Case Studies: Overview | BEST | BTSA | Launch Into Teaching | New Teacher Center
The New Teacher Center (NTC), a national resource for practice, research, and policy on the induction of new educators has developed a highly structured two-year mentoring model that helps new teachers gain skills rapidly. Through the support of trained mentors, new teachers learn to focus on analyzing student work and differentiating instruction to ensure the academic achievement of all their students. More than 125 districts in California currently use the NTC formative assessment system, and districts in 40 states and four countries incorporate NTC professional development and/or materials in their new teacher induction programs. A study of teachers who had been in the Santa Cruz New Teacher Project mentoring program found that after six years, 94% were still in education and 88% were still classroom teachers (Strong 2005). The average new teacher drop out rate is approximately 50% during that period.
In order for districts to help new teachers and their students reach their full potential, new teacher induction programs require several key components, according to the New Teacher Center. These include: program vision; institutional commitment and support; quality mentoring; professional standards; and classroom-based teacher learning. The program's focus on using a structured formative assessment system to guide interactions between new teachers and their mentors throughout the two years of the program is one of the factors that distinguishes NTC from many less effective induction programs. The specific elements of the NTC model are discussed in more detail below.
Rigorous Mentor Selection
The recruitment and selection of mentor teachers is probably the most important task facing teacher induction program leadership. Given their importance, mentors are chosen based on evidence of outstanding teaching, strong intra- and inter-personal skills, experience with adult learners, respect for and knowledge of professional development. During the period in which these skilled teachers serve as mentors (often three years), they are released from their classroom duties.
Ongoing Professional Development and Support
Once selected, mentors receive ongoing training and support to ensure their effectiveness. In the NTC model, mentors attend two intensive summer training programs and participate in twice-monthly training sessions in order to continually sharpen their skills in assessing and improving the instructional practice of their mentees. The New Teacher Center offers a menu of programs that supports the growth of mentors, coaches, supervisors, master teachers, consultant teachers, principals, and coordinators of induction programs.
Sanctioned Time for Mentor-Teacher Interactions
Mentors are assigned no more than 15 novice teachers so that they can meet with each one every week for 1-2 hours during the school day. This time is protected by both teachers and administrators.
Multi-Year and Intensive Mentoring
In the NTC model, new teachers receive intensive mentoring support for their first two (and sometimes three) years in the classroom. Unlike the "buddy system" mentoring that many districts resort to, NTC mentors provide more than emotional support and logistical assistance. The program's Formative Assessment System (FAS) creates a two-year structure that continually and progressively links new teacher learning with student achievement. Together, the novice and mentor use student data to identify teacher strengths and focus on areas for professional growth.
Professional Teaching Standards and Data-Driven Conversations
Feedback for beginning teachers is grounded in their students' work and evidence of the teacher's practice, collected as part of the formative assessment process. This feedback is based on the Continuum of Teacher Development, which provides a common language for setting and discussing goals for professional growth.
Ongoing Beginning Teacher Professional Development
Beginning teachers take part in ongoing professional development focused on progressively increasing skills, problem solving, and mutual support. New teachers and their mentors are provided multiple opportunities to collaborate by participating in live and online learning communities through NTC's robust e-Mentoring program.
Clear Roles and Responsibilities for Administrators
Administrators play a critical role in beginning teacher success, by creating a positive school culture of ongoing professional learning and growth and by protecting the time required for mentor collaboration. To underline the importance of their role in induction, all administrators communicate regularly with mentors and take part in professional development related to new teacher support.
Collaboration with all Stakeholders
To ensure alignment with other programmatic initiatives, all stakeholders - administration, school boards, unions, professional partners - are invested and involved in the induction process.
The following resources provide additional research and tools for mentoring and information on how to work with the New Teacher Center.
- Research. The Network of Resources on Teacher Induction (NORTI), the research arm of the New Teacher Center, provides a detailed list of studies conducted on the effects of induction, mentor training and processes, and policy and organizational contexts of successful induction. Learn more about or join NORTI.
- Program Evaluation. The NTC Induction Survey provides a quick, simple formative assessment of a district's induction program. Completed online, the Induction Survey provides program administrators with reports that reflect beginning teachers', mentors', and site administrators' responses to questions that assess new teacher support. The information can be used in annual program review and in refining professional development to meet the needs of beginning teachers and mentors.
- Consultation and Support. The New Teacher Center offers valuable consulting services, such as designing and conducting programs for local, regional or statewide induction program leadership groups, K-16 partnership teams, statewide task forces and policy teams. Contact NTC Staff.