Artifact 2

New Teacher Induction Plan

Thomas DeGrand, Sally Drummond, Connie Gilbert,
Angel Lett, and Gregory Ristau
EA 754- Dr. Wells
November 30, 2015

Introduction
Hare and Heap (2001) state, Current estimates show that over 50% of new teachers will
leave within their first 5 years of teaching (as cited in Wong, 2004, p. 46). It is critical for
districts to develop comprehensive educator induction programs. The sustainability, credibility,
and retention of a district, as well as the profession, hinges on the effectiveness of educator
induction. Our strategic educator induction program is built upon a four year scaffolded model,
which highlights critical professional development topics for emerging educators. The transition
period into the profession, as well as a new district, can present various challenges for all
stakeholders. It is our primary aim to implement a comprehensive strategic support infrastructure
for new educators. Ingersoll (2003) notes the need for this perfectly by stating, Moreover, the
data show that beginning teachers, in particular, report that one of the main factors behind their
decision to depart is a lack of adequate support from school administrators (as cited in Ingersoll,
2012, p. 49). Therefore, the need for a comprehensive, professional learning, and collaborative
induction program is now (Wong, 2004, p. 46).

Part 1- Year One of Induction Program

Month: August
Topic: Orientation through collaborative relationship building
Rationale: Teachers that are new to the district need many supports to ensure a successful start
to the school year. In addition to the typical orientation many new teachers receive, we believe
relationships must also be established between new teachers and their mentors. Each new
teacher also brings varying levels of knowledge and experience to the district; therefore, it would

be beneficial for these new teachers to have the opportunity to choose professional learning
opportunities that would be of greater relevance to them.
Who will present: District leaders, mentors, administrators, and union representatives
Goals: Teachers will begin to build relationships with their mentors while also getting to know
district leaders. In addition to this key goal, these three days will also provide new teachers the
opportunity to learn about stress reduction, the teacher contract, curriculum, scope and sequence
planning, teacher evaluation, professionalism, and student growth.
Description: Before the school year begins, teachers will be invited to attend a team building
seminar at the local ISD. These sessions will take place over a two-day period, but will allow for
new teachers and presenters to return home each night. During the morning of the first day, new
teachers, mentors, and administrators will participate in ISD-led team building activities.

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all that is expected from educators during the first few weeks of a new school year, relationships
are typically put on the back burner. This can lead to a disconnect between the new teacher and
key people in the building, and could also mean that the new teacher is working in isolation.
Having these two days off-site will allow for teachers and their mentors to better focus on the
relationship building piece because they are away from the normal distractions that take place at
the building. Following the day one lunch break, new teachers will participate in typical
orientation activities. Although these seminars focus on a new style of orientation, there is still a
need to provide new teachers with pertinent information that all district employees must know.
This afternoon session also provides new teachers the opportunity to meet other district leaders,
such as the HR director and union president.
Day two begins by continuing the ISD team building activities from day one. Too often
professional learning sessions can feel disconnected from one another. With so much to

accomplish, these become items on a checklist instead of authentic learning. By having a second
session of team building, we are not only stressing the importance of relationships, but we are
providing the participants the opportunity to dig deeper in their learning. In addition to the team
building activities, the remainder of the morning will be an introduction to stress reduction
techniques including mindfulness. With many new teachers burning out of the profession within
five years, it is imperative that we help these educators learn ways to handle the stresses that
come with the profession. After lunch on day two, new teachers will choose three classes from
a menu of breakout sessions. Mentees can be brand new to the profession or they can be coming
from other districts. Because of this, having all new teachers participating in the same
professional learning does not make sense. An afternoon of breakout sessions gives them the
autonomy to choose what they believe will be the most beneficial for their growth as educators.
Finishing with a third day at the building will provide new teachers the opportunity to
work on areas that are of a higher priority with the first day of school quickly approaching.
Although the morning is structured around evaluation and goal setting, the remainder of the day
provides time for planning between the mentor and mentee. This includes setting up the
classroom and gathering resources and materials as well. This day is also designed to continue
relationship building between the new teacher, their mentor, and the administrator while
planning to make sure that the new teacher is ready to start the year. See the table below for an
outline of the three day orientation program.

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Day One - Local ISD
Morning
Team Building Activities
-Getting to know your mentor
-Getting to know your principal
-Building relationships and trust
-Roles of the mentor and mentee
-Establishing a framework for goals
and learning

Day Two - Local ISD

Morning
Team Building Activities
-Continuation from Day One
Stress Reduction Techniques
Mentor and Mentee Planning
-Scope and Sequence
-Student Growth
-Professionalism
-Curriculum

Day Three - Building Based

Morning
-Goal meeting with Administrator
-Q & A with Administrator
regarding Evaluation tool
-First week planning with mentor

Afternoon
District Orientation
-Teacher Contract Overview
-Teacher Evaluation Overview
-District Calendar
-District Expectations
-Professional Learning Days

Afternoon
Breakout Sessions (teachers can
choose 3)
-Preparation and planning
-Teacher Evaluation Process
-Classroom Management
-Stress Reduction
-Utilizing Student Data
-Using Assessment Data to Drive
Instruction
-Best practices & Instructional
strategies

Afternoon
-Time and support provided to set
up classroom and gather resources
for lessons
- Develop a communication model
for support with mentor

Month: October
Topic: Parent and teacher communication and relationships
Rationale: Teachers and parent partnerships are foundational for optimum student engagement
and learning successes.
Who will present: Mentors, counselors, PTA members and/or other trusted parents, building
principal, district technology team
Goals: Teachers will learn: effective skills of communication and how to resolve and respond
effectively to conflict; classroom website design and/or use of a parent communication tool;
techniques on how to effectively communicate academic and behavioral concerns with parents;
conferencing strategies; how to engage parent volunteers in the educational program.
Description: Communication is the key to all good relationships. This professional learning will
focus on written and verbal communication with all stakeholders involved in the education of a

child. The building principal along with the teacher mentors will begin their professional
learning with the verbal communication skills between teachers and parents. One effective
resource is: http://advancedlifeskills.com/blog/14-very-effective-communication-skills/. Using
this tool as a springboard, role playing scenarios can be set up demonstrating phone calling
techniques and face-to-face parent teacher meetings regarding academic and/or behavioral
concerns. PTA board members or trusted parents can be part of the team that can give examples
to new teachers of what kinds of conversations and information are helpful to increase
communication between the home and school. An advanced communication resource is Crucial
Conversations (Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, & Switzler, 2002). Teachers and their mentors
should have regular meetings throughout the year practicing specific techniques to use when
conversations with parents or their colleagues may become crucial.
Parent-teacher conferences generally occur around October and November; therefore, it
is prudent to prepare to ensure the conferences establish good relationships for the entire school
year. The new teacher and his/her mentor can carve out some time to discuss the building/district
expectations for a parent-teacher conference. Time is always of the essence; therefore, it needs
to be determined ahead of time what information needs to be covered in the allotted conference
time. An excellent resource with a short demonstration video is: http://www.teachhub.com/tipsstrengthen-parent-teacher-communication.
Written communication skills of email, newsletters, and hand-written notes home should
be reviewed and practiced with the teacher mentor. Normally a timeframe of 24 hours is a good
guideline for response to a parent communication. Building and district administrators will work
with the new teachers to establish guidelines for communication with parents regarding the
content of the weekly curriculum taught at the elementary level. Weekly or monthly newsletters

can follow grade-level formats, or sample formats can be reviewed at:

www.2care2teach4kids.com.
It is essential that the classroom teacher consider a classroom website for continuing ongoing communication regarding curriculum and classroom activities. Many districts have
systems available for the classroom teacher to build a site that will connect with the school and
district webpage. The district technology team will provide professional learning for the new
teachers on how to set up and maintain a site. Other resources that can be used if the
district/building does not have a website program requirement are: Weebly, Shutterfly, Google
classroom, or reference: www.freetech4teachers.com.

Month: January
Topic: Building relationships through motivating students
Rationale: It is critical for new educators to the district to form concrete relationships with all
stakeholders. Fostering relationships with all learners contributes to their individual growth and
academic success. This workshop series will equip educators with tactical strategies and skills
for engaging all learners within the classroom environment.
Who will present: Mentors, Administrators, and Counselors
Goals: Educators will develop target skills related to engaging the disengaged learner, scaffolded
instructional strategies, and fostering positive classroom climate.
Description: Classroom management, student behaviors, engagement strategies, individual
student self-regulation, and culture/climate are topics that will be addressed. This professional
development series will span over the course of two days, with three sessions the first day and
the remaining two on the second. Each session will be presented in a workshop series model.

New educators will have the opportunity through guided and modeled instruction to implement
initial action plans. Also, beyond each session, each mentor educator and educator mentee will
work collaboratively throughout the year on each session topic. These topics are critical themes
during the first induction year for all new educators.
Classroom Management Session #1
Facilitators: Veteran Educator, Non-Tenured Educator, Administrator
Creating a classroom code of conduct that is age appropriate
Implementing self monitoring strategies
Positive system for rewards
Student Behaviors Session #2
Facilitators: Guidance Counselor, Administrator, Parent/Community Member
Establishing concrete behavior management strategies
Student mentorship programs
Separating behavior from long-term perception
Engagement Strategies Session #3
Facilitators: Educator, Parent/Community Member, Administrator
Implement Engaged Learning Program
Consistent performance evaluation
Implement cyclical academic support
Individual Student Self-Regulation Session #4
Facilitators: Veteran Educator, Non-Tenured Educator, Guidance Counselor
Positive actions for self management (time, energy, emotions, and academic content)
Positive actions for establishing/executing academic goals

Culture and Climate Session #5

Facilitators: Administrator, Veteran Educator, Non-Tenured Educator
Reducing distractions in the classroom
Making learning relevant
Instilling intrinsic motivation

Month: March
Topic: Utilizing data to increase student performance
Rationale: The district believes teachers should be using data to drive their instruction in the
classroom.
Who will present: Mentors, District Content Area Specialists, and District Technology Data
team members
Goals: Teachers will strengthen their knowledge of formative and summative assessment as it
specifically pertains to their classroom and PLCs. Mentors will assist new teachers in formative
assessment techniques; District Content Area Specialists will facilitate professional learning; and
the District Technology Data team members will teach new teachers how to access the district
data warehouse and give overview of the districts data protocols use in PLCs.
Description: This professional learning topic will span over two Mondays after school
throughout the month of March. Each session will be an hour and a half in length.
Session 1: Formative Assessment Techniques and District Data Warehouse
Part 1: District Content Area Specialists will facilitate a session on formative
versus summative assessment utilizing different professional articles and
modeling specific techniques. The mentors will attend the sessions as well help

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the new teachers plan specific formative assessments for upcoming lessons. The
new teachers will use the planned formative assessment activities in their
classrooms within the next week and bring their results to the next Professional
Learning session.
Part 2: District Technology and Data team members will give an in-depth
presentation on accessing and utilizing the districts data warehouse to pull
student data. New teachers will be able to follow along on their own devices to
pull their own students data. Data Team members will facilitate activities to get
the new teachers to dive into their current data.
Informal Mentor/Mentee Meeting: Formative Assessment Check-in
Mentors will meet with their teachers at some point about a week after Session 1
to discuss the results of their new formative assessments they implemented in
their classrooms. Discussions on how the teachers changed their instruction based
on the results will be the focus. Together, the mentors and teachers will again plan
formative assessments to be used in upcoming lessons along with a plan in mind
on ways to alter instruction if necessary as a result of the data.
Session 2: Formative Assessment Follow-up and Analyzing data in PLCs
Part 1: Mentors will meet with their teachers once again to talk about the
experience of using the formative assessments in their classroom to help drive
instruction. The new teachers will also share out in small groups their experiences
with other new teachers.
Part 2: District Technology and Data team members will provide the new teachers
with PLC data. They will facilitate how to follow the districts data protocol in

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analyzing the data so the new teachers have a good understanding of the process
currently being used in their PLCs.

Month: May
Topic: Expanding content knowledge; evaluation of induction program
Who will present: Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, District Content
Area Specialists, Reading Consultants, Mentors
Rationale: To build teachers content knowledge in their assigned curriculum area(s). Also, to
gain insight into what elements of the induction program are beneficial (or not) to the
development of new teachers.
Goals: After experiencing the content for a year, it is the districts goal to now confirm teachers
content knowledge and build upon that knowledge base that they have learned up to this point.
By doing so, this will build confidence in the teachers abilities to deliver the content effectively.
In addition to this, it is the districts goal to keep new staff in the same grade level/department
the following year in order to help increase expertise and professional growth in the curriculum
itself. Lastly, it is the intent of the district to have new teachers evaluate the first year of the
induction program in order to build the program into one that develops new teachers to become
highly effective within these four years of induction.
Description: The new teachers have now taught the curriculum for a year and have a good grasp
of what it entails. However, to become a highly effective teacher, one must become a content
specialist first in order to be a successful educator. The district believes in this philosophy that
our teachers need to understand their curriculum to its core, then move the focus to improving
instructional strategies (i.e. the manner in which the curriculum will be delivered to the students).

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This is the rationale for why the district believes professional development in content knowledge
must come in year one (after experiencing the content), and the professional development in
instructional strategies will be during year two.
The format of this professional development will involve dividing the new staff members
into two main groups: elementary and secondary. These groups will then be subdivided into
specific grade levels/departments. During the PD sessions, teachers will be guided through the
corresponding curriculum by a district curriculum leader. This will allow teachers the time to
not only review the material again, but also give them the opportunity to ask questions based off
their experiences with the curriculum throughout the school year. The table below shows the
structure of these PD days.
Level

Elementary

Secondary

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

AM
*Reading Units
*Reading
consultants,
ELA
curriculum
specialist,
ASCI
*Review/Q&A

PM
*Writing/
Spelling/
Grammar Units
*ELA
curriculum
specialist,
ASCI
*Review/Q&A

AM
*Math Units
*Math
curriculum
specialist,
ASCI
*Review/Q&A

PM
*Science Units
*Science
curriculum
specialist,
ASCI
*Review/Q&A

AM
*Social Studies
Units
*Social Studies
curriculum
specialist,
ASCI
*Review/Q&A

AM
*Department
curriculum Q1
*District
curriculum
specialist/ASCI
*Review/Q&A

PM
*Department
curriculum Q2
*District
curriculum
specialist/ASCI
*Review/Q&A

AM
*Department
curriculum Q3
*District
curriculum
specialist/ASCI
*Review/Q&A

PM
*Department
curriculum Q4
*District
curriculum
specialist/ASCI
*Review/Q&A

AM
*Mentor/
Mentee Review
Session
*Mentor
*Reflect on
PD/Q&A

PM
*Mentor/
Mentee Review
Session
*Mentor
*Reflect on
PD/Q&A

**Elementary and secondary teachers will NOT have PD on the same days. This will allow the district
curriculum specialists/ASCI to attend all sessions.
Key:
AM/PM
*(Curriculum area)
*(Session leaders)
*(Objective)
ASCI = Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction

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At the conclusion of this 3-day training, teachers will be asked to complete an evaluation
of the first year of the induction program. By doing so, they are able to give the district feedback
in regards to what worked well and what didnt. For example, they can rate on a likert scale the
quality of the various professional development sessions they attended throughout the year. This
will give the district quick, quantitative data to determine what they should continue doing
during the first year of the induction program. The areas that score low will inform the district
that those training sessions did not meet the desired outcomes that they had hoped. The district
can then choose to take them out completely or revise them based off the feedback to make the
time more meaningful and productive. In addition to quantitative questions like these, the
district can also ask some open-ended, qualitative questions that allow teachers to express their
thoughts and opinions about the strengths and weaknesses of the professional development
sessions during the year. This data will help the district get more detailed information about
each professional development and what they can do to make them better.
This same evaluation process will take place at the conclusion of each of year during the
four year induction program. It is a crucial element of an induction program to allow
participants the opportunity to provide feedback. We feel this process will not only give the
teachers a voice, but it will also allow the district to create and maintain a highly effective
induction program designed to support new teachers in their quest to becoming highly effective
educators.

Part 2 - Next Three Years

Year two: Our goals for year two are to expand our teachers content knowledge and
collaboration skills. In addition, teachers will continue to unpack the teacher evaluation tool and

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how it relates to increasing student achievement. Finally, we want to build the leadership
capacity of district mentors.
Topic 1: Effective collaboration through PLCs
Approach: Small group with grade-level/department teams during late start/early release
facilitated by building administrators.
Topic 2: Understanding curriculum through lesson planning
Approach: Mentor-mentee collaboration during common planning time.
Topic 3: Continuation of expanding content knowledge
Approach: Teachers will meet with district content leaders during four day learning sessions.
Topic 4: Teacher Evaluation- Understanding the rubric and how it relates to student
achievement
Approach: Teachers will work with the building administrator and the mentor during agreed
upon times.
Topic 5: Mentor training to increase leadership capacity
Approach: Mentors will attend ISD or district professional learning sessions 2-3 times during
the year.

Year three: Our goals for year three are to focus on best practice and instructional strategies.
Utilizing the classroom lab model and continuing the PLC work from year two, new teachers
will have the opportunity to observe and debrief regarding quality classroom instruction. In
addition, teachers will work within the district data protocol to continue to develop assessments
and interventions based on student achievement data. Finally, we will continue to enhance and
enrich the leadership capacity of district mentors.

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Topic 1: Improving instructional strategies

Approach: Using the peer coaching model, teachers will observe and be observed during
designated half day learning sessions.
Topic 2: Teacher Lab
Approach: Each teacher within a grade-level/department team will teach a designated subjectarea lesson, with a focus on a specific instructional strategy, while the remainder of the team
observes the lesson. Once each member has been observed, the team will meet to discuss what
they observed and learned about the designated instructional strategy. Teacher lab will be
completed during full day sessions 3-4 times per year.
Topic 3: Utilizing student growth data
Approach: New teachers will work with building data leaders during PLCs throughout the year.
The focus of these sessions will be the district data protocol and data warehouse tool.
Topic 4: Next level mentor training to further enhance leadership capacity
Approach: Mentors will attend ISD or district professional learning sessions 2-3 times during
the year.

Year four: Our goals for year four are to assist new teachers in identifying and planning for
professional goals, such as pursuing an advanced degree. In addition, knowing that over 50% of
new teachers leave the profession within 5 years, we will focus on stress reduction techniques.
Finally, in continuing with our goal of increasing leadership capacity, our mentors will work to
pass the torch and begin phasing out the degree to which they support their mentees. This goal
would also include the possibility of the mentees assuming the role of mentor with new teachers
in the future.

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Topic 1: Certificate renewal

Approach: Mentors will guide the mentees through the renewal process during agreed upon
meeting times.
Topic 2: Development of professional goals
Approach: Mentees will meet with administrators during goal meetings at the beginning and end
of the year.
Topic 3: Stress reduction
Approach: New teachers meet 2-3 times per year to learn mindfulness and stress reduction
techniques. These sessions will be facilitated by university, ISD, or district leaders.
Topic 4: Passing the torch- Mentees learning to become mentors
Approach: Mentees will attend mentor training at the ISD or district level with their mentors 2-3
times per year.

Part 3 - Evaluation of the program by learning forward standards

Standards List:
Learning Communities: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results
for all students occurs within learning communities committed to continuous improvement,
collective responsibility, and goal alignment.
Our induction plan addresses this standard through multiple activities. These include:
teacher lab, peer coaching, grade-level/department PLC teams, and team building. The majority
of the activities are job-embedded; therefore, the new teachers do not have to sacrifice additional
time outside of the school day. This will allow new teachers to maintain focus on classroom
instruction and student achievement.

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Leadership: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all
students requires skillful leaders who develop capacity, advocate, and create support systems for
professional learning.
Our induction plan utilizes many different leaders from many different areas of the
district in a purposeful manner to help create a large support system for our new teachers. Not
only will our new teachers receive support from many different areas (central office leaders,
administrators, teacher leaders, etc.), they are also exposed to many different areas within the
district in which they may too become leaders one day as well. By the end of the induction
program, the professional learning will have helped develop the new teachers into potential
leaders who could be utilized for future professional learning.

Resources: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all
students requires prioritizing, monitoring, and coordinating resources for educator learning.
Our induction plan was developed using careful thought of the timeline of needs for our
new teachers. During the first year, the three main areas of focus are relationships (with coworkers, parents/community, and students), data driven instruction, and content knowledge.
These three areas of focus demonstrate the priorities of the district. Throughout the following
years, the professional learning expands on these main areas of focus as a way to monitor the
growth in these areas, and brings in other areas of focus which pertain to second, third, and
fourth year teachers. Throughout the entire plan, many different areas of the district are involved
in leading and co-leading the professional learning sessions as a way of coordinating resources.

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Data: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students
uses a variety of sources and types of student, educator, and system data to plan, assess, and
evaluate professional learning.
Our induction plan was created using educational research articles and resources to best
support new teachers in the field of education. Throughout our plan, there would be constant
monitoring of its success through teacher and mentor surveys and student data. The plan is a
guide and can be altered as specific needs arise in order to best meet the needs of the new
teachers.

Learning Designs: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all
students integrates theories, research, and models of human learning to achieve its intended
outcomes.
Our induction plan was developed using professional articles and resources as a guide,
such as the work of Wong, Ingersol, Hare, and Schwille on implementing the best teacher
induction programs, as well as maintaining teacher retention. Specifically, our program utilizes
mentors, PLCs, and job-embedded professional learning throughout the four years. See the
references page for specific resources used.

Implementation: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all
students applies research on change and sustains support for implementation of professional
learning for long term change.
Our induction plan was developed using professional articles and resources as a guide,
such as the work of Wong, Ingersol, Hare, and Schwille on implementing the best teacher

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induction programs, as well as maintaining teacher retention. Specifically, our program provides
a tiered support system over the four years. During the first year, district level administrators and
mentors are highly involved in helping the new teachers directly. In the second year, the support
system shifts to involving other colleagues as well by focusing on enhancing collaboration skills
in their PLCs. Finally, in years three and four, the support transitions to assisting the new
teachers in taking ownership of their own learning and direction of their careers while fostering
leadership skills for the future. See the references page for specific resources used.

Outcomes: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all
students aligns its outcomes with educator performance and student curriculum standards.
Our induction plan focuses on creating a support system to improve the instruction and
student learning of the new teachers. Throughout the four years, different aspects of educator
performance are addressed through sessions such as: teacher evaluation, relationship building,
professional collaboration, data driven decisions, and instructional best practices. The student
curriculum standards are addressed as well through sessions such as: expanding curriculum
knowledge, using curriculum to lesson plan, data driven decisions, etc.

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References
Advanced Life Skills. (n.d). 14 very effective communication skills. Retrieved from
http://advancedlifeskills.com/blog/14-very-effective-communication-skills/.
Alliance for Excellent Education. (n.d.). Tapping the potential: Retaining and developing highquality new teachers. Available from http://www.all4ed.org.
Hare, D., & Heap, J. (2001). Effective teacher recruitment and retention strategies in the
Midwest. North Central Regional Laboratory. Naperville, IL. Retrieved from
http://www.ncrel.org/policy/pubs/html/strategy/ index.html.
Ingersoll, R.M. (2012). Beginning teacher induction: What the data tell us. Retrieved from
http://www.kappanmagazine.org.
Ingersoll, R.M. (2003, September). Is there really a teacher shortage? University of
Pennsylvania, Consortium for Policy Research in Education. Philadelphia, PA.
Retrieved from https://depts.washington.edu/ctpmail/PDFs/Shortage-RI-09-2003.pdf.
K-12 Teachers Alliance. (n.d.). Tips to strengthen parent teacher communication. Retrieved
from http://www.teachhub.com/tips-strengthen-parent-teacher-communication.
Patterson, K., Grenny, J., McMillan, R., Switzler, A. (2002). Crucial conversations: Tools for
talking when stakes are high. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Schwille, S.A. (2008, November). The professional practice of mentoring source. American
Journal of Education, 115 (1), 139-167.
Wong, H.K. (2004). Induction programs that keep new teachers teaching and improving.
NASSP Bulletin, 88 (638), 41-58.