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Role Group Strategies
District Office
Develop comprehensive induction and mentoring programs that serve beginning teachers. Evaluate the effectiveness of current induction and mentoring programs.
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District Profile: A Commitment to Craft, Rochester (N.Y.) City School District Career in Teaching Program
Scarpa, S. (n.d.) District Administration Magazine.
http://www.districtadministration.com/page.cfm?p=743
The Rochester City School District established a Career in Teaching Program over 16 years ago with the support of the Rochester Teachers’ Association. This comprehensive overview of the program explains the mentoring and peer review components of the program, as well as the levels that have been created within the teaching profession in Rochester. This resource is valuable for district-level administrators or policymakers interested in designing a system of support for new and struggling teachers, a method of stratifying the teaching profession, or a system of peer-review and evaluation.
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Teacher Coaching: A Tool for Retention
Griffin, N.C., Wohlstetter, P., and Bharadwaja, L.C. (2001, January). The School Administrator
http://www.aasa.org/publications/sa/2001_01/griffin.htm
This article from the American Association of School Administrators describes a decentralized model of teacher coaching being used in several Los Angeles schools. This model, known as DELTA, provides new teachers with one-on-one coaching from an experienced teacher and a personalized support plan that emphasizes skill development rather than evaluation.
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Their Key to Survival: Each Other
Gingold, H. (2004, June). Classroom Leadership, 7(9).
http://makeashorterlink.com/?U1263262B
This article from the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development describes the work of four teachers in Liverpool, N.Y. who created a “collaborative teacher network” designed to support one another throughout the school year. The four teachers worked as a team, planning lessons and instruction, evaluating the results of their teaching, and refining their professional practice. They set aside time each week to meet with one another, and kept in regular contact via email and phone calls. As a result, their teaching improved and they each developed skills required of reflective practitioners.
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Creating a Teacher Mentoring Program
The NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education. (1999, February).
http://www.nfie.org/publications/mentoring.htm
This guide created by the NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education details the steps necessary for creating a teacher mentoring program. Topics covered include: The Usefulness of Mentoring, Creating the Climate, Context and Structure for Effective Mentoring, Selecting, Training and Supporting Mentors, and Content and Evaluation. Each section includes a detailed description, examples, and questions to consider.
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New Teacher Center Formative Assessment System
Santa Cruz New Teacher Project
http://www.newteachercenter.org/NTP_SCassessment.shtml
Widely recognized as one of the foremost providers of structured support for new teachers, the Santa Cruz New Teacher Project is gaining acclaim for addressing the issue of teacher attrition. One component of the Santa Cruz model is a formative assessment system that “engages a mentor and a beginning teacher in an on-going cycle of inquiry.” This system consists of several components including student case studies, individualized learning plans, self-assessment summaries and student work analysis. Originally designed for use in California, the Formative Assessment System is now available for use outside of the state as well. This website introduces the program and provides contacts for districts or states interested in more information.
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A Better Beginning: Helping New Teachers Survive and Thrive
NEA New Teacher Support Initiative. (2002).
http://www.nea.org/teachershortage/betterbeginnings.html
In an effort to stem the teacher turnover tide, the National Education Association has created this comprehensive guide to effective new teacher mentoring programs. This site begins by outlining the rationale behind mentoring and support programs for new teachers. It details the characteristics of effective mentoring programs and provides several real-world examples of successful programs. The site also contains a “toolkit” that includes sample surveys, contracts and program outlines for schools and districts interested in creating or improving mentoring and support programs for new teachers.
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New Teachers: From Surviving to Thriving
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. (2001, Winter). Northwest Education Magazine, 7(2).
http://www.nwrel.org/nwedu/2001w/index.html
This issue of Northwest Education Magazine is dedicated entirely to approaches to supporting new teachers. It highlights the experiences of new teachers in rural settings and those who switched to teaching mid-career, in addition to describing successful programs and induction research.
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Supporting Beginning Teachers:
How Administrators, Teachers and Policymakers can Help New Teachers Succeed
Brewster, C. and Railsback, J. (2001, May). Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
http://www.nwrel.org/request/may01/index.html
This tool gives a detailed overview of the issue of new teacher support. It outlines the benefits of new teacher support, the implementation of formal support programs, and special concerns for rural schools and offers suggestions for veteran teachers and administrators interested in supporting new teachers. Also included are considerations for policymakers and descriptions of statewide mentoring programs in several Northwestern states.
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Watch Over Me
Kersten, Denise. (2006). Teacher Magazine
http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2006/01/01/04mentor.h17.html
This article discusses the importance of quality mentoring in stemming new teacher attrition. The author distinguishes between informal and under-supported mentoring programs that provide “buddy” relationships at best and intensive mentoring experiences that include collaborative planning, teaching demonstrations, and networking. She highlights the work of a full-time mentor and a mentee in Virginia and emphasizes the role that funding plays in making such a program successful.
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Education Topics: Mentoring
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
http://www.ascd.org/cms/index.cfm?TheViewID=866&flag=866
Mentoring new teachers can be a formalized experience provided by a district or it can be an informal partnership between two teachers within a building. Regardless of the nature of the relationship, the support provided to new teachers is critical to reducing the teacher turnover rates that plague many schools. This webpage introduces the topic of mentoring and provides access to print, video, and audio resources related to the topic. Also included are answers to popular questions about mentoring from experts and practitioners.
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Keeping Teachers
Lurie, K. (2004, May 27). ScienCentral News.
http://www.sciencentral.com/articles/view.php3?language=
english&type=article&article_id=218392260
This article from provides an overview of the importance of mentoring to new teachers and shares the story of Jamie Devall and Vicky Condalary, a mentor-protégé team from Louisiana. A short video featuring the two teachers accompanies the article.
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The Impact of Mentoring on Teacher Retention: What the Research Says
Ingersoll, R. and Kralik, J.M. (2004, February). . ECS Research Review.
http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/50/36/5036.doc
This report from the Education Commission of the States is designed to examine the impact of induction and mentoring programs on teacher retention. Reviewing recent literature and studies, the report confirms that mentoring and induction programs have empirical evidence of success at retaining teachers.
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District Office
Demonstrate a clear vision for career-long professional development that is classroom-based, focused on student learning, and collaborative in nature. Develop professional learning opportunities that incorporate technology.
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Teacher Quality: Teachers Teaching Teachers
Christensen, Linda. (Winter 2005/2006). Rethinking Schools
http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/20_02/ttt202.shtml
Linda Christensen, a high school English teacher from Portland, Oregon, writes that teachers find professional development lead by classroom teachers to be the most productive. She describes her experiences with the Portland Writing Project, summer curriculum camps, and professional development days, all of which are teacher-lead and actively involve teachers in reflection, writing, and curriculum development.
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Their Key to Survival: Each Other
Gingold, H. (2004, June). Classroom Leadership, 7(9).
http://makeashorterlink.com/?U1263262B
This article from the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development describes the work of four teachers in Liverpool, N.Y. who created a “collaborative teacher network” designed to support one another throughout the school year. The four teachers worked as a team, planning lessons and instruction, evaluating the results of their teaching, and refining their professional practice. They set aside time each week to meet with one another, and kept in regular contact via email and phone calls. As a result, their teaching improved and they each developed skills required of reflective practitioners.
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Redesigning Professional Development: Critical Friends
Bambino, D. (2002, March). Educational Leadership, 59(6), 25-27.
http://www.nsrfharmony.org/gene/Bambino_2002.pdf
Because of their shared experiences, teachers can often provide the most effective instructional support to their colleagues. One model for this type of collaboration is the Critical Friends Group. This article introduces the concept and benefits of Critical Friends groups and tells the stories of three schools that have implemented Critical Friends groups with great success.
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New Teacher Online Survival Courses
The Teachers Network
http://teachersnetwork.org/noc_tour/index.htm
These online courses offered by the Teachers Network are designed to provide guidance to new teachers in five critical areas: Aligning standards, curriculum and assessment, classroom management, families as partners, strategic planning and teaching methods. While the courses are not free (a fee of $50 per course is charged), they may be a worthwhile investment for schools that struggle to provide high-quality professional development and support for new teachers.
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Self-Assessment of Your School’s Professional Development: Rubric for a Powerful Conversation
Alabama Best Practices Center
http://www.bestpracticescenter.org/pdfs/sarubric.pdf
This rubric, adapted from the National Staff Development Council’s standards for professional development, can help administrators to assess their efforts in this critical area. The assessment helps administrators determine whether professional development is data driven, research based, focused on quality teaching and carried out in learning communities. It also helps administrators create an action plan for their schools.
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Successful Online Professional Development
Treacy, B., Kleiman, G., and Peterson, K. (2002, September). Learning and Leading with Technology, 30(1), 42-47.
http://www.edtechleaders.org/Resources/articles/SucessfulOPD.pdf
Online professional development opportunities offer many advantages including schedule flexibility for participants as well as content flexibility allowing for direct connections to classroom practice. This article outlines a model for establishing online professional development programs and describes elements of successful ones. It also provides descriptions of counties that are currently using online professional development opportunities with their faculties.
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Preparing Teachers for the New Mainstream: In-service Preparation and Professional Development
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. (2001, September 6). Educate America: A Call for Equity in School Reform.
http://www.maec.org/educate/10.html
This article outlines the importance of professional development that is connected to school improvement goals and objectives. It covers the following four areas: The Why and How of Funding, School Control over Staff Development Resources, Building Capacity to Support Innovation and Research and Development in Support of Professional Development.
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