A Teacher Induction Program

• In Event: Mentoring Scholars: Building a Network for Research in the Field of Mentoring

Abstract

TIP worked with 148 schools in 18 school districts, providing professional development for 203 mentors and 2,162 first- and second-year PK-12 teachers. Of the 18 school districts, two served the Navajo and Hopi Nations, nine districts were located outside the metropolitan area, four districts were within the metropolitan central area, two districts were in the suburbs, and one district was private. The 18 school districts had various years of participation in TIP, from one to seven years. The student population served by the 18 school districts was 163, 808.

TIP provided professional development ranging from 160 hours for the mentors, 16 hours for first-year teachers, 20 hours for second-year teachers, and eight hours for administrators. TIP focused on building high quality, trusting relationships among all participants, focusing on evaluation of teaching practices using a planning conference, collecting classroom observational data, and then concluding with a reflective conference.

In the process of designing an induction program that ensures professional transformation and accelerated practice, three Transformational Learning Stages were identified for new mentors and beginning teachers (Author, 2017; Author, & Author X, 2010). Each stage is comprised of professional learning components that help learners acclimate and transcend to the next learning level. The first stage identified is role focused. Individuals, who are new to a practice, spend the greater part of their time developing their role as mentor or teacher. Most of their focus is spent acclimating to the new environment and creating a foundation on which they can build relationships. The second stage is practice focused. During this stage, individuals spend the greatest part of their time enhancing their practice and skill. They become more familiar with the tools and resources that are available to them in their role as mentor or teacher. Teachers spend time developing effective lesson plans, organizing their time more efficiently, and implementing instructional strategies that engage students. The third stage is learner focused. During this stage, the transformation occurs when the teacher and mentor begin to realize the impact they had on the individuals with whom they have been directly working. Teachers begin to see their practices of analyzing student work, differentiating instruction, and using formative assessment as effective practices to meet student needs.

The results of TIP had dramatic implications for the beginning teachers’ practices as well as their retention in their positions. The first-year beginning teachers in the program had a full-time mentor who met with them two hours per week. The transformational learning stages were utilized by the mentor and the teacher to identify classroom practice.

Overall, the comparison data through 2005-2012 (Author & Author X, 2012; Author, 2017) documents positive results in producing an increase in student achievement scores. When compared with the veteran teachers, most of the beginning teachers’ student achievement scores were higher than the veteran teachers. Retention data reported throughout the program revealed all districts had a higher retention rate with TIP which provided a full-time mentor than those without the program.

Author

• Patty J. Horn, Northern Arizona University