The reasoning behind Teacher Induction Programs
Teacher Induction Programs provide newly hired teachers with the support, guidance, and resources they need to be successful – it’s a big job. Overall, more than 44 percent of new teachers leave the profession within five years, and part of addressing the education crisis is making sure that the education teams we build stay together and excel at the job they need to do. This takes time – education isn’t a job one can pick up quickly and master in a short time, and the skills and best practices in the teaching profession are constantly evolving.
How do Teacher Induction Programs help?
Teacher Induction Programs are designed to help new teachers develop skills and build confidence and support them through the difficult first years of teaching. There are many school or agency standards and expectations that go along with this difficult beginning, and these things, coupled with low pay, long hours, and other issues, some of which are detailed below, result in a disproportionately high turnover rate that negatively affects the entire profession. Induction programs can’t address all the reasons teachers quit, but well run programs can, and do, observably reduce the high attrition rate and improve career satisfaction by helping to mitigate a number of problematic conditions – including preparation, adaptive skills, dealing with the reality of teaching and the working conditions that go along with it, and a potential lack of support from peers and experienced teachers.
Why do new teachers leave the profession?
Inadequate preparation for economic and classroom demands
Beginning teachers with little or no preparation are 2½ times more likely to leave the classroom after one year compared to their well-prepared peers. Complete preparation includes, but goes beyond, economic and classroom preparation.
Economic and job satisfaction oriented preparation policies and tools include service scholarships, loan forgiveness, residencies, and robust career pathways – and support reaching those higher level careers – from early points in a teacher’s education.
How does insufficient mentoring support lead to increased teacher attrition?
New teachers who do not receive mentoring and other support leave at more than double the rate of those who do. Robust mentoring programs, such as those found in many well-run teacher induction programs, have been shown to be effective tools to make sure teachers feel supported – and to make sure they actually are.
Insufficient support for new teachers leads to increased teacher attrition in several ways. When new teachers do not feel as though they are receiving the necessary support and guidance, they may begin to feel overwhelmed and isolated. This can lead to feelings of job dissatisfaction and burnout, causing new teachers to consider leaving the profession prematurely. Without proper support and mentoring from advanced, more experienced teachers, new teachers may struggle to manage their classroom effectively and adapt to the unforeseen demands of teaching, creating more frustration.
The combination of feeling overwhelmed, unsupported, and ineffective increases the likelihood of new teachers simply not being happy at their job, becoming disillusioned and discouraged, and leaving the profession.
Challenging Working Conditions in School Administrations and Classrooms
Teachers often cite a lack of support from principals or lack collaboration opportunities with colleagues as reasons for leaving the profession.
Strengthening hiring practices, developing partnerships with local teacher preparation programs, monitoring teacher turnover and reducing barriers to entry can all play a role in improving working conditions. High quality leadership and self-assessment of the school staff can identify problems on the ground, guide school improvements and enhance collaborative problem solving.
It is not possible to overestimate the importance of school administrations and administrators acting with integrity and honesty. All too often, teachers are under-respected, pushed out of positions for personal reasons having nothing to do with ability or results, or even set up with improvement programs as a disingenuous CYA act – because a single administrator thinks it might be cheaper or easier to push a challenge away than address it. The present time, especially (and the foreseeable future) is not the time to take the easy path – not that there ever is such a time. We need teachers and administrators working together to improve both the working environment and results.
Why is emotional and psychological support important for new educators?
Emotional and psychological support is crucial, especially for new educators. Teaching is often emotionally demanding, especially when facing unexpected or particularly difficult challenges. Well designed induction programs understand this need and offer a carefully calibrated methodology of support to help novice teachers learn to deal with the emotional ups and downs they might not be prepared to encounter.
Experienced mentors can empathize and support novice teachers through difficulties, even those that are unpredictable to everyone. The degree to which new teachers benefit from guidance, reassurance, and advice on managing stress, work-life balance, and professional development cannot be understated. Such support not only helps new educators navigate the challenges of the teaching profession but also fosters their personal well-being and growth in a demanding environment – leading to stronger, better teachers who have the fortitude to continue.
Lack of economic support and sustainability
It isn’t hard to imagine why teachers who are not paid enough to support themselves and prepare for retirement might seek more lucrative work elsewhere. Very few, if any, teachers get into the teaching profession for the money: beginning teachers earn about 20% less than individuals with college degrees in other fields, and that wage gap commonly increases to 30% for mid-career educators.
That said, improving financial compensation and other types of economic support can go a long way towards reducing the economic pressure on teachers to seek a better economic situation in a different field. Increasing teacher salaries is one of the most direct and easiest ways to make sure teachers have an economically stable situation. Generally, finding and providing more economic and material resources for low-income schools and districts can help make sure that teachers are not required to buy classroom and learning materials from their own salaries. Getting creative with incentive programs – rent, relocation, and down payment assistance, for example, are all ways to improve teachers’ compensation, and therefore, their economic stability.
(please see https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/Teacher_Exodus_Infographic.pdf for additional information)
What do Teacher Induction programs consist of?
…and how does The Oaks Center provide support and forward momentum for your institution, school district, school, or teachers?
Teacher induction programs are required in most states, and include a range of activities and requirements, which vary depending on the specific program and context. These requirements may include completing specific training or coursework, participating in mentoring and coaching sessions, meeting regularly with supervisors or administrators, and demonstrating proficiency in key areas of teaching practice.
Requirements to qualify for and to complete teacher induction programs vary from state to state, some states do not require or provide induction programs for their beginning teachers at all, some states or districts provide financial support to complete some or all of the programs.
Common components of teacher induction programs include:
- Mentoring: In a mentoring program, new teachers are paired with experienced teachers who provide guidance and support as the new teacher navigates their role. Mentors observe new teachers in the classroom, provide feedback, and help them develop professionally. The critically important element of mentorship is that mentors offer personalized experience in ways that are not easily standardized; every school and district is different, every class is different, and every situation provides a unique set of challenges requiring adaptive planning and on-the-fly adjustment. There is no substitute for experience, and having access to a well-trained, experienced mentor can change everything.
The Oaks Center provides a range of learning partnership services, including teacher mentoring programs, and mentor support programs for teacher mentors to help them improve as they work to mentor novice teachers.
- Professional development: Some induction programs provide new teachers with access to training and workshops on a range of topics, such as classroom management, instructional strategies, and assessment.
Designing, implementing, and managing professional development programs for teachers is a core competency of The Oaks Center. We’re ready to help you determine and take the best next steps for your staff, no matter what the challenges you’re facing – contact us anytime.
- Assessment and evaluation: in order to adopt a philosophy of constant professional improvement, new teachers must learn to be proficient at self-assessment and goal setting. These skills are critical parts of any professional development program, at any level.
The Oaks Center can assist as you work to improve assessment and evaluation programs, as well as data analysis, goal setting and planning at your school or district.
- Collaboration and networking: Induction programs may provide new teachers with opportunities to collaborate with other teachers, share ideas and resources, and build a professional network. The Oaks Center is constantly building our network of professionals, and building our systems and materials to make sure weare more than ready to help you meet any professional development or induction program challenge.
Contact us now to see how you can join us, or submit an Employment Pre-Application Form.
Teachers work for the future, and deserve our support
Teachers are precious, infinitely valuable, and are underpaid as they undertake on of the most important, complex, and difficult jobs in our society. Teacher induction programs are one effective way we can respond to the need for support for new teachers as they undertake their important work. Teachers want, need, and deserve this support. The Oaks Center for Educational Advancement is dedicated to working on every possible solution within every available system to provide the best support we can for our teachers, including better pay and benefits. This, most importantly, helps teachers better serve the students they have dedicated their lives to teaching.