienced, less qualified, and more likely to leave. These characteristics make it much more likely that students will receive inadequate instruction throughout their school careers. Moreover, economically disadvantaged students often lack exposure both in and out of school to the varied experiences and enhanced vocabulary that are thought to foster better reading comprehension and writing skills.”
— The National Governor’s Association1
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The National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF) “decries
teaching as the only profession in which ‘schools regularly put rookies
in the starting lineup and are surprised when they strike out,’ (NCTAF,
2003, p. 27). It strongly recommends a sound induction, mentoring, and
peer-review process as a way of supporting new teachers and retaining
them in the profession- a challenge that the report identifies as a ‘national
crisis.’ Proponents claim that teacher induction programs can:
- improve the teaching performance of beginning teachers
- increase retention of beginning teachers
- promote the personal and professional well-being of teachers.”2
However, “as of 2001, [only] 33 states had adopted teacher induction programs (American Federation of Teachers, 2001)...and only 22 states mandate and fund the program.”
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Carnegie Corporation is actively working to support the development of research on the benefits of induction and to fund the creation of model induction programs. One such program is the
University of California at Santa Cruz’ New Teacher Center’s Teacher Induction Institute.
Grantee Spotlight
This Institute is based on the following teaching induction model:
- Mentoring Professional Development: “Supporting new teachers is complex and demanding work, and rarely intuitive. Exemplary classroom educators do not always become outstanding teacher educators. Veteran teachers stepping forward to mentor beginning colleagues need time, careful training, and ongoing support to develop new skills and understandings that will enable them to become talented teachers of teachers. In response to the belief that strong mentor professional development is essential, the New Teacher Center offers a menu of trainings from which educational organizations can choose to support the growth of mentors, coaches, supervisors, master teachers, consultant teachers, principals, and coordinators of induction programs. The trainings are offered regionally on selected dates throughout the year on a per participant enrollment basis. NTC trainings are also available to school districts, universities, and other educational entities on a contractual basis.”4
- Formative Assessment System: “As new teachers embark on their journey of professional growth, they will certainly encounter successes and dilemmas. The New Teacher Center has developed a set of tools and processes, the NTC Formative Assessment System (FAS), designed to link new teacher learning and mentoring. Together, the novice and veteran teacher identify accomplishments and challenges, and connect the work to professional areas for growth as well as student academic needs. Each formative assessment tool is essential and simultaneously supports mentoring and the advancement of beginning teacher practice. The tools are designed to be embedded in the day-to-day practice of teachers in order to become a natural part of their on-going professional thinking and learning. They are also intended to provide structured opportunities for experienced teachers to share their knowledge and expertise with novices, based upon the data they have collected together.”5
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In-Service Section
Resources for Educators
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