Beginning Teacher Support

Level B Case 2

Adam is a special education director who is developing an induction and mentoring program for
the new special educators in his district. He is going to discuss the program at the spring
meeting with the district principals. He needs to figure out the best strategy for involving the
principals and soliciting their support so the special educators can feel supported in their new
roles.

Four possible strategies:

-Understanding needs and concerns of new special educators
-Providing support through school leaders
-Creating induction programs for new teachers
-Offering mentor programs for new teachers

Three goals that Adam should have for his meeting with the principals:
1. Communicate common needs/concerns of new special educators.

Rationale: New special educators have concerns that are the same as all new teachers
(curriculum, expectations, etc.) but also have concerns that are very specific to special
education (a sense of belonging, multi-grade and multi-subject curriculums to learn,
assignment-specific challenges, etc.). “Leaders and mentors who have an understanding
of the needs and concerns of the newly hired teachers in their school and who
communicate with these teachers on a regular schedule are in a better position to help
them make the transition into teaching. They also are better prepared to help new
teachers apply what they have learned as they assume full teaching responsibilities.”

Adam needs to emphasize that the context in which special educators work has a huge
impact on what type of support they need. School leaders and others who will be
supporting new teachers need to get to know their special educators on a personal level
to find out how they are doing and what they need, and to understand that new teachers
rarely feel comfortable asking for help.

Suggested activity: Give principals descriptions of various special educator assignments

(self-contained autism classroom, cross-categorical resource in elementary, general
curriculum consultant teacher in high school, etc.) and have them brainstorm challenges
and needs they might anticipate this teacher having. Then share real answers to what
these educators indicated they needed in the beginning of their careers and what
support they would have wanted to be successful.

2. Share how to provide support to new teachers as a school leader.

Rationale: Administrative support increases teacher retention, job satisfaction,

commitment to their work, fewer problems with teachers’ roles, more colleague support,
 and less stress and burnout. “Special educators indicate that a supportive principal is the
top-rated incentive for remaining in special education.”

Adam needs to emphasize that principals need to help mentors and other teachers in
the school understand the different types of support, evaluate the extent to which new
teachers feel supported, and create a support team for each new teacher and outline the
types of support that each team member will provide.

Suggested activity: Pass out copy of the table showing the “Five Types of Teacher
Support.” Have principals color code or otherwise annotate the support examples they
are already using in their schools (adding school-specific details to the chart) and choose
a few areas in which they think they can focus their efforts for the next year. They could
also brainstorm people in their buildings who could be a part of the support teams for the
new teachers.

3. Persuade the principals to create an induction/mentor program for the new teachers.

Rationale: Induction and mentoring programs are key to helping all new teachers,
including special educators, feel supported and successful in their schools.

Adam needs to emphasize that special education induction needs to be coordinated with
larger induction programs in the district- some needs will be the same, but other needs
will be specific to special education. He needs to share that “school orientation is
important in helping the new teacher understand key factors for functioning in the school:
the school mission; his or her roles and responsibilities, as well as those of other staff
members; the curriculum and materials used in the school; secretarial assistance; and
policies for handling records.” Mentoring programs should be a several year process and
involve mentors who are knowledgeable, supportive, and carefully selected. In order for
mentoring programs to work, time must be scheduled for mentors and mentees to work
together, the program needs to be evaluated for effectiveness, and mentors need to be
compensated for their time and efforts.

Suggested activity: Have principals brainstorm about the strengths, weaknesses, and
logistics of their current induction and mentoring programs. Based on the
recommendations shared by Adam, choose 1-3 ways the program could be improved for
the upcoming year.