New Teacher Mentoring: Why Do We Put Them On The Island?

The following items represent essential elements in the new teacher induction process
that help move the aspiring educator off of the island of survival and into the civilized
realm of comprehensive professional support.
Feedback and Support:
Information: recent
research and best
practices in both content
and pedagogy;
instructional and
classroom management
strategies

Culture, Collegiality and

Collaboration:
Professional Learning
Communities;
professional associations
and networks; open-door
policies; team-building
opportunities

observations; appraisals;
planning sessions; coteaching; peer walkthroughs; weekly check-in

Modeling: local and

regional professional
development workshops;
observations of veteran
teachers in the district;
professional resources
and training provided by
the district

Training:
technology, new
curriculum; processes and
procedures; education
law; documentation;
grading; working with
special populations;
behavior management