Supporting Secondary Novice STEM Teachers through a Mentor-Mentee Yearlong Induction Program

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 9:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Building the Bridge: Developing Tailored Induction Models for Diverse Early-Career Educators

Abstract

STEM novice teachers struggle and need mentoring from qualified STEM mentor teachers. Our initiative to address the needs of novice teachers was to implement a yearlong mentor-mentee STEM teacher induction program. Using the Communities of Practice Framework (Lave & Wenger, 1991), this qualitative examination explored the impact of a yearlong induction program for STEM teachers in an urban setting. Mentors and mentees from the 2023-2024 cohort participated in virtual semi-structured interviews. Transcripts were open-coded and analyzed for robust codes. Key themes emerged included collaborative sharing, relationship-building, and New Teacher Academy as the catalyst for mentoring relationships. Both mentors and mentees benefited from the experience though experienced challenges. Implications for STEM novice teacher retention using this model will be discussed.

Authors

• Karen E. McIntush, University of Houston

• Karla Adelina Garza, University of Houston

• Paige K. Evans, University of Houston