Improving the Beginning Teacher Induction Program in One Public School District

Abstract

Research reveals that novice teachers benefit from a well-designed, comprehensive induction program. High-quality induction programs are designed to retain beginning teachers through supports such as mentoring, improving instructional practices, and attending to emotional provisions, to impact both success and satisfaction of novice teachers. Districts and schools that customize supports provided to beginning teachers, by matching their specific needs to induction processes, improve the district’s capacity to impact success of beginning teachers.

This dissertation in professional practice was designed to improve the induction program in one public school district. The framework for this study guided the research in seven research-based areas that an effective, comprehensive induction program address. These were instructional support needs, principal support needs, collaboration and other teacher support needs, organization and management needs, technical needs, emotional support needs, and legal and policy issue needs.

The first purpose of the study was to design a strategic plan to improve beginning teacher support in the first three years of teaching. To assist in the implementation of one of the strategic priorities, the researcher of this study conducted a quantitative study to identify perceptions of specific needs related to the success of beginning teachers. The findings of the study will be used to inform the district’s beginning teacher induction program improvement.

Respondents of the study identified the following professional learning needs as critical to success of beginning teachers: classroom management strategies, common planning time with peer teachers, formative non-evaluative feedback from an administrator, a relationship of mutual trust with school administrators, mentor relationship and matching, professional learning about diverse learners, and discussions about instructional uses of data and student work and formative assessment. Another finding was the need to improve collaborative practices among beginning teachers, veteran colleagues, and administration. Additionally, principal support was identified as a key support needing improvement within the district. While findings of this study have many implications for the district’s improvement of induction for beginning teachers, it was encouraging to find that all improvement areas were within the district’s capacity to manage. More adequate support from school administration and mentors will be key areas of improvement of induction processes.