SCHOOL LEADERS: THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL INDUCTION

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SCHOOL LEADERS THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL INDUCTION

• Victoria Duff
• Mentor Training Coordinator
• NJ Department of Education
• 609-292-0189
• Victoria.duff_at_doe.state.nj.us

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The task of a leader is to get his/her people
from where they are to where they have to be.
Henry Kissenger
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Reflections

• What skills do new teachers need to be
  successful?
• What supports will you put in place to help
  novice teachers become successful?

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Mentoring - Induction

• Mentoring
• An action
• Assists novice in making successful transition
• Experience is facilitated and guided
• Makes connections to realities of teaching

• Induction
• A process
• Program over time
• Targeted professional learning
• Mentoring is a component

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Why a Formal Mentor Program?

• Aligned to the CCCS and the Professional
  Standards
• Targeted Professional Development
• Provides access to communities of practice
• Supports the culture of the school
• Links pre-service instruction to actual practice

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School Leader Responsibilities State
Requirements

• Inform new teachers about the mentoring program
• Select the mentors based on district criteria
• Match the mentors and novice teachers
• Respect the confidentiality of the program
• Contribute to ongoing program evaluation

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Additional Roles for School Leaders

• Encourage veterans to become mentors
• Schedule common planning time
• Support classroom observations between the
  mentoring pair
• Continue to be a resource
• Understand all of the components of mentor
  training
• Serve as the FIRST MENTOR of the novice

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Quality Induction Programs

• All novice teachers are involved
• Programs are comprehensive and goals are clearly
  articulated
• Mentoring is a minimum of one year
• Mentors are qualified
• High expectations are set for all involved in the
  program
• Considerations are made about additional teaching
  loads for participants
• Support is ongoing for mentors and novice teacher
  through networking
• Provides data for ongoing improvement from
  program evaluation

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Who Is Mentored?

• Those with a CE (Certificate of Eligibility)
  alternate route
• Those with a CEAS (Certificate of Eligibility
  with Advanced Standing)
• Special Education (CE or CEAS)
• Special Education (standard)
• New to District

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Effective teachers explain content to their
students from different perspectives, respond
accurately to their questions, plan lessons
intelligently, qualify assertions appropriately,
and choose wisely what to include, exclude, and
emphasize in the curriculum. L.S. Schulman (1987)
Harvard Education Review
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Quality Teaching

• A professional norm
• The standard
• The model
• The behaviors
• What are the professional norms we wish to create
  for novice teachers?

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The Professional Standards for Teachers

• A common language
• A definition of the knowledge, skills and
  dispositions for effective teaching
• A conversation tool
• A self-assessment tool
• A lens for the mentor to view practice
• A mirror for the novice to view practice

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The Professional Standards for Teachers

• Subject matter knowledge
• Human growth and development
• Diverse learners
• Instructional planning and strategies
• Assessment
• Learning environment
• Special needs
• Communication
• Collaboration and partnerships
• Professional development

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A Mentor Is.

• Knowledgeable in the content
• Committed to the mentoring process
  confidentiality
• Knowledgeable in pedagogy
• Articulates instructional practices at high
  levels
• Trained as a mentor

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The Focus for Novice Teachers

• Teaching is a developmental process.
• Teaching must be assessed through
  self-assessment, formative assessment, and
  summative assessment.
• Teacher growth is constant when supports are in
  place.
• Teacher growth should be based on competencies,
  not deficits.
• Teaching must focus on high levels of student
  learning.

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Mentor Needs

• The understanding of skill sets
• Roles and responsibilities
• Adult learning theory
• Coaching
• Communication skills
• Problem solving/ conflict resolution skills
• Formative assessment (non-evaluative
• The understanding of professional standards

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Novice Teacher Needs

• Transfer of knowledge from theory to practice
• Understanding of the demands of the profession
• Encouragement to ask questions
• Assignments linked to expertise
• Recognition that they are learning

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Mentors and Novice Responsibilities

• Meet frequently to discuss challenges and
  successes
• Document meeting times
• Make time for observation of teaching and
  feedback of the observations
• Use reflection journals as a conversation tool
• Use the Professional Standards to develop
  teaching practice

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School Leader Supports for Mentoring and Induction

• A welcome letter or call
• A school orientation day with the mentor
• A curriculum packet
• A full explanation of first year activities and
  expectations
• An explanation of the Provisional Teacher Program
• Introductions to staff and special introductions
  on day one

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Supports

• Remember what your first year was like
• Take care in placement
• Provide novice focus groups
• Form professional learning teams
• Provide access to professional learning resources
• Keep an open door policy

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Formative Assessment in the Mentoring Program

• Provides an ongoing measurement of growth over
  time - strengths and weaknesses
• Provides the novice with evidence of student
  learning
• Provides objectivity through data
• Responsive to teacher needs
• Supports collaboration
• Creates a reflective and inquiry based environment

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Formative Assessment in Supervision

• 10 weeks state required formative evaluation
  aligned to standards
• 20 weeks state required formative evaluation
  aligned to standards
• 30 weeks state required summative evaluation
  aligned to standards (leads to standard
  certification)