Did I Learn Anything?Illini Central Induction-Mentoring Program

Roxanne M. Williams Ed.D.Michelle Hellman

Development of Induction-Mentoring Program

Baby Boomer ExodusNew Generation of Teachers

Concerns about classroom management

Concerns about the pedagogical skills leaving

Support of Inductees

New teacher’s fear and isolation needs to be addressed

Mentor is a friendly, familiar face in the sea of new acquaintances

“Relationships is all there is”

Research Based Program Design:“Progressive Professional Development”Program design is based on research

Evertson & Smithey, statistical evidence for mentor training

Charlotte Danielson, Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching

Podsen & Denmark, Coaching & Mentoring First-Year & Student Teachers

Harry Wong, The First Days of School

SurveyDoes your program assign mentors with inductees?

1. Yes2. No

Yes No0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

78%

22%

Did I Learn Anything?

Purposeful Pairing is a Great Theory

Compatible Personality TypeSame Grade LevelClose Proximity

Summer Meeting for Inductees & Mentors

Induction Day Induction Manual Answer common questions (pay check, how to get a sub.)

Introduce to induction-mentoring program

Harry Wong’s First Days of School

SurveyDo you have an Induction Day(s) as part of your program?

1. Yes2. No

Yes No0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100% 89%

11%

Did I Learn Anything?

Induction Day Should be Away from the School Building

Induction Day Needs to be Interactive

More the Merrier! More There, More Input!

Summer Meeting for Mentors

Mentor Training Day Review of training Opportunity to discuss what learned

Research Emphasis on classroom observation

Planning for Induction Day

SurveyDoes your program include mentor training?1. No2. Training is at least one

day per school year3. Training is twice per

school year4. Formal training based

upon a text/manual which includes multiple days throughout school year

0%20%40%60%

12%25%

0%

62%

0%0%

Did I Learn Anything?

Mentor Training Has BenefitsAwareness of their roleAwareness of how to navigateRaises level of professional talkRaises level of expectations for professional development

School Year Mentor Training

Monthly Mentor Training Meetings Podsen & Denmark’s Coaching & Mentoring First-Year & Student Teachers

Power point and/or video of a lesson or cognitive coaching session

School Year M-I-C Group Meetings Monthly Meetings: M-I-C Group (Mentors-Inductees-Coordinator) Inspirational Discuss a monthly topic from Charlotte Danielson’s FrameworkCoordinator’s power point or special speaker from within the district, and group discussion

School Year M-I-C Group Meetings Continued

Next month’s mentoring packet is handed out New monthly topic (Danielson) Planning Guide with individualized inductee

goal Observation requirement with checklists Article Discussion Reading assignment for the mentors (Podsen

& Denmark) Treats

School Year M-I-C Trio Meetings

Monthly Meetings: M-I-C Trio (Mentor-Inductee-Coordinator) Coordinator meets with mentor pair to answer questions and offer support

School Year M-I Pair Meetings

Weekly Meetings: M-I pair (Mentor-Inductee) Offer support to inductee▪Answer questions about the school, district, policies, etc. ▪Act as a sounding board (may vent)

Monthly Packet

School Year M-I Pair Meetings continued

Monthly packet Planning guide (individualized goal setting)

Article discussion Observation discussion

SurveyWhat type of meetings are required of your inductees?

1. None2. Only with mentor, based

upon inductee request3. Required mentor-

inductee meetings4. Required M-I meetings

and M-I-C meetings5. Required M-I meetings,

M-I-C meetings, and M-I-C group meetings

0%15%30%45%

11%33%

11%0%

44%

0%

Did I Learn Anything?

At Times, Teachers Feel Overwhelmed from so Many Meetings

Teachers Benefit from the Meetings

School Year Observations with PurposeClassroom observation taught in stages to inductees and mentors Leads to cognitive coaching, peer coaching, and action research

Induction Manual contains Observation Guide based upon Podsen & Denmark’s work

SurveyWhat type of classroom observations are required by your program?

1. None2. Mentor informal

observation3. Mentor and inductee

informal observation4. Mentor formal

observation (cognitive coaching)

5. Mentor and inductee formal observation (cognitive coaching)

0%20%40%60%

30%10%0%10%

50%

0%

Did I Learn Anything?

At Times, Teachers Feel Overwhelmed with Commitments to do Classroom Observation

Teachers Benefit from Classroom Observations (observing and being observed)

Connections Outside of IC

Second school district in IL to receive ISBE approval for an induction-mentoring program

UISPresentations INTCKDP Connect

Website Research

How Does a Mentoring Program Fit Into All the Other Professional Development Initiatives at Our School?

Mentoring is a form of professional development and it ties directly into all of the other professional development initiatives at our school.

Seven Priority Expectations from Illinois State Board of Education

5 Essentials : Survey of Learning Conditions

Illinois Shared Learning Environment Common Core and cohesive curriculum Local Assessment System Stem Programs of Study and Individual

Learning Plans Performance Evaluation Reform Act Mentoring and induction for new

teachers and new principals

5Essentials: Survey of Learning Conditions This survey is used to provide a detailed

look at the inner workings of a school from an organized perspective. The survey is like taking an X-ray of a school to identify strengths and weaknesses.

The five indicators on the survey are : Effective Leaders Collaborative Teachers Involved Families Supportive Environments Ambitious Instruction

Common Core and Cohesive Curriculum Mentoring programs provide an opportunity for

veteran teachers to help novice teachers with creating unit plans to cover common core standards.

Mentoring and induction programs provide a chance for mentors and inductees to observe in classrooms to gain knowledge about instruction and curriculum across grade levels.

Mentoring and induction programs provide an opportunity to provide feedback to one another about instruction that takes place in classrooms.

Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) The Mentoring and Induction

Program provides detailed information on teaching based on the competencies from Charolette Danielson’s “Enhancing Professional Practice A Framework for Teaching”

New teacher evaluation is based on Charolette Danielson’s framework

Teacher Leadership?

Multitude of education initiatives – Administrators cannot implement it all alone

Teacher buy-inTeachers viewed as credible sources

Did I Learn Anything?

Challenges and VictoriesPrisoner, vacationer, learnerAdministrator’s supportFunding

SurveyDo you perceive that there are prisoners, vacationers, and learners amongst your inductee pool?

1. Yes2. Some school

years3. No

Yes Some school years

No0%

20%40%60%80%

100%

0% 0% 0%

SurveyHow supportive do you feel your administrators are toward your mentoring-induction program?

1. Opposed2. Indifferent3. Some4. Interested 5. Interested &

involvedOpp

osed

Some

Intere

sted &

invo

lved (7)

0%30%60%90%

0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

What Are Your Current Concerns?

Did you learn anything from your challenges and victories?

Reflecting on challenges and victories builds support for new growth.

Contact Information

Roxanne M. Williams Ed.D.teachericgs@yahoo.com

Michelle Hellmanmhellman@illinicentral.org