Helping New Teachers Thrive: Essentials of New Teacher Induction

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Helping New Teachers Thrive Essentials of New
Teacher Induction

• December 9, 2005
• WERA, SeaTac
• Jeanne Harmon, Executive Director
• Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession
  (CSTP)
• Sue Anderson, TAP Coordinator
• Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
  (OSPI)

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New Teacher Induction Project

• Coordinated by the Center for Strengthening the
  Teaching Profession (CSTP)
• Funded by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation
• In partnership with OSPI

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Essential Question

• What will it take to enable WA to offer its new
  teachers a robust and comprehensive enough
  support/induction program that they develop into
  highly capable practitioners who positively
  impact student learning, remain invested in the
  profession and in WA public schools, and partner
  with veteran teachers in an integrated model of
  adult learning?

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Research and Best Practice

• What goes into a robust program?
• What conditions make that program work?
• Where are organizations seeing success?

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Four New Learnings About Beginning Teacher
Induction

• It calls upon a collective responsibility.
• Its the foundation of a powerful professional
  certification program.
• Its a core element of school improvement.
• Understanding how the culture of schools nurtures
  or negates beginning teachers is critical.

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What are the essential elements of an effective
induction program?

• Hiring
• Orientation
• Mentoring
• Professional Learning
• Formative Assessment of Instruction

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Hiring

• that honors the unique needs and powerful
  potential of beginning teachers
• Prehiring planning includes needs/capacity
  assessment, recruitment, trend analysis
• Information-rich process
• Building-based and shared
• Cooperation with the bargaining unit
• Planned/timely supports

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Orientation

• to school and district beliefs and practices that
  occurs before teaching responsibilities begin
• Welcome and introductions
• Nuts and bolts
• Cohort formation
• Planning for first days
• Information on induction, evaluation,
  resources, guidelines, curricula

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Mentoring

• by a highly qualified mentor
• Proficiency-based selection process
• Well-defined model
• Thoughtful matching
• Ongoing mentor professional development
• Clear role, coordinated with other support

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Mentoring (contd.)

• Engaged in school improvement
• Adequately resourced
• Supported by leadership
• Subject to continuous evaluation

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Professional Learning

• that is purposeful, ongoing, formal and informal,
  and promotes reflection and professional growth
• Dedicated time
• Driven by standards
• Timely, need-to-know
• Differentiated

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Professional Learning (contd)

• Responsive to different entry points
• Coordinated with other Prof Devel
• Includes confidential observations
• Values contributions of new teachers

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Formative Assessment

• focused on improving instructional practice
• Standards-based
• Uses evidence of student learning
• Includes ongoing evaluation of program impact

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State Role

• What are actions that OSPI can take that would be
  helpful?
• What else do we need to consider?

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For more information

• Jeanne Harmon
• Jeanne_at_cstp-wa.org
• 360-692-2082
• www.cstp-wa.org
• Sue Anderson
• sanderson_at_ospi.wednet.edu
• 360-725-6323
• www.k12.wa.us/profdev/tap