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I TeachI light or spark in a darkened soul

I warm the heart of one grown cold

I look beyond and see within

Behind the face, beneath the skin

I quench a thirst, I soothe a pain

I provide the food that will sustain

I touch, I love, I cry

Whatever is needed, I supply

Yet more than I give, I gain from each

I am most richly blessed – I teach.--Annette L Breaux

Why are we here?Why are we here?

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Immediate ReasonsImmediate Reasons

• Provide you with an overview of the Provide you with an overview of the MSD Torchbearer ProgramMSD Torchbearer Program

• To give you the tools to help our new To give you the tools to help our new staff have a successful transition into staff have a successful transition into the school districtthe school district

• To let you know how much we value To let you know how much we value your participation in the your participation in the Torchbearer ProgramTorchbearer Program

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Why do we have a district Why do we have a district wide mentoring wide mentoring

program?program?

•Merrimack School District is Merrimack School District is committed to attracting and committed to attracting and retaining the best teachers in retaining the best teachers in order to provide a quality order to provide a quality education for all of its education for all of its students.students.

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According to the study What Matters Most: Teaching for America’s Future, recruiting, preparing, and retaining good teachers is the central strategy for improving our schools.

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Induction Increases Induction Increases RetentionRetention

• 33% of qualified new teachers leave 33% of qualified new teachers leave within the first three years.within the first three years.

• 50% of qualified new teachers leave 50% of qualified new teachers leave within the first seven years.within the first seven years.

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Why do teachers leave?Why do teachers leave?• Lack of supportLack of support• Disenchantment with Disenchantment with

teaching assignmentsteaching assignments• Difficulty balancing Difficulty balancing

personal and personal and professional demandsprofessional demands

• Excessive paperworkExcessive paperwork• Inadequate classroom Inadequate classroom

management management • Inadequate disciplineInadequate discipline• High StressHigh Stress

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Big ExpectationsBig Expectations

• New teachers are expectedNew teachers are expected to assume the same tasks and to assume the same tasks and responsibilities as the most seasoned responsibilities as the most seasoned

teacher on the staff.teacher on the staff.• New teachers are expected to perform New teachers are expected to perform

the full complement of duties the full complement of duties immediately, learning as they go along.immediately, learning as they go along.

• New teachers are expected to be fully New teachers are expected to be fully prepared to teach on the first day of prepared to teach on the first day of school and then get better each year.school and then get better each year.

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First Year Support is First Year Support is CriticalCritical

• New teachers who are New teachers who are left to fend for left to fend for themselves feel isolated, themselves feel isolated, vulnerable.vulnerable.

• New teachers are often New teachers are often reluctant to ask for help, reluctant to ask for help, fearing the perception of fearing the perception of incompetence.incompetence.

• The first year may mean a The first year may mean a move away from familiar move away from familiar settings and people to a settings and people to a situation where situation where everything is unfamiliar.everything is unfamiliar.

• Collaborative Collaborative experiences will lead experiences will lead beginning teachers to beginning teachers to use advanced use advanced teaching techniques teaching techniques earlier in their earlier in their careers.careers.

• New teachers want New teachers want feedback.feedback.

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Categories of Categories of Support Support

•PhysicalPhysical•EmotionalEmotional•InstructioInstructionalnal

•InstitutionInstitutionalal

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Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

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Physiological NeedsPhysiological Needs

•Classroom location and Classroom location and Building FamiliarityBuilding Familiarity

•InformationInformation•ResourcesResources

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Emotional NeedsEmotional Needs

•Safe spaceSafe space•AffirmationAffirmation•EmpathyEmpathy•A sense of belongingA sense of belonging•Self-esteemSelf-esteem

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Instructional Instructional SupportSupport

• Time management tipsTime management tips• Instructional strategiesInstructional strategies• Student assessment strategiesStudent assessment strategies• Ideas for establishing routinesIdeas for establishing routines• Curriculum designCurriculum design• Lesson planningLesson planning

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Institutional Institutional SupportSupport

•Staff evaluation proceduresStaff evaluation procedures•Resource acquisitionResource acquisition•Expectations regarding before Expectations regarding before

and after monitoring dutiesand after monitoring duties•Building initiatives Building initiatives •Leave or attendance policiesLeave or attendance policies

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Support is the Key to Support is the Key to SuccessSuccess

• 95% of beginning teachers who 95% of beginning teachers who experience support during their experience support during their initial years remain in teaching initial years remain in teaching after three years.after three years.

• 80% of the supported teachers 80% of the supported teachers remain in teaching after five remain in teaching after five years.years.

So Why Are We Here?So Why Are We Here?

•MSD believes that an effective MSD believes that an effective mentoring program is mentoring program is characterized by strong characterized by strong leadership and management that leadership and management that are created in partnership with are created in partnership with mentor program leaders, mentor program leaders, mentors, mentees and mentors, mentees and administrators in each building.administrators in each building.

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First StepFirst Step

• Today is the first step in the journey to Today is the first step in the journey to begin building long term professional begin building long term professional growth. To foster growth, new teachers growth. To foster growth, new teachers must be given structure as well as must be given structure as well as flexibility, and developmental flexibility, and developmental opportunities. opportunities.

• Tomorrow you will meet with your Tomorrow you will meet with your mentees/mentors and take that first step mentees/mentors and take that first step together.together.

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Bottom Line…Bottom Line…• Quality training Quality training

produces quality produces quality teaching.teaching.

• Quality teachers Quality teachers improve student improve student achievement.achievement.