When there's a revolving door of staff members in a school or district, leaders have three choices: leave, survive, or thrive. District administrator Elizabeth Dampf says it's possible to thrive despite--or even because of--high rates of turnover. If you want more out of this period in education, take a few cues from Dampf's "playbook of…

In the face of yet another crisis in teaching, it's time for a bold and comprehensive plan to revitalize and better support the profession. Education expert Linda Darling-Hammond explains how the current shortage of teachers is not entirely new, but the result of decades of cutting programs, lack of respect for the profession and poor working…

In her years of experience studying, working with, and writing about new teachers, induction programs, and mentoring, Annette Breaux has learned that successful mentoring boils down to 10 factors. In this article, Breaux highlights those features and provides actionable takeaways for school districts and educators. She recommends embedding…

New teacher attrition is a serious problem, with some studies estimating that 50 percent of teachers leave the profession within their first few years. This high attrition rate means that many schools have large number of inexperienced teachers and that districts must spend scarce funds for recruitment and replacement costs. Springfield Public…

When U.S. educators first hear that Japanese teacher preparation programs require only four weeks of formal student teaching at the end of the credential program, they're appalled: How can this be? More surprising still, few new teachers in Japan (1.35 percent) leave the profession during their first year. So where are these beginning teachers…

Beginning teachers enter the classroom with diverse backgrounds, training, expectations, and needs. Yet too often, write the authors, induction programs resemble a one-size-fits-all poncho rather than a well-tailored coat. Reviewing the research, the authors write that high-quality mentors, a focus on improving instruction, and allocated time are…

Reviewing the research, Feiman-Nemser identifies distinct shifts in thinking about teacher induction over the last 50 years. Early advocates viewed induction as a temporary bridge designed to provide support to beginning teachers and ease their entry into teaching. Next came an induction model that combines support with ongoing mentoring and…

Looking back through the lens of experience at his first disastrous year of teaching, a veteran shares what he's learned about the supports new teachers need. Some supports--such as getting comfortable with one's teaching persona, becoming familiar with the school community, and being truly dedicated to the job--are within the teacher's control.…

New teachers are often too overwhelmed by their new responsibilities to be the effective teachers they wish to be. Brian K. Jones, a new teacher who loves his job but still thinks of quitting at least once a month, says that teachers need a more comprehensive system of supports before and after they enter the classroom. Such a system would include…

If veteran teachers made a list of resolutions for what they'd do next school year to better support new teachers in their schools, what actions and approaches should top those lists? The question has high stakes because half of all new teachers leave the profession within the first five years. Researchers have identified "support from the…

Michelle is a first-year English teacher at Vailsburg Middle School, a public school in Newark, New Jersey. Michelle is dedicated, caring, energetic, and insightful. This year, the author had the chance to watch Michelle and her principal, Serena Savarirayan, meet for their weekly debriefing of Michelle's teaching. Serena began by praising…

Too often, early elementary teachers enter the classroom unprepared for the particular challenges of teaching children in grades 3 and under. Many were trained in programs that focused on older elementary grades, even though their license qualifies them to teach children as young as kindergarten. Teachers who obtained their certification through a…

In this wide-ranging interview with Educational Leadership, Stanford University Professor of Education Linda Darling-Hammond discusses the kind of preparation and support new teachers need to survive their critical first years in the classroom. Among her central recommendations are more intensive mentoring that lasts through the first year of…

Examines the on-the-job learning needs of beginning teachers. Discusses research on teacher learning curve and enculturation process. Describes elements of a quality beginning-teacher induction program that involves mentoring and the use of standards. Views induction as an enculturation process. (Contains 11 references.) (PKP)

Asserts that professional development for beginning teachers should begin with induction programs. Describes three exemplary beginning-teacher induction programs: Flowing Wells School District, Tucson, Arizona; Lafourche Parish Public Schools, Thibodaux, Louisiana; and Port Huron Area Schools, Port Huron, Michigan. (PKP)