Many professions offer orientation and support experiences for professionals starting out in a field. Medical residents and law associates—even rookie baseball players—receive extended training, development, and mentoring (working alongside a seasoned expert) before taking on the responsibilities of a full professional. In contrast, novice teachers often are left to fend for themselves, with little or inadequate initiation into the profession.
However, an increasing number of school districts offer teacher induction programs to orient, support, assist, train, and assess teachers within their first three years of employment in public schools. Teacher induction is the process of socialization to the teaching profession, adjustment to the procedures and mores of a school site and school system, and development of effective instructional and classroom management skills. Participants in these programs are called inductees, a term which refers simultaneously to teachers who are new to the profession, and teachers with experience who are new to a district, grade level, or certification area.
Teacher induction programming can (and does) take many forms. Induction activities can range from a short orientation session, to mentoring programs, to staff development courses and workshops, to multiyear programs that continue to meet the changing needs of teachers as they develop. Many districts combine several activities to support new teachers.
Why are induction programs needed?
Influx of new hires
Due to escalating teacher retirements and rising student enrollments, the nation currently faces a shortage of qualified teachers. America will need to hire some two million K-12 teachers over the next decade. Although high-wealth suburban districts will always have a glut of applicants, low-wealth urban districts face a hiring demand of 900,000 teachers or more over the next decade.
High attrition rates
Just this year, America's urban school districts will need new teachers to fill some of the nation's most challenging classroom assignments. All too many of these new recruits face battlefield odds as to whether they will still be teaching five years from now. No matter how well they did in college, teacher preparation, or another career, teachers can be overwhelmed by their first years in the classroom. It has been estimated that 30% to 50% of beginning teachers leave in the first five years of teaching.
Reality shock
Central-city public schools are more likely to fill positions with “less than qualified” new teachers than are large or small towns. Even experienced teachers embarking on assignments in new cities or academic disciplines can be sorely tested, especially if they are unfamiliar with the urban environment.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/how-to-get-started-improving-your-efforts-to-support-and-assess-novice-teachers/
Many states and school districts are scrambling to find teachers. Growing student enrollments, a shrinking supply of individuals choosing to teach, escalating teacher retirements, and high turnover of new teachers have brought the teacher recruitment challenge to a point of impending crisis. Gone are the days of the college fair magically bringing new teachers to fill classrooms. The school recruiter today pulls out of a hat assorted incentives and tactics to lure candidates: signing bonuses, mortgage reductions, on-site childcare, restaurant discounts, high tech outreach efforts, and overseas recruiting. In addition, programs to lure retirees, mid-career changers, substitutes, and military veterans are now on the palette of possible strategies for finding teachers.
Although teacher shortages affect schools and districts across the country to varying degrees, urban districts are facing unique challenges, owing to rapidly growing student enrollments, accelerating rates of teacher retirement, class size reduction initiatives, and demanding working conditions. Urban schools nationwide educate between 39% and 50% of the students who are not proficient in English, about 52% of minority students, and 43% of the country's low-income students.
Teacher quality is emerging as one of the foremost concerns of school and university educators, parents, professional organizations, foundations, state education officials, business leaders, and legislators across the country. Roughly nine out of ten Americans believe that the best way to raise student achievement is to provide a qualified teacher for every classroom.
Developing Pathways into Teaching
An increasing number of districts are trying to address teacher shortages by "expanding the pipeline," i.e., offering nontraditional routes into the profession to individuals from diverse backgrounds and fields. A new survey asked districts whether and how they encourage individuals interested in teaching to enter the profession through alternative means.
Attracting a Broader Pool of Students
A fair number of colleges offer programs specifically for working adults seeking to become classroom teachers. Slightly less than half offer alternative licensure programs, while a smaller number offer apprenticeship/internship programs. About the same percentage sponsor paraeducator to teacher programs. In recognition of the many "out of class" demands that students entering teacher preparation programs now have, many schools, colleges, and departments of education offer flexible course scheduling. The survey asked respondents what percentage of teacher preparation program requirements can be completed via part-time, evening, weekend, summer, off-campus, and/or telecommunications classes.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/possible-strategies-for-finding-teachers/
Why Finding and Keeping Quality Teachers Matters So Muchnoblex1
This issue is timely for two reasons. First of all, the specter of impending teacher shortages, particularly in the areas of mathematics, science, foreign language, English as a Second Language (ESOL), and special education, means that schools will need to work harder to find and hire teachers in these areas, and will have to pay more attention to keeping the teachers they have. Secondly, the evidence that points to a direct connection between quality teachers and high student achievement is so compelling that schools should be putting more and more effort into making sure they find and keep the highest quality teachers.
The Process
The process of maintaining a quality staff has three distinct parts, and different strategies are necessary for each. The first part of the process is finding and hiring new high-quality teachers, the second part is keeping those new teachers, and the third part is keeping high-quality veteran teachers.
Finding New Teachers
Part of the recruitment process requires laying the appropriate foundation. Each school district should have a system that works toward making teacher selection efficient and reliable. This system should:
- identify the attitudes, behaviors, and skills that characterize the kind of teachers the district wants in the classroom;
- screen for those characteristics at every stage of recruitment;
- ensure that the hiring process complies with federal, state, and local laws;
- eliminate unproductive paperwork so that the best candidates have faith in the competence of the system recruiting them;
- reserve labor-intensive personal evaluation for only the most promising candidates; and
- validate the selection process to ensure that it predicts excellence in classroom and professional performance.
In addition to traditional recruiting at local job fairs, administrators should take full advantage of other recruitment tools, including collaborating with careers centers and schools or departments of teacher education at local universities, travelling to job fairs in other districts, and recruiting teachers from other states and countries.
Another, more long-term, solution is to recruit internally by encouraging substitute teachers and paraprofessionals to complete the training necessary to be a certified teacher. For some, this may mean attending a local community college, then completing the program at a college or university. Tuition funding, even if only partial, may enable some school staff members to become certified teachers.
Keeping New Teachers
It's hard to overestimate the importance of support for new teachers. Although the first few years may always be the hardest, school leaders can put in place programs to help new teachers feel less stress and alienation.
These programs include the following:
- Providing early and effective back-to-school orientation.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/why-finding-and-keeping-quality-teachers-matters-so-much/
August 2005
Teacher Attrition: A Costly Loss to the Nation and to the States
Earlier this summer, bells rang in schools across the nation to mark the end of another academic
year. Students and teachers left to enjoy their summer vacations, but for too many teachers, fall
will not mark a return to the classrooms in which they taught last year. Every school day, nearly
a thousand teachers leave the field of teaching. Another thousand teachers change schools, many
in pursuit of better working conditions. And these figures do not include the teachers who retire.1
The exit of teachers from the profession and the movement of teachers to better schools are
costly phenomena, both for the students, who lose the value of being taught by an experienced
teacher, and to the schools and districts, which must recruit and train their replacements.
A conservative national estimate of the cost of replacing public school teachers who have
dropped out of the profession is $2.2 billion a year.2 If the cost of replacing public school
teachers who transfer schools is added, the total reaches $4.9 billion every year. For individual
states, cost estimates range from $8.5 million in North Dakota to a whopping half a billion
dollars for a large state like Texas.
Many analysts believe that the price tag is even higher; hiring costs vary by district and
sometimes include signing bonuses, subject matter stipends, and other recruiting costs specific to
hard-to-staff schools. Others believe that the cost of the loss in teacher quality and student
achievement should also be added to the bill.3
There is a growing consensus among researchers and educators that the single most important
factor in determining student performance is the quality of his or her teachers. Therefore, if the
national goal of providing an equitable education to children across the nation is to be met, it is
critical that efforts be concentrated on developing and retaining high-quality teachers in every
community and at every grade level.
Why is teacher turnover so high? Many assume that retirement is the primary reason for teacher
attrition, but when the facts are examined closely, it becomes clear that the number of teachers
retiring from the profession is not a leading cause.4 In an analysis of teacher turnover, teachers
reported retirement as a reason for leaving less often than because of job dissatisfaction or to
pursue another job.5
Among teachers who transferred schools, lack of planning time (65 percent), too heavy a
workload (60 percent), problematic student behavior (53 percent), and a lack of influence over
school policy (52 percent) were cited as common sources of dissatisfaction.6
Many teachers who see no hope for change leave the profession altogether. While it is true that
teachers of all ages and in all kinds of schools leave the profession each year, it is also true that
Secondary School Students
Need Highly Qualified Te ...
Help New Teachers Establish Themselves Professionallynoblex1
The involvement of higher education institutions in induction is less prevalent than it should be, given the promise these partnerships offer for improving teacher preparation by redefining the boundaries between college and K-12 classrooms. Sadly, the scarcity of this type of collaboration is a missed opportunity to provide new teachers a link between their pre-service and in-ser-vice teacher development and a missed opportunity for college faculty and school-based personnel to benefit from one another's expertise, open lines of communication, collaborate on projects, share facilities, and benefit in myriad ways.
Collaboration can take many forms and can include teamwork with one or more educational partners involved in supporting beginning teachers - the union, institutions of higher education, the local school board, parents, the state educational agency, the business community, and others.
District-university partnerships can offer benefits to new and experienced teachers alike, from a continued relationship with the university for the novice teacher/alumnus, to possible compensation (in the form of university course vouchers) for veteran teachers who serve as mentors.
If your induction activities are voluntary you will need to encourage new teachers to participate. Remember that new teachers often are overwhelmed by the heavy load they carry. Offer some of the following incentives:
- Extra planning time
- Money for materials
- Limited extracurricular duties
- Reduced workload
- Release time to observe other teachers
- Priority placement in staff development workshops
- Assistance toward earning a master's degree in the first or second year of teaching
- Continuing education credits toward district salary increments
Beginning teachers and mentors who volunteer to participate in the program are required to enroll in graduate courses tailored to their needs. Mentors and mentees visit each other's classes at least once per semester, hold weekly meetings in the fall, and meet at least twice a month in the spring. Experienced teachers who assume mentoring responsibilities do so in addition to their teaching duties.
You already may provide one or more induction program components: orientation activities to introduce novice teachers to your district; support systems, including mentors, to assist teachers as they develop; training in the form of courses, workshops, or ongoing professional development; and/or evaluation designed to foster teacher improvement and/or to determine a teacher's future with the district.
It is important to ensure that all aspects of your program relate to one another and address your district's particular needs. You will need to consider such issues as district standards for teachers and students, and the extent to which students from teacher preparation institutions are prepared to face the challenges in your schools.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/help-new-teachers-establish-themselves-professionally/
Improving The Professional Knowledge And Skills Of Teachersnoblex1
The realization that teachers of young adolescents need specialized professional preparation is not a recent phenomenon. For over seventy-five years, the literature has included calls for these preparation programs. Unfortunately however, significant numbers of teacher preparation institutions, state departments of education, licensure agencies, and others have chosen to ignore the need for these teachers and have promoted the widespread idea that when qualifications for teaching young adolescents are considered, the response is often "no specialized preparation needed."
As a result, many of today's middle level students are taught by teachers who are not sufficiently prepared to be successful in the challenging and rewarding responsibility of understanding and teaching young adolescents.
A complex set of reasons has caused and perpetuated the failure to recognize the importance of specialized professional preparation for middle level teachers. It is important to examine some of the barriers that have prevented full success in implementing specialized middle level teacher preparation to help prevent the same mistakes from reoccurring. Some of the major barriers are: (a) the negative stereotyped image of young adolescents; (b) too few advocates at teacher preparation institutions and state agencies; (c) desire for flexibility in assignment of middle level teachers; (d) lack of knowledge of the public about appropriate middle level schooling; and (e) the limited number of instructors in teacher preparation programs who have the depth of knowledge and experience needed. These and other barriers must be carefully considered in the movement to establish strong middle level teacher preparation programs. The most destructive barrier to specialized middle level teacher preparation, however, is the failure of states to establish mandatory middle level teacher licensure.
A close relationship exists between the type of licensure available and the number of teacher preparation institutions that offer special middle level teacher preparation programs. Special mandatory middle level teacher licensure leads to the development, implementation, and continuation of special middle level teacher preparation programs. Therefore, a major reason specialized middle level teacher preparation programs are not universally available in the nation lies in the failure of many states to design and implement licensure regulations which promote the specialized knowledge, dispositions, and performances needed to successfully teach young adolescents. As well, many states with specialized middle level licensure have plans with wide overlapping grade levels. The result of such plans is that most prospective teachers select options with the widest range of job possibilities instead of choosing to focus on specialized preparation for a single developmental age group.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/improving-the-professional-knowledge-and-skills-of-teachers/
Many states and school districts are scrambling to find teachers. Growing student enrollments, a shrinking supply of individuals choosing to teach, escalating teacher retirements, and high turnover of new teachers have brought the teacher recruitment challenge to a point of impending crisis. Gone are the days of the college fair magically bringing new teachers to fill classrooms. The school recruiter today pulls out of a hat assorted incentives and tactics to lure candidates: signing bonuses, mortgage reductions, on-site childcare, restaurant discounts, high tech outreach efforts, and overseas recruiting. In addition, programs to lure retirees, mid-career changers, substitutes, and military veterans are now on the palette of possible strategies for finding teachers.
Although teacher shortages affect schools and districts across the country to varying degrees, urban districts are facing unique challenges, owing to rapidly growing student enrollments, accelerating rates of teacher retirement, class size reduction initiatives, and demanding working conditions. Urban schools nationwide educate between 39% and 50% of the students who are not proficient in English, about 52% of minority students, and 43% of the country's low-income students.
Teacher quality is emerging as one of the foremost concerns of school and university educators, parents, professional organizations, foundations, state education officials, business leaders, and legislators across the country. Roughly nine out of ten Americans believe that the best way to raise student achievement is to provide a qualified teacher for every classroom.
Developing Pathways into Teaching
An increasing number of districts are trying to address teacher shortages by "expanding the pipeline," i.e., offering nontraditional routes into the profession to individuals from diverse backgrounds and fields. A new survey asked districts whether and how they encourage individuals interested in teaching to enter the profession through alternative means.
Attracting a Broader Pool of Students
A fair number of colleges offer programs specifically for working adults seeking to become classroom teachers. Slightly less than half offer alternative licensure programs, while a smaller number offer apprenticeship/internship programs. About the same percentage sponsor paraeducator to teacher programs. In recognition of the many "out of class" demands that students entering teacher preparation programs now have, many schools, colleges, and departments of education offer flexible course scheduling. The survey asked respondents what percentage of teacher preparation program requirements can be completed via part-time, evening, weekend, summer, off-campus, and/or telecommunications classes.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/possible-strategies-for-finding-teachers/
Why Finding and Keeping Quality Teachers Matters So Muchnoblex1
This issue is timely for two reasons. First of all, the specter of impending teacher shortages, particularly in the areas of mathematics, science, foreign language, English as a Second Language (ESOL), and special education, means that schools will need to work harder to find and hire teachers in these areas, and will have to pay more attention to keeping the teachers they have. Secondly, the evidence that points to a direct connection between quality teachers and high student achievement is so compelling that schools should be putting more and more effort into making sure they find and keep the highest quality teachers.
The Process
The process of maintaining a quality staff has three distinct parts, and different strategies are necessary for each. The first part of the process is finding and hiring new high-quality teachers, the second part is keeping those new teachers, and the third part is keeping high-quality veteran teachers.
Finding New Teachers
Part of the recruitment process requires laying the appropriate foundation. Each school district should have a system that works toward making teacher selection efficient and reliable. This system should:
- identify the attitudes, behaviors, and skills that characterize the kind of teachers the district wants in the classroom;
- screen for those characteristics at every stage of recruitment;
- ensure that the hiring process complies with federal, state, and local laws;
- eliminate unproductive paperwork so that the best candidates have faith in the competence of the system recruiting them;
- reserve labor-intensive personal evaluation for only the most promising candidates; and
- validate the selection process to ensure that it predicts excellence in classroom and professional performance.
In addition to traditional recruiting at local job fairs, administrators should take full advantage of other recruitment tools, including collaborating with careers centers and schools or departments of teacher education at local universities, travelling to job fairs in other districts, and recruiting teachers from other states and countries.
Another, more long-term, solution is to recruit internally by encouraging substitute teachers and paraprofessionals to complete the training necessary to be a certified teacher. For some, this may mean attending a local community college, then completing the program at a college or university. Tuition funding, even if only partial, may enable some school staff members to become certified teachers.
Keeping New Teachers
It's hard to overestimate the importance of support for new teachers. Although the first few years may always be the hardest, school leaders can put in place programs to help new teachers feel less stress and alienation.
These programs include the following:
- Providing early and effective back-to-school orientation.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/why-finding-and-keeping-quality-teachers-matters-so-much/
August 2005
Teacher Attrition: A Costly Loss to the Nation and to the States
Earlier this summer, bells rang in schools across the nation to mark the end of another academic
year. Students and teachers left to enjoy their summer vacations, but for too many teachers, fall
will not mark a return to the classrooms in which they taught last year. Every school day, nearly
a thousand teachers leave the field of teaching. Another thousand teachers change schools, many
in pursuit of better working conditions. And these figures do not include the teachers who retire.1
The exit of teachers from the profession and the movement of teachers to better schools are
costly phenomena, both for the students, who lose the value of being taught by an experienced
teacher, and to the schools and districts, which must recruit and train their replacements.
A conservative national estimate of the cost of replacing public school teachers who have
dropped out of the profession is $2.2 billion a year.2 If the cost of replacing public school
teachers who transfer schools is added, the total reaches $4.9 billion every year. For individual
states, cost estimates range from $8.5 million in North Dakota to a whopping half a billion
dollars for a large state like Texas.
Many analysts believe that the price tag is even higher; hiring costs vary by district and
sometimes include signing bonuses, subject matter stipends, and other recruiting costs specific to
hard-to-staff schools. Others believe that the cost of the loss in teacher quality and student
achievement should also be added to the bill.3
There is a growing consensus among researchers and educators that the single most important
factor in determining student performance is the quality of his or her teachers. Therefore, if the
national goal of providing an equitable education to children across the nation is to be met, it is
critical that efforts be concentrated on developing and retaining high-quality teachers in every
community and at every grade level.
Why is teacher turnover so high? Many assume that retirement is the primary reason for teacher
attrition, but when the facts are examined closely, it becomes clear that the number of teachers
retiring from the profession is not a leading cause.4 In an analysis of teacher turnover, teachers
reported retirement as a reason for leaving less often than because of job dissatisfaction or to
pursue another job.5
Among teachers who transferred schools, lack of planning time (65 percent), too heavy a
workload (60 percent), problematic student behavior (53 percent), and a lack of influence over
school policy (52 percent) were cited as common sources of dissatisfaction.6
Many teachers who see no hope for change leave the profession altogether. While it is true that
teachers of all ages and in all kinds of schools leave the profession each year, it is also true that
Secondary School Students
Need Highly Qualified Te ...
Help New Teachers Establish Themselves Professionallynoblex1
The involvement of higher education institutions in induction is less prevalent than it should be, given the promise these partnerships offer for improving teacher preparation by redefining the boundaries between college and K-12 classrooms. Sadly, the scarcity of this type of collaboration is a missed opportunity to provide new teachers a link between their pre-service and in-ser-vice teacher development and a missed opportunity for college faculty and school-based personnel to benefit from one another's expertise, open lines of communication, collaborate on projects, share facilities, and benefit in myriad ways.
Collaboration can take many forms and can include teamwork with one or more educational partners involved in supporting beginning teachers - the union, institutions of higher education, the local school board, parents, the state educational agency, the business community, and others.
District-university partnerships can offer benefits to new and experienced teachers alike, from a continued relationship with the university for the novice teacher/alumnus, to possible compensation (in the form of university course vouchers) for veteran teachers who serve as mentors.
If your induction activities are voluntary you will need to encourage new teachers to participate. Remember that new teachers often are overwhelmed by the heavy load they carry. Offer some of the following incentives:
- Extra planning time
- Money for materials
- Limited extracurricular duties
- Reduced workload
- Release time to observe other teachers
- Priority placement in staff development workshops
- Assistance toward earning a master's degree in the first or second year of teaching
- Continuing education credits toward district salary increments
Beginning teachers and mentors who volunteer to participate in the program are required to enroll in graduate courses tailored to their needs. Mentors and mentees visit each other's classes at least once per semester, hold weekly meetings in the fall, and meet at least twice a month in the spring. Experienced teachers who assume mentoring responsibilities do so in addition to their teaching duties.
You already may provide one or more induction program components: orientation activities to introduce novice teachers to your district; support systems, including mentors, to assist teachers as they develop; training in the form of courses, workshops, or ongoing professional development; and/or evaluation designed to foster teacher improvement and/or to determine a teacher's future with the district.
It is important to ensure that all aspects of your program relate to one another and address your district's particular needs. You will need to consider such issues as district standards for teachers and students, and the extent to which students from teacher preparation institutions are prepared to face the challenges in your schools.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/help-new-teachers-establish-themselves-professionally/
Improving The Professional Knowledge And Skills Of Teachersnoblex1
The realization that teachers of young adolescents need specialized professional preparation is not a recent phenomenon. For over seventy-five years, the literature has included calls for these preparation programs. Unfortunately however, significant numbers of teacher preparation institutions, state departments of education, licensure agencies, and others have chosen to ignore the need for these teachers and have promoted the widespread idea that when qualifications for teaching young adolescents are considered, the response is often "no specialized preparation needed."
As a result, many of today's middle level students are taught by teachers who are not sufficiently prepared to be successful in the challenging and rewarding responsibility of understanding and teaching young adolescents.
A complex set of reasons has caused and perpetuated the failure to recognize the importance of specialized professional preparation for middle level teachers. It is important to examine some of the barriers that have prevented full success in implementing specialized middle level teacher preparation to help prevent the same mistakes from reoccurring. Some of the major barriers are: (a) the negative stereotyped image of young adolescents; (b) too few advocates at teacher preparation institutions and state agencies; (c) desire for flexibility in assignment of middle level teachers; (d) lack of knowledge of the public about appropriate middle level schooling; and (e) the limited number of instructors in teacher preparation programs who have the depth of knowledge and experience needed. These and other barriers must be carefully considered in the movement to establish strong middle level teacher preparation programs. The most destructive barrier to specialized middle level teacher preparation, however, is the failure of states to establish mandatory middle level teacher licensure.
A close relationship exists between the type of licensure available and the number of teacher preparation institutions that offer special middle level teacher preparation programs. Special mandatory middle level teacher licensure leads to the development, implementation, and continuation of special middle level teacher preparation programs. Therefore, a major reason specialized middle level teacher preparation programs are not universally available in the nation lies in the failure of many states to design and implement licensure regulations which promote the specialized knowledge, dispositions, and performances needed to successfully teach young adolescents. As well, many states with specialized middle level licensure have plans with wide overlapping grade levels. The result of such plans is that most prospective teachers select options with the widest range of job possibilities instead of choosing to focus on specialized preparation for a single developmental age group.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/improving-the-professional-knowledge-and-skills-of-teachers/
Support for educators and trainers Bucharest 2014private practice
Teacher induction, defined as inservice support for beginning teachers, is separate from preservice preparation and ideally serves as a bridge linking preservice and inservice education. Common objectives of teacher induction include teacher development, socialization into the profession, assessment of teaching effectiveness, and support in refining practic. Although programs vary between schools and context, they typically include a variety of activities such as orientation, classroom support, workshops, collaboration with colleagues, and mentoring (Ingersoll & Strong, 2011).
Teachers often struggle when inducted to the profession without a sufficient transitional period that allows them to practice their teaching skills prior to undertaking the responsibilities the job requires (Ganser, 2002). As a result, first year teachers are, on average, less effective than their more experienced colleagues (Rockoff, 2008). In analysis of data from the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) and the Teacher Follow-up Survey, Ingersoll and Merrill (2010) concluded that the majority of teachers are either beginners or nearing retirement. More than a quarter of teachers are in their first five years of teaching. Thus, the teacher force is on the verge of being expanded, replaced, and re-made (Ingersoll & Merrill, 2010).
In an era of complexity and change, European schools and, in particular, its teachers, have frequently been confronted with difficult issues that necessitate ever more sophisticated professional abilities, with consequences for teachers' work, professional growth and careers. The transformations that have occurred in the previous few decades have shaken up the autonomy of teachers, placing them in the presence of problems and expectations of a continual development process throughout their careers. https://www.oecd.org/berlin/43541636.pdf
This article was retrieved from the ERIC database in the CEC L.docxchristalgrieg
This article was retrieved from the ERIC database in the CEC Library on 1/7/2016.
Frank, S., Baroody, K., & Gordon, J. (2013). First steps: What school systems can do right
now to improve teacher compensation and career path. Education Resource
Strategies.
1
JULY 2013
TRANSFORMING TEACHING
The Moment
Across the country, school districts are struggling to improve student performance on flat or declining
budgets. While school improvement methods are as varied as the towns and cities where they take
place, district leaders increasingly agree that the road to improved student outcomes must pass
through improved instruction. With many states implementing new teacher evaluation systems, and
the impending arrival of Common Core standards that will put pressure on an already stressed teaching
force, districts are trying to adapt their human capital strategies to develop and retain teachers for the
21st century. One of the most potentially catalytic elements of any human capital strategy is teacher
compensation and career path.
Many districts are understandably cautious about implementing large changes, such as redesigning the
step-and-lane system that has existed for decades. New evaluation systems must be implemented and
vetted before they are linked to compensation, and it is challenging to find common ground among
administration, teachers, and unions on the best approach. But most districts face critical student
performance challenges and budgetary constraints now—and need to improve in the short term even
as they lay the foundations for broader change in the future.
First Steps
In this paper, we outline a series of actions that districts can take to start moving toward a future vision
of the teaching job. These First Steps shouldn’t replace the larger work of overhauling the system, but
they allow districts to have short-term impact while advancing toward the ultimate goal. We define
First Steps as actions which:
• Have a positive impact on student outcomes
• Can be implemented within a year
• Can be implemented within existing collective bargaining agreements or are likely to have broad support
TEACHER COMPENSATION & CAREER PATH
First Steps:
What School Systems Can Do Right Now to
Improve Teacher Compensation and Career Path
Part of a series of ERS publications on teacher compensation, this paper explores the steps districts
can take now for sustained impact on teacher effectiveness.
By Stephen Frank, Karen Baroody, and Jeff Gordon
2
• Require little or no new investment, or are budget neutral when implemented in combination
• Build toward a new vision of a teacher compensation and career path system that can attract, retain,
and leverage the skills of a highly effective teaching force
Though these First Steps described below are numbered, they do not need to be taken in order. In
addition to describing each strategy, we estimate how much each action might cost to implement (or
save if imp ...
International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI)inventionjournals
International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI) is an international journal intended for professionals and researchers in all fields of Humanities and Social Science. IJHSSI publishes research articles and reviews within the whole field Humanities and Social Science, new teaching methods, assessment, validation and the impact of new technologies and it will continue to provide information on the latest trends and developments in this ever-expanding subject. The publications of papers are selected through double peer reviewed to ensure originality, relevance, and readability. The articles published in our journal can be accessed online.
The Journal will bring together leading researchers, engineers and scientists in the domain of interest from around the world. Topics of interest for submission include, but are not limited to
Establishing Trust Between School Teachers and University Facultynoblex1
The professional development school initiatives show the greatest promise in school reform due to collaborative efforts in teacher preparation. Educators in both public schools and in universities must work together in the preparation of teachers who are culturally, socially and instructionally responsive to student diversity. This lofty preparation aim begins with selecting the most promising teacher candidates for admittance into the program. The author describes an admissions procedure that has proven to be not only efficient and effective, but reflects the collaborative values of the program.
For over a decade, advocates of educational reform have supported professional development schools (PDSs) as a way for school and university partners to promote simultaneous renewal of both institutions. PDS aims are now commonplace: (a) provide exemplary education for preservice teachers, (b) support continuing professional development of experienced teachers, (c) engage in the renewal of curriculum and instruction, and (d) involve schools and universities in collaborative research.
Essential to these aims is the collaborative process. Establishing trust, recognizing cultural differences, and breaking perceived roles between school teachers and university faculty are key if partnerships are to be anything more than traditional in nature. University instructors, including teacher educators, are entering into cooperative working ventures with more frequency than ever before. Critical to the successful attainment of any partnership project are the people involved and the common commitment to program quality and coherence. In the ongoing process of developing, nurturing, and maintaining partnerships, one can expect to confront both predictable and unforeseen obstacles. Sharing information on program structures and systems will help advance the development of university and K-12 partnerships. The purpose of this article is twofold: (a) to describe, and (b) to analyze an admissions procedure, which reflects the values of the program and efficiently and effectively promotes the involvement of K-12 personnel in what is traditionally a university decision. To this end, we briefly discuss the history of this partnership and the key values that drive our work. Next, we elaborate on the admissions process and how it reflects those values in linking the university and schools. In taking stock of where we have made progress and where we have not, we examine the perceptions of major stakeholders in this process. We conclude with a discussion of recommendations to others considering similar efforts.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/establishing-trust-between-school-teachers-and-university-faculty/
Training is a component of many teacher induction programs. All too often, inductees have received insufficient professional preparation. With increasing numbers of inductees entering the classroom via alternative routes, many induction programs today are compensating for little or no previous training whatsoever, in effect blurring the line between teacher preparation and induction.
Even if your new hires have had traditional teacher education, they often come unprepared for the first year of teaching, especially in urban classrooms. Sometimes, even an aspiring urban teacher who shines when placed for her eight-week practicum in an "exemplary" school, with excellent teachers and a rich learning environment, may well be hopelessly unprepared to cope with conditions in the mediocre or failing school that is likely to be her first assignment.
The most effective type of training program is that which is part of a teacher's ongoing professional development. Viewed as part of continuing education, content and complexity grow as the inductee matures into a seasoned teacher. Completing your first year as a fully responsible teacher in an urban school has nothing to do with having been "successful" in a college preparation program. Even if you student-taught in an urban school, you were never accountable to the parents and principal for students' learning and behavior.
Training programs for beginning teachers often are determined by courses that the state or district requires (and sometimes finances). Training typically is conducted by a staff developer and a cadre of teacher trainers; central office personnel, site administrators, or consultants also may facilitate workshops. The best training programs are those that include ongoing assessments of the particular needs of individual beginning teachers, and design workshops, seminars, and course work based on these needs.
Training can take many forms, including:
- Observation in other classrooms in same school
- Workshops/seminars
- Conferences
- Observations in other schools
- Reflection on practice/journal writing
- Team teaching (novice + experienced teacher)
- Individual induction plan
- Psychological support
- Teacher-led inquiry/action research
- Case-based discussion
- Electronic networking
You can hold induction activities in the same school building the inductee works in, at a different school site or professional development center, or you can rotate activities among different school sites. Induction activities can be held during the school day, after school, on weekends, or even before school.
Curriculum
Program content often deals with perceived barriers to inductee success. Common curricular topics for induction include addressing inadequate classroom management skills and inability to handle disruptive students.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/commitment-to-retaining-talented-teachers/
Educational Leaders Must Strive To Increase Resources Available For Their Sch...RajaDastan
Contemporary educational leaders function in complex local contexts. They must cope not only with daily challenges within schools but also with problems originating beyond schools, like staffing shortages, problematic school boards, and budgetary constraints. There are some emerging patterns and features of these complex contexts that educational leaders should recognize. Educational leaders face a political terrain marked by contests at all levels over resources and over the direction of public education.
Analyzing the Effectiveness of In-Service Training (Inset) and Its Impact on ...Medha Tripathi
It is important to teachers entering into the profession of teaching to engage in high quality professional development opportunities like teacher training programs and in service practices to ensure the quality and effectiveness of teaching. Although applicants begin to become familiar with such chances before the entry of theirs into profession, the test of theirs with those opportunities maturates once they go into the profession. Nevertheless, to
what degree the professional development opportunities are already developed is still being studied. It's commonly recognized that appropriate professional development opportunities
lead to the transformation of habits and beliefs in a good manner. Nevertheless, developing programs detached from the practitioners' perspectives will be badly based as in-service
teacher perspectives can help develop the ensuing opportunities better. This research paper aims at describing the impact of in service training activities for professional advancement of teachers in India. Using close-ended questions, experience and perception of teachers (n=150, m=100, f=50), whom availed the chance getting in service training, were definitely accomplished. Results of the study revealed the beneficial effect of in service
training programs plans on the Professional Advancement of Teachers. The study also revealed the good perception of teachers relating to the professional development of theirs.
It recommended the in service training programs to be created in line with the topic instead of common.
Honest Reviews of Tim Han LMA Course Program.pptxtimhan337
Personal development courses are widely available today, with each one promising life-changing outcomes. Tim Han’s Life Mastery Achievers (LMA) Course has drawn a lot of interest. In addition to offering my frank assessment of Success Insider’s LMA Course, this piece examines the course’s effects via a variety of Tim Han LMA course reviews and Success Insider comments.
Support for educators and trainers Bucharest 2014private practice
Teacher induction, defined as inservice support for beginning teachers, is separate from preservice preparation and ideally serves as a bridge linking preservice and inservice education. Common objectives of teacher induction include teacher development, socialization into the profession, assessment of teaching effectiveness, and support in refining practic. Although programs vary between schools and context, they typically include a variety of activities such as orientation, classroom support, workshops, collaboration with colleagues, and mentoring (Ingersoll & Strong, 2011).
Teachers often struggle when inducted to the profession without a sufficient transitional period that allows them to practice their teaching skills prior to undertaking the responsibilities the job requires (Ganser, 2002). As a result, first year teachers are, on average, less effective than their more experienced colleagues (Rockoff, 2008). In analysis of data from the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) and the Teacher Follow-up Survey, Ingersoll and Merrill (2010) concluded that the majority of teachers are either beginners or nearing retirement. More than a quarter of teachers are in their first five years of teaching. Thus, the teacher force is on the verge of being expanded, replaced, and re-made (Ingersoll & Merrill, 2010).
In an era of complexity and change, European schools and, in particular, its teachers, have frequently been confronted with difficult issues that necessitate ever more sophisticated professional abilities, with consequences for teachers' work, professional growth and careers. The transformations that have occurred in the previous few decades have shaken up the autonomy of teachers, placing them in the presence of problems and expectations of a continual development process throughout their careers. https://www.oecd.org/berlin/43541636.pdf
This article was retrieved from the ERIC database in the CEC L.docxchristalgrieg
This article was retrieved from the ERIC database in the CEC Library on 1/7/2016.
Frank, S., Baroody, K., & Gordon, J. (2013). First steps: What school systems can do right
now to improve teacher compensation and career path. Education Resource
Strategies.
1
JULY 2013
TRANSFORMING TEACHING
The Moment
Across the country, school districts are struggling to improve student performance on flat or declining
budgets. While school improvement methods are as varied as the towns and cities where they take
place, district leaders increasingly agree that the road to improved student outcomes must pass
through improved instruction. With many states implementing new teacher evaluation systems, and
the impending arrival of Common Core standards that will put pressure on an already stressed teaching
force, districts are trying to adapt their human capital strategies to develop and retain teachers for the
21st century. One of the most potentially catalytic elements of any human capital strategy is teacher
compensation and career path.
Many districts are understandably cautious about implementing large changes, such as redesigning the
step-and-lane system that has existed for decades. New evaluation systems must be implemented and
vetted before they are linked to compensation, and it is challenging to find common ground among
administration, teachers, and unions on the best approach. But most districts face critical student
performance challenges and budgetary constraints now—and need to improve in the short term even
as they lay the foundations for broader change in the future.
First Steps
In this paper, we outline a series of actions that districts can take to start moving toward a future vision
of the teaching job. These First Steps shouldn’t replace the larger work of overhauling the system, but
they allow districts to have short-term impact while advancing toward the ultimate goal. We define
First Steps as actions which:
• Have a positive impact on student outcomes
• Can be implemented within a year
• Can be implemented within existing collective bargaining agreements or are likely to have broad support
TEACHER COMPENSATION & CAREER PATH
First Steps:
What School Systems Can Do Right Now to
Improve Teacher Compensation and Career Path
Part of a series of ERS publications on teacher compensation, this paper explores the steps districts
can take now for sustained impact on teacher effectiveness.
By Stephen Frank, Karen Baroody, and Jeff Gordon
2
• Require little or no new investment, or are budget neutral when implemented in combination
• Build toward a new vision of a teacher compensation and career path system that can attract, retain,
and leverage the skills of a highly effective teaching force
Though these First Steps described below are numbered, they do not need to be taken in order. In
addition to describing each strategy, we estimate how much each action might cost to implement (or
save if imp ...
International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI)inventionjournals
International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI) is an international journal intended for professionals and researchers in all fields of Humanities and Social Science. IJHSSI publishes research articles and reviews within the whole field Humanities and Social Science, new teaching methods, assessment, validation and the impact of new technologies and it will continue to provide information on the latest trends and developments in this ever-expanding subject. The publications of papers are selected through double peer reviewed to ensure originality, relevance, and readability. The articles published in our journal can be accessed online.
The Journal will bring together leading researchers, engineers and scientists in the domain of interest from around the world. Topics of interest for submission include, but are not limited to
Establishing Trust Between School Teachers and University Facultynoblex1
The professional development school initiatives show the greatest promise in school reform due to collaborative efforts in teacher preparation. Educators in both public schools and in universities must work together in the preparation of teachers who are culturally, socially and instructionally responsive to student diversity. This lofty preparation aim begins with selecting the most promising teacher candidates for admittance into the program. The author describes an admissions procedure that has proven to be not only efficient and effective, but reflects the collaborative values of the program.
For over a decade, advocates of educational reform have supported professional development schools (PDSs) as a way for school and university partners to promote simultaneous renewal of both institutions. PDS aims are now commonplace: (a) provide exemplary education for preservice teachers, (b) support continuing professional development of experienced teachers, (c) engage in the renewal of curriculum and instruction, and (d) involve schools and universities in collaborative research.
Essential to these aims is the collaborative process. Establishing trust, recognizing cultural differences, and breaking perceived roles between school teachers and university faculty are key if partnerships are to be anything more than traditional in nature. University instructors, including teacher educators, are entering into cooperative working ventures with more frequency than ever before. Critical to the successful attainment of any partnership project are the people involved and the common commitment to program quality and coherence. In the ongoing process of developing, nurturing, and maintaining partnerships, one can expect to confront both predictable and unforeseen obstacles. Sharing information on program structures and systems will help advance the development of university and K-12 partnerships. The purpose of this article is twofold: (a) to describe, and (b) to analyze an admissions procedure, which reflects the values of the program and efficiently and effectively promotes the involvement of K-12 personnel in what is traditionally a university decision. To this end, we briefly discuss the history of this partnership and the key values that drive our work. Next, we elaborate on the admissions process and how it reflects those values in linking the university and schools. In taking stock of where we have made progress and where we have not, we examine the perceptions of major stakeholders in this process. We conclude with a discussion of recommendations to others considering similar efforts.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/establishing-trust-between-school-teachers-and-university-faculty/
Training is a component of many teacher induction programs. All too often, inductees have received insufficient professional preparation. With increasing numbers of inductees entering the classroom via alternative routes, many induction programs today are compensating for little or no previous training whatsoever, in effect blurring the line between teacher preparation and induction.
Even if your new hires have had traditional teacher education, they often come unprepared for the first year of teaching, especially in urban classrooms. Sometimes, even an aspiring urban teacher who shines when placed for her eight-week practicum in an "exemplary" school, with excellent teachers and a rich learning environment, may well be hopelessly unprepared to cope with conditions in the mediocre or failing school that is likely to be her first assignment.
The most effective type of training program is that which is part of a teacher's ongoing professional development. Viewed as part of continuing education, content and complexity grow as the inductee matures into a seasoned teacher. Completing your first year as a fully responsible teacher in an urban school has nothing to do with having been "successful" in a college preparation program. Even if you student-taught in an urban school, you were never accountable to the parents and principal for students' learning and behavior.
Training programs for beginning teachers often are determined by courses that the state or district requires (and sometimes finances). Training typically is conducted by a staff developer and a cadre of teacher trainers; central office personnel, site administrators, or consultants also may facilitate workshops. The best training programs are those that include ongoing assessments of the particular needs of individual beginning teachers, and design workshops, seminars, and course work based on these needs.
Training can take many forms, including:
- Observation in other classrooms in same school
- Workshops/seminars
- Conferences
- Observations in other schools
- Reflection on practice/journal writing
- Team teaching (novice + experienced teacher)
- Individual induction plan
- Psychological support
- Teacher-led inquiry/action research
- Case-based discussion
- Electronic networking
You can hold induction activities in the same school building the inductee works in, at a different school site or professional development center, or you can rotate activities among different school sites. Induction activities can be held during the school day, after school, on weekends, or even before school.
Curriculum
Program content often deals with perceived barriers to inductee success. Common curricular topics for induction include addressing inadequate classroom management skills and inability to handle disruptive students.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/commitment-to-retaining-talented-teachers/
Educational Leaders Must Strive To Increase Resources Available For Their Sch...RajaDastan
Contemporary educational leaders function in complex local contexts. They must cope not only with daily challenges within schools but also with problems originating beyond schools, like staffing shortages, problematic school boards, and budgetary constraints. There are some emerging patterns and features of these complex contexts that educational leaders should recognize. Educational leaders face a political terrain marked by contests at all levels over resources and over the direction of public education.
Analyzing the Effectiveness of In-Service Training (Inset) and Its Impact on ...Medha Tripathi
It is important to teachers entering into the profession of teaching to engage in high quality professional development opportunities like teacher training programs and in service practices to ensure the quality and effectiveness of teaching. Although applicants begin to become familiar with such chances before the entry of theirs into profession, the test of theirs with those opportunities maturates once they go into the profession. Nevertheless, to
what degree the professional development opportunities are already developed is still being studied. It's commonly recognized that appropriate professional development opportunities
lead to the transformation of habits and beliefs in a good manner. Nevertheless, developing programs detached from the practitioners' perspectives will be badly based as in-service
teacher perspectives can help develop the ensuing opportunities better. This research paper aims at describing the impact of in service training activities for professional advancement of teachers in India. Using close-ended questions, experience and perception of teachers (n=150, m=100, f=50), whom availed the chance getting in service training, were definitely accomplished. Results of the study revealed the beneficial effect of in service
training programs plans on the Professional Advancement of Teachers. The study also revealed the good perception of teachers relating to the professional development of theirs.
It recommended the in service training programs to be created in line with the topic instead of common.
Similar to How To Get Started Improving Your Efforts To Support And Assess Novice Teachers (20)
Honest Reviews of Tim Han LMA Course Program.pptxtimhan337
Personal development courses are widely available today, with each one promising life-changing outcomes. Tim Han’s Life Mastery Achievers (LMA) Course has drawn a lot of interest. In addition to offering my frank assessment of Success Insider’s LMA Course, this piece examines the course’s effects via a variety of Tim Han LMA course reviews and Success Insider comments.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
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How To Get Started Improving Your Efforts To Support And Assess Novice Teachers
1. How To Get Started Improving Your Efforts To
Support And Assess Novice Teachers
Many professions offer orientation and support experiences for professionals
starting out in a field. Medical residents and law associates—even rookie baseball
players—receive extended training, development, and mentoring (working
alongside a seasoned expert) before taking on the responsibilities of a full
professional. In contrast, novice teachers often are left to fend for themselves,
with little or inadequate initiation into the profession.
However, an increasing number of school districts offer teacher induction
programs to orient, support, assist, train, and assess teachers within their first
three years of employment in public schools. Teacher induction is the process of
socialization to the teaching profession, adjustment to the procedures and mores
of a school site and school system, and development of effective instructional and
classroom management skills. Participants in these programs are called inductees,
a term which refers simultaneously to teachers who are new to the profession,
2. and teachers with experience who are new to a district, grade level, or
certification area.
Teacher induction programming can (and does) take many forms. Induction
activities can range from a short orientation session, to mentoring programs, to
staff development courses and workshops, to multiyear programs that continue
to meet the changing needs of teachers as they develop. Many districts combine
several activities to support new teachers.
Why are induction programs needed?
Influx of new hires
Due to escalating teacher retirements and rising student enrollments, the nation
currently faces a shortage of qualified teachers. America will need to hire some
two million K-12 teachers over the next decade. Although high-wealth suburban
districts will always have a glut of applicants, low-wealth urban districts face a
hiring demand of 900,000 teachers or more over the next decade.
High attrition rates
Just this year, America's urban school districts will need new teachers to fill some
of the nation's most challenging classroom assignments. All too many of these
new recruits face battlefield odds as to whether they will still be teaching five
years from now. No matter how well they did in college, teacher preparation, or
another career, teachers can be overwhelmed by their first years in the
classroom. It has been estimated that 30% to 50% of beginning teachers leave in
the first five years of teaching.
Reality shock
Central-city public schools are more likely to fill positions with “less than
qualified” new teachers than are large or small towns. Even experienced teachers
embarking on assignments in new cities or academic disciplines can be sorely
tested, especially if they are unfamiliar with the urban environment. The so-called
“reality shock” that can ensue often exacts a terrible toll on teacher morale,
school district recruitment and, most important, student achievement.
Teacher quality
Increasingly, inductees are learning on the job. Thus, there is an urgent need for
induction programs to augment the knowledge and skills of both novice teachers
emerging from traditional teacher preparation programs, as well as the increasing
3. numbers of inductees with little or no training. Many of today's induction
programs are geared to remediating inductees' inadequate professional
preparation.
Why do new teachers leave the profession?
The initial years of teaching have been well documented as a time of frustration,
overwhelming experiences, and increasing doubts about the choice of profession.
The common concerns of new teachers vary widely, from handling discipline
problems, learning the curriculum, understanding district policy and paperwork,
to connecting theory with practice.
The problem of new teacher attrition is particularly pronounced in urban schools.
A new study revealed a vicious cycle that was both symptom and cause of
deteriorating conditions in low-performing urban schools. Inferior working
conditions, lack of professional respect, low morale, and a culture of high faculty
turnover all contribute to high rates of attrition among first- second- and third-
year teachers in urban districts.
What are some common barriers to new teacher success?
There are many barriers to inductee success, some reflecting characteristics of
the inductee, some pertaining to the school or community. Some of these barriers
include:
- Inadequate preparation in classroom management
- Difficulty organizing time/work schedule
- Inadequate preparation in instructional methods
- Unfamiliarity with the curriculum
- Insufficient preparation for dealing with cultural diversity
- Difficulty fitting in with the school culture
- Language barriers
- Isolation in the classroom
- Large class size
- Cumbersome school or district bureaucracy
- Low salary/inadequate compensation
- Lack of respect or recognition as a teacher
What can teacher induction programs accomplish?
Effective induction programs hold promise to:
4. - Extend the preparation period of novice teachers through their crucial first few
years on the job so they continue to develop as proficient, knowledgeable, and
successful teachers
- Improve the climate for teaching and learning, and build community between
new and veteran teachers
How widespread are induction programs in the U.S.?
The good news is that induction programs are prevalent across the nation,
particularly in the nation's larger towns and cities. However, these programs vary
widely in their complexity, intensity, and quality.
Even though 58% of new public-school teachers are participating in some type of
formal induction program during their first year of teaching (63% in urban
schools), the scope and quality of support can range from effective,
comprehensive, multiyear, developmental programs, to casual, one-shot, brief
(and often inadequate) orientation sessions.
Unfortunately, even when district administrators have had the desire to
strengthen induction programs in their schools, in many cases lack of financial
resources has prevented resource-strapped school administrators from
implementing their vision of induction. And, induction services are not reaching
all who need them.
Are induction programs a new development?
Most induction programs in operation today were established prior to 1999. State
mandates (often without state funding) typically spurred program creation. The
2000s were an especially fertile period for induction programs, due to heightened
concern about rising teacher attrition and renewed interest in increasing teacher
quality. Unfortunately, many programs have had to cut back services since then,
due to lack of funding. The researchers found that one in three induction
programs had reluctantly cut back services because of insufficient resources.
However, the current shortage of qualified teachers is causing a resurgence of
interest in supporting beginning teachers.
Are districts benefiting from their induction programs?
Sadly, there is a paucity of formal evaluation among both state-and district-level
teacher induction programs. Outcome data that do exist, strongly suggest that
good induction programs result in gains in teacher retention and teacher quality.
5. How does good teacher induction benefit children?
- It provides grounded, standards-based support for beginning teachers to
continue to become better teachers.
- It keeps highly qualified and highly committed teachers in the profession.
- It provides opportunities for experienced teachers to become better teachers
Can induction programs benefit teacher recruitment?
Induction programs are beneficial as a recruitment tool. When prospective
teachers ask whether they will have support and assistance during the first year of
teaching, recruiters with bona fide induction programs can answer in the
affirmative.
What does the future hold for induction programs?
As states and school districts begin to focus more intensively on issues of teacher
quality, the challenges of new teacher orientation, adjustment, effectiveness,
accountability, and attrition are coming more and more to the fore.
Increasingly, the federal government, states, and districts appear to be
recognizing induction as a critical part of the infrastructure for professional
development and are beginning to commit resources to formal programs
addressing the needs of inductees. The following trends attest to genuine
progress regarding teacher induction programs:
- Federal legislation is beginning to address teacher induction
- States are enacting policies to support beginning teachers
- Districts are starting to develop induction programs in response to rising teacher
attrition (especially of good beginning teachers); the need to fill positions in
shortage areas (e.g., mathematics, science, early childhood education); growing
enrollments; and accelerating teacher retirements. The program will require a
greater investment of funds, staff, inductee and mentor training opportunities,
and school site support to provide meaningful and consistent assistance and
training for all inductees.
- Districts are expanding existing induction programs
- Regional centers are being created to support teachers
- Teacher union interest in induction is growing. Despite the fact that teacher
unions have been for the most part reluctant to treat novices differently from
veteran teachers when it comes to contractual matters, some union affiliates (still
6. a small number) have been instrumental in collaborating with school districts to
develop induction programs.
Increasingly, states and districts are recognizing the relationship between
supporting novice teachers and ensuring teacher retention in this time of critical
teacher shortage. Still, well-funded, comprehensive, developmental induction
programs that serve all teachers who need assistance are far from the norm in
U.S. school districts. Future research will tell us more about the quality of
induction programs, how to serve all eligible inductees, and how to integrate
induction policies and practices into wider school reform efforts.
Guidelines for Success
Whether you are developing a new induction program, or are aim-ing to expand
or improve an existing one, keep in mind that the most effective programs do the
following:
- View induction as a multiyear, developmental process.
- Within the first three years of their teaching careers, inductees passing through
developmental stages have different needs, typically beginning with basic survival
(e.g., the nuts and bolts of classroom management and student discipline) and
orientation to school site and system-level policies, procedures, and paperwork;
moving on to real concern for instructional effectiveness; and followed by interest
in curriculum reform, school reform, student assessment, and teacher leadership.
It is important to view induction as an extended, multiyear process. University
courses are the start of teacher training—inductees need continuous learning
opportunities, ongoing orientation, and sustained support. Thus, a second or a
third year of support, assistance, and training may be needed, particularly when
inductees are hired late or are assigned to grade levels or subject areas that are
not their principal area of expertise.
Ensure that school site administrators understand how to orient inductees, create
supportive working conditions for them, and effectively meet their professional
needs. Principals should be trained to be knowledgeable about and alert to
inductees' needs and concerns and should convey to the entire staff the
importance of welcoming, guiding, and assisting them. “Buddy” teachers in the
same hall, grade level, or department can be asked to be available for
emergencies arising in between scheduled mentor visits. Site administrators and
7. department heads should also refrain from mis-assigning inductees to classes
they are not qualified to teach or loading them up with extra duties.
While peers and buddy teachers often do a good job of providing support
informally, designated mentor teachers play key roles in a formal induction
program. Be sure you have paid careful attention to mentor selection, training,
compensation, release time, support, and evaluation.
Link inductee evaluation to district- and state-level standards for what beginning
teachers should know and be able to do. The most promising programs tie
participation to new, more stringent professional standards and performance
assessments that have been established as part of school reform legislation.
Inductee performance assessments should be both formative and summative;
and teachers should have access to support, information, and guidance prior to
assessment.
Invest in technology to facilitate communication between and among inductees,
their mentors, and university faculty. Email, online forums, bulletin boards, new
teacher helplines, etc. are easy and relatively inexpensive ways for inductees to
share ideas, concerns, and encouraging words with other novice teachers,
regardless of geographic location. All teachers should have ready access to and
training on the Internet, which offers a rich array of information resources to
teachers and students alike.
Evaluate program effectiveness.
It is very important to set up a system of program evaluation or monitoring of
progress. Begin by assessing specific program components/activities, such as
orientation sessions and training work-shops for inductees—as well as training for
mentors—to ensure that inductee, mentor, and district needs are met.
Periodically ask inductees and site administrators for feedback on mentor
availability and performance.
Go on to evaluate program outcomes in terms of teacher retention, improvement
of teacher knowledge and skills, increase in new teacher confidence and
satisfaction, mentor teacher professional development, etc. Be prepared to
modify and improve program elements annually based on what each evaluation
reveals. Learn from individual schools and site administrators who are particularly
successful in implementing induction programs, and disseminate models of good
practice districtwide.
8. Whether you are aiming to expand, improve, or change the ways you serve
inductees in your district, it is important to strive for a coherent approach to
induction, tailored to meet the needs of your beginning teachers. Be sure to
incorporate the steps below when developing your induction program:
Put together a planning team.
You will need to bring together a planning team to tailor an induction program
that best meets your district's needs. An effective planning team is comprised of
site administrators, teachers, individuals from local teacher preparation
institutions, central office personnel, union representatives, and others in a
position to determine how the program components should be coordinated and
integrated.
Decide which teachers your program should serve.
While most induction programs require participation, exceptions often are made
for newly hired—but experienced—teachers. Many districts routinely distinguish
between inductees new to the profession and those transferring in with
experience. Some state education agencies allow districts to provide limited
assistance to inductees who are experienced teachers, especially if they are
returning to the classroom after a prolonged absence or if they are new to the
state or certification area.
Your program can serve first-year teachers only, or you might allow or require
inductees to participate beyond their first year of teaching. Of course, like many
districts, your resources may be tight and you may only be able to accommodate
first-year teachers. If your state has a two-tiered (i.e., initial and full) licensure
system, you might require participation of any inductee who is not fully licensed,
and consider extending the program into subsequent years.
Ask these questions when considering whom to serve:
- Have you hired teachers after the start of the school year?
- Has a teacher requested support services?
- Do you have teachers who have changed grade levels or content areas or who
have returned to teaching after a long absence?
- Do you have teachers on emergency permit or waiver?
- Do some of your teachers have probationary status?
- Do some of your teachers need help demonstrating competence or meeting
requirements?
9. Jeff C. Palmer is a teacher, success coach, trainer, Certified Master of Web
Copywriting and founder of https://Ebookschoice.com. Jeff is a prolific writer,
Senior Research Associate and Infopreneur having written many eBooks, articles
and special reports.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/how-to-get-started-improving-your-efforts-
to-support-and-assess-novice-teachers/