The College of Teacher Education and Leadership (CTEL) at Arizona State University (ASU) embraced the opportunity to partner with Teach For America (TFA) to tailor existing teacher preparation programs to meet the unique needs of alternatively certified teachers in urban schools. Rather than harp on the distinctions between ideologies and…

Describes how one district developed a mentoring program for beginning teachers to reduce the risk of attrition resulting from the hierarchy found in many school systems. The district determined a program mission, goals, and roles and responsibilities. An ongoing program assessment ensures that the program continues to offer valuable help to new…

This book presents a guide for setting up a new teacher mentoring program. Chapter 1, "Relating," stresses the important part a relationship plays in the mentoring process. A set of introspective exercises teaches ways to establish trust and pay attention to nonverbal communication. Chapter 2, "Assessing," provides ways to gather and diagnose data…

One out of every two new teachers will quit teaching within five years; however, studies show that comprehensive induction programs can slash attrition rates in half and dramatically accelerate the professional development of new teachers. This book combines an overview of the current state of induction and mentoring with cutting-edge strategies…

This book lays out the fundamentals for helping new teachers succeed in the schools of the next century. Each part features a collection of chapters from educational leaders. An introductory part presents, "A New Teacher's World: Not Your Grandmother's Classroom" (Marge Scherer). Part 1, "What Do New Teachers Need?" includes:…

Staff development is crucial in creating successful mentoring relationships in schools and districts. Four major tasks for staff developers when creating programs for mentors are: selecting and training mentors, matching mentors with proteges, setting goals and expectations, and establishing the program. Implications for staff developers are…

The Graduate School of Education (GSE) at the University of California at Berkeley (UCB), the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) have collaborated to pilot an on-site training and mentoring program for intern science teachers. Exit interviews suggest that its innovative mentoring…

When Prince George's County Public Schools created a teacher mentor program, administrators also created a system for evaluating it with clear expectations and goals at the outset. Precisely defining objectives enabled leaders to see their progress, determine what needed to change along the way, and build support for the program.

This book highlights the problems that drive many special educators out of teaching and outlines practical recommendations that leaders can use to increase retention. Drawing on field experience as well as research findings, the author provides a comprehensive framework for supporting special educators. This book provides effective ways to: (1)…