Cultivating High-Quality Teaching Through Induction and Mentoring
Carol A. Bartell (Foreword by Linda Darling-Hammond)
THE PUBLICATION INFO:
Corwin Press (2005)
THE TARGET AUDIENCE:
Teachers, administrators, board members, parents, and those serious about recruiting, retaining, and developing the best teachers for students.
THE PURCHASING INFO:
Corwinpress.com ($32.95 for paperback; $69.95 for hardcover); Amazon.com ($69.95)
Induction is much more than retaining teachers. It is and must be about helping all teachers become more professional and better equipped to do their work – most importantly teaching. Ultimately, induction must be about improving student learning.
The text focuses on new teachers’ needs while emphasizing high-quality teaching through the use of standards-based teaching, teacher assessments, and reflective practice. Through extensive research, Bartell has identified the critical elements in shaping induction policies that lead to teacher retention and improved student achievement. Because teachers begin with different levels of preparation, Bartell addresses how to adjust programs to meet differing needs in a variety of school contexts.
Bridging the gap between knowledge and practice, this handbook includes:
- A description of the challenges that new teachers face
- The key elements of an effective induction plan
- The role of mentoring in a successful induction program
- Information on induction in the most challenging setting-urban schools
- Models and approaches to assessment during the induction period
This text emphasizes a developmental approach to encourage teachers to a higher level of practice. The challenge is not just to prepare teachers to teach but to prepare them to teach better.
- What is your metaphor for teachers?
- What are the needs of teachers based on your metaphor?
- What are key reasons for teacher attrition – in your school, in your district, in your region of the state?
- What are the challenges facing teachers in your school and/or district?
- Bartell believes induction has five purposes:
(a) retaining teachers
(b) helping teachers become more professional and better at what they do
(c) using the expertise of the experienced teacher to guide the novice teacher
(d) giving teachers careful, thoughtful and relevant feedback on their work
(e) improving student learning.
What do you see as the primary purpose of induction in your school or district?
- What beliefs and assumptions define your school or district’s purpose?
- What is your reality based on the data?
- What are the gaps between what your school or district believes or says it believes, what it does, and what we know is right?
- How do we close those gaps?
- There are five characteristics of effective induction programs (see Chapter 3 of text). How do you rate your school/district on each characteristic?
- What are the priorities related to teacher induction in your school or district? Test your priorities against your colleagues and the administrators of the school.
- How are your priorities connected?
- How will you/your school/your district make it happen? First steps? Next? Then?
- How will you/your school/your district know when 'it' has happened?
FOR FURTHER READING:
- Portner, H. (2001). Training mentors is not enough: Everything else schools and districts need to do. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
- Richin, R., Banyon, R., Stein, R.P., & Banyon, F. (2003). Induction: Connecting teacher recruitment to retention. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.