Induction and Support:
Keeping Teachers Teaching
Shauna Lane, Education Specialist
Lela Taubert, Education Specialist
Purpose – Guiding Questions
• Look at how to create a network of
support so that new teachers have
more than a chance to be successful:
• Why do we need an induction
program?
• Who are they? Where are they? (skill
level)
• What do they need?
• How much and when?
• How do we do this?
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Highly Qualified Beginning Teachers
-NCTAF
• Possess a deep understanding of the subjects they teach
• Evidence a firm understanding of how students learn
• Demonstrate the teaching skills necessary to help all students achieve
high standards
• Create a positive learning environment
• Use a variety of assessment strategies to diagnose and respond to
individual learning needs
• Demonstrate and integrate modern technology into the school curriculum
to support student learning
• Collaborate with colleagues, parents and community members, and other
educators to improve student learning
• Reflect on their practice to improve future teaching and student
achievement
• Pursue professional growth in both content and pedagogy
• Instill a passion for learning in their students.
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To understand, we must
know why we need an
induction program…
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The crisis:
• Teachers are leaving the profession.
• We are not recruiting those who
would teach.
• Many who are entering teaching
have alternative certification.
• Most who leave cite lack of support
as #1 cause, above money and
tough kids.
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50
% of teachers
leaving
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Beginning
Teacher
Attrition
40
33
30
20
46
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14
10
(national data) Source: Richard Ingersoll
0
After After 2 After 3 After 4 After 5
1st
years years years Years
Year
Five Year
Attrition Rate
for Teachers
(Source: analysis of 2007 TEA and
SBEC Texas data by Dr. Ed Fuller)
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Minimum field experience hours required
What’s the Point?
• NCTAF’s summary report:
• Issue—teacher supply isn’t the problem;
teacher retention is the problem. Teacher
supply is a symptom of the problem.
• Just because someone has a college
degree doesn’t mean he or she knows
everything about being a teacher.
Becoming a teacher is a life-long
pursuit and a complex task!
• Preparatory programs alone cannot prepare
teachers for what teaching requires today.
• Action Step—Effective Induction
programs
• Those without induction support leave at a
rate 70% higher than those with help.
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Cost of Teacher Turnover
• Partner Talk: 2 Minutes
• Think: What are costs that could
be calculated as a result from
teacher turnover? Are there costs
that are not calculable?
Talk: Share with a person next to
you.
• Separation costs
• Hiring costs
• Training and support costs
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To help, we must
understand who they are
and where they are…
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Where are they?
Steps to
Success
Conscious Unconscious
Competence
Unconscious Competence
Conscious Competence
Conscious Incompetence
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Unconscious Incompetence
Stages of Teacher Development
• Stage I: Survival Stage (1st year)
• Stage 2: Adjustment Stage (2nd, 3rd, 4th )
• Stage 3: Mature Stage (5th and beyond)
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Remember…NEW teachers are NEW!
…it doesn’t get easier; we get better!
• To achieve better results, we can either
• Get better students,
• Get better teachers, or
• Improve the people we have!
New teachers have a variety of needs,
but cannot do everything at once.
We must provide on-going support
that is timely and responsive to
their unique needs…
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To implement, we need to
know what they need and
when…
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FYTs need:
Mentoring & Support
•Training and Coaching
•Time to try
•Feedback and follow up
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When and how much?
from Ellen Moir’swork at UCSC
New Teachers Attitudes Toward Teaching
Anticipation
Anticipation
Survival
Reflection
Rejuvenation
Disillusionment
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Jan
Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug
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w/o support
w support
First Year Teacher Needs:
Perceptions before school starts
• Needs:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Classroom Organization
Getting the room and lessons ready
Meeting parents
Getting resources
Who to ask; where to find…
Dealing with students with special needs
Maintaining control of the classroom
• Thoughts:
• Can I do it?
• Will they like me?
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First Year Teacher Needs:
At the beginning of school
(2-4 weeks into semester)
• Needs:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Time Management
Classroom Organization (materials, mail, paperwork, meetings)
Dealing with real parents
Discipline (whole class and “that one”)
Planning lessons
Assessing students –how much do I count?
Dealing with stress
Dealing with other adults
Special Ed issues (paperwork, modifications, ARDS)
TEKS & STAAR
• Thoughts:
• How does anyone get it all done?
• This is harder that I thought!
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First Year Teacher Needs:
Reflections in the 2nd semester
• Needs:
• Classroom organization and management: getting a system
• Time, materials, arrangement, behavior
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Dealing with parents: conferencing, partners
Discipline
Instruction: planning, preparing, teaching, assessing
Stress Management: physically and emotional
Teacher evaluation
Professional and legal issues
Special Ed issues
Technology, TEKS, & STAAR
• Thoughts…
• I can do this…I know lots of things that don’t work and some that do…
• I wish I had been stricter when I started…
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To evaluate our process,
we need to know what a
system of support looks
like…
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Issues in Teacher Induction
From Leslie Huling
• First day expectations
• Isolation from peers
• “Double barrier to assistance”
• Beginning teacher hesitant to request assistance
• Experienced teachers reluctant to interfere and/or give assistance
• Teaching Assignment
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The Solution?
• 3 Powerful Strategies
• Teacher Preparation
• Schools as Learning
Communities
• Comprehensive Induction
Program
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Those schools without induction support
How do we do this?
What does a system of support look like?
FYT
Mentors &
Coaches
Campus
Support
District
Support
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Beginning Teacher Attrition After One Year
According to Amount of Induction Help
Source: Smith, T.M & Ingersoll, R. M. (2004)
* Basic Induction means having a mentor and supportive communication from administrator.
** Collaboration refers to schedule time and for collaboration with other teachers in the same field and participation in a new teacher seminar.
*** Extra resources refers to having a reduced course load, participation in an external network of teachers, and having an aide.
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Induction Program Recommendations
• Academies
• District and campus plan:
goal/objective for teacher retention—3 year plan
• Year 1—induction (management)
• Year 2—instruction (basics)
• Year 3—assessment (advanced)
• Beginning Educator Support Teams (BEST)
• Mentors or mentor teams
• FYT Support Teams: District and campus
• Administrators, mentors, department chair
• District Induction Team
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Induction Components
1. Collegiality: Mentoring and Coaching
• A trained and willing mentor/team in the same field
is assigned to the new teacher with a plan.
2. Collaboration with Peers
• The new teacher has a common planning time with
teachers in the same field with scheduled
collaboration time with other teachers focused on
student learning.
3. Communication
• The new teacher has supportive communication
with admin, receives feedback from campus
leaders, a safe channel for communicating needs &
concerns.
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Induction Components
4. Commitment to Continuous Improvement
• The new teacher participates in planned, targeted professional
development through FYT Academies and other learning
opportunities as part of an overall personal professional
development plan with follow-up & support.
5. Connections
• The new teacher participates in an external network, such as
online new teacher groups, content groups, etcetera and
receives an orientation to the district, campus, and community.
6. Considerations
• The new teacher has a reduced teaching load to facilitate
observations and professional development, limited number of
subject preparations, help from a teacher’s aide, and not
responsible for time-consuming extra-curricular assignments.
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Some non-negotiables…
• Develop a systemic plan of support
• Annual administrator update (Central and Campus)
• Inform and train principals
• Select and train mentors/teams
• Train a cadre of mentors to choose from
• Offer 2 tracts—veteran and novice mentors
• Hold them accountable
• Campus Mentor Leader OR Campus Mentoring Team instead of
individuals
• Support and challenge FYTs
• Provide FYT Academy and mentor support sessions throughout
the year. Provide academies through PLCs
• Develop a program evaluation
*This may be the school’s most important at-
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Resources…
Ginger Tucker’s The Heart of Teaching Series
NCTAF National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future
Smith, T.M. & Ingersoll, R.M., (2004)
SBEC Texas Data by Dr. Ed Fuller
Alliance for Excellent Education (July 2014)
William S. Howell, Bob Pike
Leslie Huling
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Shauna Lane
ESC 17 Education Specialist
slane@esc17.net
Lela Taubert
ESC 17 Education Specialist
ltaubert@esc17.net
INUCTION AND SUPPORT:
KEEPING TEACHERS TEACHING
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