Teacher Induction Programs: A Strategy for Improving the Professional Experience of Beginning Career

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Teacher Induction Programs A Strategy for
Improving the Professional Experience of
Beginning Career and Technical Education Teachers

• Richard M. Joerger
• Chris Bremer
• Dept. of Work, Community, and Family Education
• University of Minnesota

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Topics

• Background
• Project
• Personal
• Justification for Staff Development for Beginning
  Teachers
• Teacher Preparation Processes and Forces
• Research
• Sample Induction Program Components

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Background
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Teacher Induction

• activities and processes necessary to
  successfully induct a teacher into the
  profession. An effective induction program
  should include orientation, mentoring, staff
  development specific to protégés needs,
  observations of experienced teachers at work, and
  peer support groups (Sweeny, 2001)

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Teacher Induction

• Usually regarded as the aggregate of professional
  events teachers experience from the time they
  sign the contract until they are comfortably
  established as a professional teacher.
  (Camp and Heath, 1988)

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NDCCTE Proposal

• Identify, synthesize, translate, and disseminate
  research conducted by career and technical
  education researchers that was funded by the
  National Center for Research in Vocational
  Education (NCRVE)
• Topic of Need in CTE
• Process for Identifying the Need
• Process for Translating the Research

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Personal Background and Experience
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Teacher Education

• Teacher Preparation
• Preservice
• Staff Development
• Agricultural Education
• Secondary
• Middle School
• Adult
• Career and Technical Education
• Research
• Induction - Forms of Assistance Models

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Current Staff Development Efforts

• Director of Minnesota Agricultural Education
  Teacher Induction Program (TIP)
• Director of Minnesota Farm Business Management
  Education Professional Excellence Program (PEP)
• Courses Workshops Secondary Adult

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Rationale for Information Concerning Teacher
Induction
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The Challenge Shortages or Distribution Problems
of Teachers

• Sources of a Cadre of Quality Teachers
• New graduates from colleges of education
• Graduates of alternative licensure programs
• Career teachers
• Re-entry teachers
• Emergency or provisionally licensed
• Other______________________________

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The Challenge High Turnover Rates of Novice
Teachers

• Opinions and research suggest 35-50 percent of
  new teachers leave in the first five years in the
  profession

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Teacher Preparation Processes and Forces
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Typical state system of teacher development,
assessment, and certification.
PRESERVICE
INDUCTION
CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Master Teaching Certificate No limit. Renewable.
Standard Teaching Certificate No limit.
Renewable, often every five years on evidence
of professional development
University Teacher Education Program
Initial Teaching Certificate Often about a 4-year
limit
Summative assessment points that are related to
the Professional Teaching Standards
Source Sweeny, B.W. (2001). Leading the
teacher induction and mentoring program.
Skylight Publishing, Inc.
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Influences on Teacher Development
Mentoring
Teaching Experience
Formal Pre- Continued Professional Developm
ent
Source Quality Mentoring for Novice Teachers
Eds. Sandra J. Odell and Leslie Huling
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Stages of Development of Novice Teacher
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Major Stages of Development

• Survival
• Task
• Impact
• Fuller (1969) and Fuller Bown (1975)

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Phases of First Year Teachers Attitude Towards
Teaching (Moir, 1992)
Anticipation
Anticipation
Survival
Reflection
Rejuvenation
Disillusionment
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan
Feb Mar Apr May June
July
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Teacher Career Continuum
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Teacher Development Continuum
Preservice
Induction
In-Service
Renewal
Source Quality Mentoring for Novice Teachers ,
Eds. Sandra J. Odell and Leslie Huling
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Other Factors that Influence the Development of
the Novice Teacher

• Socialization Theory
• Career Development Theory
• Adult Development Theory
• Physical Relationships
• Cognitive Work Roles
• Family and Sex Roles Personality Dev.
• Relationships Life Tasks
• Work Roles

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Research Findings
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Areas of Focus

• Benefits from enrollment in teacher induction
  program
• Difficulties and challenges experienced by
  beginning teachers
• Impact desired forms of assistance
• Needs of Beginning Teachers not Prepared in
  Traditional Teacher Preparation Model

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Benefits of Enrollment in Teacher Induction
Programs

• Enhanced self confidence and classroom management
  (Conner, 1984)
• Improvement in lesson planning discipline
  (Eisner, 1984)
• Reviewing techniques improved better eye
  contact, and voice inflection improved
  (Huling-Austin Murphy,1987)

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Benefits of Enrollment in Teacher Induction
Programs

• More positive attitudes toward teaching and plan
  to continue in profession longer
• (Henry, 1988 Odell Ferraro, 1992 Varah,
  Theune, Parker, 1986)
• Achievement scores of students of highly skilled
  and satisfied teachers are higher
  (Darling-Hammond, 2000)

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Challenges and Difficulties of Novice Teachers

• Student management
• Student motivation
• Locating teaching materials
• Room and lesson organization
• Understanding complex school systems
• Meeting needs of individual students
• (Griffen, 1985 Odell, 1986 Veenman, 1984)

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Challenges and Difficulties of Novice Teachers
(contd)

• Insufficient time for preparation
• Relationships with parents
• Selecting and using alternative teaching
  strategies
• (Veenman, 1984)

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• Findings from CTE Research

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Heath-Camp, Camp, Adams-Casmus, Talbert, and
Barber (1992)

• In order, the student, system, and program were
  sources of greatest proportion of significant
  events in professional lives of 12 beginning CTE
  teachers.

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Mundt (1991)

• Challenges facing beginning teachers included
• Conditions of facilities
• Classroom management issues
• Organizational issues
• Greater desire for supervision from principal
• Determining curriculum, scope, sequence pace

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Heath-Camp, Camp, Adams-Casmus, Talbert, and
Barber (1992)

• Desired forms of assistance
• having an adequate supply of materials,
  textbooks and workbooks
• availability of planning time before the start
  of school
• helpful feedback and evaluation from the
  principal
• orientation to school policies
• information on how to secure supplies and
  equipment
• extra planning period parental support

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• Heath-Camp, Camp, Adams-Casmus, Talbert, and
  Barber (1992)
• Concluded that the nature and impact of many of
  the events experienced by beginning CTE teachers
  reflect common experiences of individuals
  progressing through early stages of vocational
  development.

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Heath-Camp, Camp, Adams-Casmus, Talbert, and
Barber (1992)

• Needs of Beginning Teachers not Prepared in
  Traditional Teacher Preparation Model
• A mentor in the same or related instructional
  area
• A support group
• A curriculum
• Sources of resources
• Record of helpful tips

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• Instructional materials from the previous
  instructor
• An orientation to the career and technical
  student organization
• Orientation to system workings, policies, and
  procedures
• More preparation time before the beginning of
  courses
• Access to a variety of workshops when needed
• A help hot line for new and beginning teachers

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Nichols Mundt (1996)

• Most important competencies for survival
• Classroom Management
• Safety Competencies

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Mullenex (1996)

• Most helpful induction practices
• Peer support group
• Handbooks for beginning teachers
• Release time above normal assignment
• Specialized orientations
• Classroom observation

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Kirby Lebude (1998)

• Retention strategies of major importance found to
  have the greatest impact were
• adequate supply of materials, textbooks and
  workbooks
• adequate facilities
• provisions for reimbursement for continuing
  education exist
• a positive work environment
• effective student discipline policies that were
  endorsed and upheld by school administrators

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Mundt Connors (1999)

• Concerns and challenges included
• managing the overall activities of the local FFA
  chapter
• building support within the school system
• balancing professional and personal
  responsibilities
• recruiting and motivating students in
  agricultural education
• using proper classroom management strategies
• time management
• building support from parents, organizations and
  adult groups within the community.

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Edwards Briers, 2000

• Concluded in-service education should be offered
  to assist entry-phase teachers in the areas
  of
• facilitating change in curriculum and
  technologies,
• facilitating balance in personal and professional
  roles,
• facilitating public image, and
• facilitating student leadership growth

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Joerger Boettcher, 2000

• Forms of assistance provided by local school
  district personnel with greatest impact upon
  their professional experience
• Parental support
• Availability of materials and textbooks
• Extra planning time
• Curriculum guides for the program
• Feedback from the principal

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Teacher Induction Programs One Part of the
Solution to Retaining Teachers
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Components of Successful Teacher Induction
Programs for CTE Teachers
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Heath-Camp, Camp, Adams-Casmus, Talbert,
Barber (1992)
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Professional Development Program - Teacher
Induction

• Beginning Teacher Handbook
• On-going In-service Workshops
• Peer Group Support
• Professional Development Plan
• Coaching in Reflection
• Certification Courses

• Structured Mentoring Program
• Detailed Orientation
• Administrative Support
• Professional Development Coordinator
• Professional Development Center

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Suggestions for Policymakers and Administrators

• Place high priority upon induction programs
• Involvement in establishment, support, promotion
  and implementation of programs
• Address system issues

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Research Recommendations

• Determine current nature and use of various
  teacher induction models in CTE
• Investigate ways that existing teacher induction
  models used impact CTE teachers
• Determine best ways and types of induction
  programs to meet teacher needs
• Impact of variables within categories of the
  Teacher Proximity Continuum upon teacher
  performance and retention, and student achievement

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Thank You!

• My special thanks goes to Chris Bremer who
  planned and carried out a memorable journey in
  completing this effort!