Lessons Learned From an Intervention to Support and Retain Early Career Secondary Mathematics Teachers

• In Event: Studies on Newly Hired Teachers: What We Know From Published Research to What Teachers Experience

Abstract

This paper reports lessons learned from a multi-year effort to design and implement a yearlong intervention intended to support early career secondary mathematics teachers. The intervention was designed to support their development of meaningful professional relationships with a school-based mentor and to create a professional online community of practice. The intervention itself consists of early career teachers and their mentors participating in monthly activities such as online meetings, Zoom panels with experts, and collaboratively reading and discussing timely, purposeful, and relevant content. The intervention was designed to not over burden the participants, to be feasible for national implementation with little funding, and with a goal of retaining these teachers in the profession by providing them through meaningful and targeted support.

Authors

• Lisa Amick, University of Kentucky

• Travis Weiland, University of Houston