NEW TEACHER INDUCTION PROGRAM 1
GREENVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT NEW TEACHER INDUCTION PROGRAM 1. "Beginning teacher" means a teacher who: 1. Possesses a teaching license issued by the Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education, Certification and Licensure and Development; 2. Is employed at least half-time, primarily as a classroom teacher, by a school district; and 3. Has taught fewer than ninety (90) consecutive days, or one hundred eighty (180) days total, as a licensed teacher in any public school. 2. "District" means any local school district. 3. "Formal assistance" means a program provided by a district to a beginning teacher that includes, but is not limited to, direct classroom observation and consultation; assistance in instructional planning and preparation; support in implementation and delivery of classroom instruction; and other assistance intended to enhance the professional performance and development of the beginning teacher. 4. "Mentor teacher" means a teacher who: 1. Possesses a standard teaching personnel service or administrative license issued by the Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education, Certification and Licensure and Development; 2. At the time of selection, is employed under contract primarily as a classroom teacher by a public school district or is retired from a public school district; 3. Has successfully taught for three (3) or more years as a licensed teacher in any public school; 4. Has been selected and trained as described in Section 37-9-211, which deals with the selection, nature and extent of duties of mentor teachers, which is listed below: A. The selection, nature and extent of duties of mentor teachers shall be determined by the school district. The following guidelines shall apply: 1) No teacher shall be designated as a mentor teacher unless willing to perform in that role; 2) No mentor teacher shall participate in the evaluation of beginning teachers; 3) Each mentor teacher shall complete successfully a training workshop provided or approved by the Mississippi Teacher Center prior to participating in the beginning teacher support program; 2
4) If a mentor teacher receives additional release time to support a beginning teacher, it is expected that the total workload of other teachers regularly employed by the district should not increase in any substantial manner. B. A district may: (a) compensate mentor teachers from any available funds for additional duties to support a beginning teacher which are performed after regular school hours; (b) grant additional release time to mentor teachers for additional duties to support a beginning teacher which are performed after regular school hours; and (c) employ and compensate substitute teachers from any available funds for assuming the regular teaching duties of mentor teachers who are participating in the beginning teacher program. 5. Has demonstrated mastery of teaching skills and subject matter knowledge. 5. "Teacher" means a licensed employee of a local school district who has a direct responsibility for instruction, coordination of educational programs or supervision of teachers and who is compensated for services from public funds. ' 37-9-201 (1999) ESTABLISHMENT OF BEGINNING TEACHER SUPPORT PROGRAM 1. The Mississippi Teacher Center of the State Department of Education shall establish a beginning teacher support program to provide eligible beginning teachers in this state with continued and sustained support from a formally assigned mentor teacher during the first full year of teaching. 2. After the 1992-1993 school year, any district is eligible to participate in the beginning teacher support program. 3. Two (2) or more districts may operate jointly a beginning teacher support program if they meet all the requirements of Sections 37-9-201 through 37-9-213. 4. Educational consortia established for approved teacher education programs pursuant to rules of the Mississippi Teacher Center are eligible to operate a beginning teacher support program to serve beginning teachers in a participating school district. 5. To the extent practicable, school districts may coordinate with institutions of higher education in the design, implementation and evaluation of mentorship programs. ' 37-9- 205 (1995) Each district that wishes to participate in the beginning teacher support program shall submit a formal application to the Mississippi Teacher Center no later than September 15 of each school 3
year, according to rules of the Mississippi Teacher Center. By that date, districts shall inform the department of: 1. The names of all eligible beginning teachers employed by the district and a description of their teaching assignments and extracurricular duties; 2. The names of mentor teachers selected by a district and a description of their teaching assignments and the endorsement area in which they are certified to teach; 3. A description of the content and calendar of the proposed beginning teacher support program. The program must provide a minimum of ninety (90) hours of direct contact between mentor teachers and beginning teachers, including observation of or assistance with classroom teaching, or both, during the school day; 4. A description of the amount and nature of each eligible beginning teacher's classroom and extracurricular duties and assurance that these duties are not unreasonable for a beginning teacher; and 5. A certification that no eligible beginning teacher is or may be miss-assigned outside the teacher's endorsement area, except as provided for by rules of the Mississippi Teacher Center. ' 37-9-207 (1995) After consulting with representatives of teachers, administrators, school boards, schools of education, the institutions of higher learning and such others as it considers appropriate, the Mississippi Teacher Center shall develop or approve workshops to provide training for mentor teachers and beginning teachers. ' 37-9-209 (1995) 1. The selection, nature and extent of duties of mentor teachers shall be determined by the school district. The following guidelines shall apply: 1. No teacher shall be designated as a mentor teacher unless willing to perform in that role; 2. No mentor teacher shall participate in the evaluation of beginning teachers; 3. Each mentor shall complete successfully a training workshop provided or approved by the Mississippi Teacher Center prior to participating in the beginning teacher support program; and 4. If a mentor teacher receives additional release time to support a beginning teacher, it is expected that the total work load of other teachers regularly employed by the school district should not increase in any substantial manner. 2. A district may: 4
1. Compensate mentor teachers from any available funds for additional duties to support a beginning teacher which are performed after regular school hours; 2. Grant additional release time to mentor teachers for additional duties to support a beginning teacher which are performed after regular school hours; and 3. Employ and compensate substitute teachers from any available funds for assuming the regular teaching duties of mentor teachers who are participating in the beginning teacher program. ' 37-9-211 (1999) The major goals of Greenville Public School District New Teacher Induction Program are to build a sense of culture and to articulate the district's mission and philosophy. It involves a structured training program for all teachers new to the district. This training provides not merely an orientation to the district's organizational pattern, but also a framework of the district's vision for student learning and success. The New Teacher Induction Program (TIP) emphasizes five critical attributes that are the cornerstones of the district's vision: 1. Effective instructional practices. 2. Effective classroom management procedures and routines. 3. A sensitivity to and understanding of the district s culture. 4. Teaching as a reflection of lifelong learning and ongoing professional growth. 5. Unity and teamwork among administration, teachers, support staff, and the community. 5
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 6
Program Description Professional development should be ongoing, career long and very specific to the stages of teacher growth. Therefore, induction has no clear cut timelines. New teachers are inducted during their initial years in teaching and the training and support simply meld into ongoing career long professional development. The New Teacher Induction Program begins with seven days (two days for orientation and five days for New Teacher Academy) of intensive training in early August at the beginning of the school year. Participation is mandatory for teachers so they are required to participate. On the morning of Day 1, new teachers are greeted by the superintendent and members of the supervisory staff. The feelings of teamwork and collegial support are immediately evident as the new "team members" are welcomed aboard. Refreshments are served, pictures are taken, new teachers are organized into a cooperative group, and the instruction begins. The setting is that of a model classroom, with the induction team is representing the teachers and the new teachers are representing the students. The focus of training for the next seven days is on culture, classroom management and instructional strategies. No time is wasted as new teachers delve into instructional practice and learn how to introduce a lesson, how to teach objectives, and how to engage their students in active participation. Procedures and routines for the induction classroom are established, modeled, and practiced from the very beginning. Materials or presentations provided to new teachers include the following: A personal welcome from the superintendent A copy of the district's mission and goals District policies and procedures Curriculum and pacing guides regarding instruction Introduction of software used throughout the district Classroom management tips Day 2 continues with instructional practices. New teachers, in their cooperative groups, actually write instructional objectives and plan sample lessons. On Day 3 new teachers get a chance to meet all the other employees employed throughout the district during Convocation. Convocation sets the tone for the new school year. After Convocation, staff will go into their buildings and meet the staff assigned to their building. Principals will outline their expectations for staff for the upcoming school year and view the school s data. Based on this data, staff will set goals and strategies. On Day 4 training will shift to the curriculum. Teachers will be introduced to what should be taught (state and district frameworks) in the classroom. The pacing guides will determine what curriculum concepts should be taught and when they should be taught. To assist with curriculum and instruction within the buildings at the elementary level, Lead Teachers have 7
been hired. On the district level, Instructional Strategists have been hired. These individuals assist the teachers in learning the importance of structured bell work, routines, procedures, and serving as master teachers or instructional leaders. They also learn to formulate effective discipline plans with clearly stated rules and consequences. On Day 5 training will involve effective instruction in the classroom. Teachers will implement instructional planning based on the state and district frameworks. Other important concepts discussed on this day include: instructional delivery, classroom rituals and routines, collaborative teaching models, and technological resources. On Day 6 staff will review formative and summative assessments. They will learn the assessment cycles implemented by the district. On Day 7 staff will close out the Teacher Academy training. During the afternoon, they will go into their buildings and prepare their classrooms for the arrival of students. Of course, this is not the end of induction. All new teachers will be assigned a mentor. The new teacher and mentor will get together throughout the year and discuss issues or concerns. These meetings will be evident through the Mentor/Mentee Logs that have to be turned in on a monthly basis. Both the mentor and mentee must sign the form. If there is a need to model a lesson, it is done. Throughout the year the principal, curriculum staff, and mentor help the new teachers focus on strengths, weaknesses, and professional development. Monthly meetings are scheduled with the new teachers to address any concerns that they are having. These meetings can cover classroom management, effective teaching strategies, differentiated strategies, touchstones of good teaching, etc. During a teacher's second year with the Greenville Public School District, instructional strategists and lead teachers continue to mentor the new teachers. The lead teachers are considered to be master teachers who are given extra time during the day to work with the teachers. Instructional strategies, professional skills, classroom management techniques, assessment techniques, and policies and procedures receive continued emphasis. In the third and fourth years, teachers receive advanced training in instructional strategies, cooperative learning, higher-level thinking, and more. Instructional strategists will continue to observe and support these teachers. The district will award the mentees with a certificate showing the number of hours completed in the Mentor/Mentee Induction Program. 8
PROGRAM RESULTS 9
Program Results If we want the new teachers to succeed, then Induction should be a MUST! The following are desired results of the New Teacher Induction Program: Reduced anxiety for first-year teachers A higher-quality teaching force A reduced attrition rate for new teachers Increased student achievement A common culture throughout the district A common mission and set of goals A common professional dialogue among teachers, support staff, and the community A willingness to participate in career-long staff development Research shows that support for beginning teachers boosts teacher retention rates and teachers who participate in intensive induction programs are more likely than other beginning teachers to: Use instructional practices that improve student achievement, Assign challenging work to diverse student populations, Use new state curriculum frameworks, and Accomplish the goals of the curriculum. Without support, the most talented educators will most likely leave the profession. Students also suffer if new employees do not receive support. It should be noted that induction programs are not intended to overcome major problems such as assigning teachers to subjects they were not prepared to teach, over-crowded classes and overloads, or to develop those without potential to become acceptable employees (Huling-Austin, 1986, p. 3). Building Induction Teams Building induction teams should include the principal, mentors, mentees, and other support people as needed. The principal should: organize building orientation activities, including a thorough introduction to the school and staff, policies and procedures, and students; facilitate the mentor-mentee relationship; ensure reasonable working conditions; and formally evaluate mentees. Other administrators or support people can provide job-specific help to teachers and/or specialists. Mentors Specific mentor responsibilities should be specified and should include: 10
Facilitate a good start to the year Meet with the mentee regularly Model good instructional practices Observe the mentee Offer suggestions for improvement Provide professional and personal support Maintain a confidential relationship with the mentee Serve as a liaison Properly selected and trained mentors are critical to success of the induction program. Therefore, mentors should have the opportunity to meet with other mentors to discuss mentoring issues and receive training in: Mentees The purpose of the induction program and the role of a mentor Communication skills Listening skills Coaching and conferencing skills Effective teaching/specialist skills Problem solving Knowledge of adult learning and development All participants in the induction program, including mentees, should be aware of their responsibilities. Mentee responsibilities should include attending all orientation activities, seeking help when needed, observing experienced teachers/specialists, meeting regularly with the mentor, meeting with other mentees to discuss experiences, and evaluating the program. It is also recommended that mentees maintain a journal to develop the practice of reflective teaching. PD 360 will also be utilized for teachers needing additional professional development. They will be assigned lessons to view and must provide written feedback based on what they reviewed. They will then put the recommended strategies into practice. Evaluation The induction program should be evaluated at least annually and revised as needed. The evaluation should include input from all of the participants related to the achievement of the program goals, objectives, and competencies. 11
EVALUATION FORM 12
INDUCTION EVALUATION FORM An induction evaluation form is used to orient a newly recruited employee to the job with the help of text brochures and conversations. It is very important for employees to get familiarized with the new work environment and job. Thus it must be planned and executed in a manner such that it validly evaluates the induction process. Name of the employee: Position: Department: Date of Hire: School Site/Department: Person Who Conducted the Induction Evaluation: Date of evaluation: Please circle the appropriate response or fill in the blanks and submit it to the building principal or department head in order to help us gather detailed information about the induction you were subjected to: 1. How many sessions of induction have taken place since the time you were employed? a. More than five b. Less than five c. Not even once 2. How open and approachable was your mentor? a. He/She was very frank and friendly. b. He/She was extremely strict and reserved. c. He/She was a combination of a and b. 3. Was any other medium used for explanation apart from vocal lectures? If yes, then what were those? 4. Were you given a tour of the building/department to make you well-versed with the layout of the building such as fire exists? a. Yes b. No 13
5. Prior to commencement of work, what kind of introduction was given about the people working in the same building of department? a. General introduction (for all) b. Specific introduction (for each) c. No introduction 6. Do you feel that you need additional mentoring in a particular area(s)? If so, in what area(s)? 7. Is there anything else the district could do to make your employment with us a positive experience? 14
MENTOR/MENTEE ASSIGNMENT LETTER 15
MENTOR/MENTEE ASSIGNMENT LETTER Date: To Mentee: From: Employee s Name Mentor s Name I am so glad you decided to join the Greenville Public School District Family. I have been assigned as you mentor for this school year. We will meet on a continuous basis so that any concerns or issues can be addressed very quickly. Mentor/Mentee Logs will be completed on a monthly basis as a means of documenting our sessions. I am looking forward to working with you this year. Welcome Aboard. 16
BEGINNING TEACHER SUPPORT LOG 17
Beginning Teacher Support Log Page of School: Month(s) Teacher: Mentor *This program must provide a minimum of ninety (90) hours of direct contact between mentor teachers and beginning teachers, which include classroom observations and consultations. Date Classroom Observation New Teacher s Class Observation of Mentor Teacher Consultations and Collaborations Professional Development & Workshops Other Mentor/ Beginning Teacher Hours Total Hours MTD Beginning Teacher Signature Mentor Signature 18
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