Why Induction Matters

Abstract

Retention of a competent teaching force is a growing concern among the nation's educators and policy makers. Providing new teachers with quality induction programs may mitigate significant teacher attrition and teacher staffing issues now facing many school districts in the United States. This article reports positive results in the long-term retention of novice teachers who participated in an induction partnership jointly administered by the University of Colorado and six school districts. The study tracks 10 cohorts of inductees into their 5th year of teaching and researches components of the program that impact retention. The article also describes program characteristicsinitially developed from prior research and refined by data from ongoing program evaluationsthat have proven effective in raising teacher competence and retention rates. Finally, the author suggests how this induction research might inform the decisions of local and national policy makers.

The Paradox of the Practicum: Affinity to and Resistance towards Teaching

“…There is abundant evidence of teachers' early retirement in spite of the rising worldwide demand for qualified teachers (Darling-Hammond, 2003;Johnson & Birkeland, 2003;Inman & Marlow, 2004;Kelly, 2004;Clandinin et al, 2009).Those who decide to stay in the profession are motivated, for example, by factors such as parental or administrative support, skills and knowledge, or professional ownership (Bobeck, 2002). Yost (2006) explored the difficulties that ten beginning teachers encountered in their first year of practice, and found that teaching success partly depended on the acknowledgment of their teaching potential and skills, as well as their capacity to create positive learning environments.…”

New teacher development in an urban district : a mixed-method study of a new teacher induction institute as professional development.

“…There are multiple reasons for this. First, rigorous qualitative research is considered by many to be consistent and traditional (Fideler & Haskelhorn, 1999;Gold, 1996;Serpell, 2000;Kelley, 2004). Secondly, the nature of qualitative research is a description brought to explain the phenomenon being studied and allowing for emerging and inductive reasoning (Glesne, 1999).…”

“…Induction programs that target beginning teachers are advantageous to the advancement of a quality teaching force. Alarmed about the rate of attrition in the first five years of teaching, policymakers support the need to present on-site support and assistance to first year teachers (Little, 1990;Mills, Moore, & Keane, 2001;Kelley, 2004;Kaiser, 2011).…”

“…A review of the current literature indicates that nearly all states have some form of requirement or legislation for a teacher induction program at the state, district or school levels (Kelley, 2004;Ingersoll & Strong, 2011). However, as state budgets diminish, such programs may be at risk for continuation.…”

Early Career Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions of School Site Induction Support

“…Research differs on what constitutes an effective induction experience. However, most agree that induction support for beginning teachers should include a mentoring component, time for collaboration with peers, administrative support, and ongoing professional development within a professional school culture (Algozzine et al, 2007;Andrews, Gilbert & Martin, 2006;Billingsley, 2004a;Gehrke & McCoy, 2007;Kelley, 2004;Whitaker, 2000;White & Mason, 2006;Wong, 2004). The special education retention research shows that the work environment is important to teachers' job satisfaction and subsequent retention (Billingsley, 2004b).…”