This issue is the second in a three-part series on quality teaching. The other two issues in the series focus on teacher recruitment and teachers' career structures and work environment. This issue examines research and expert consensus on teacher preparation, looking at: the importance of subject matter knowledge to effective teaching and…

This paper explains the importance of new teacher induction programs to help beginning teachers successfully transition to the classroom and remain in teaching. Such programs use different activities to orient, support, train, and assess teachers within their first 3 years of teaching. Activities include orientation, mentoring, staff development,…

This paper describes the key elements of a model evaluation of beginning teacher programs in a large urban school district. Over a year and a half, evaluators conducted studies of the effectiveness of these programs, some of which were still in progress. This paper reports on the elements used in each study and analyzes the usefulness of each…

This study examined various elements of Japanese beginning teachers' first year as classroom teachers and investigated the extent to which Japanese beginning teachers experienced similar stages of development to U.S. beginning teachers. Stages of development included self-adequacy, task-related abilities, and teaching impact. Interviews with…

This report describes a study on Arizona's beginning teacher induction, examining how induction program elements vary statewide. It also examines three induction models: the California Model, the Connecticut Model, and a model for science teachers in Arizona. In 2000, researchers surveyed 197 traditional public school districts regarding their…

This paper examines the development of beginning teacher support programs, noting that the attrition rate for beginning teachers is extremely high. Support programs can help schools and districts improve teacher retention rates by enhancing new teacher satisfaction. Support for beginning teachers can include personal and emotional support; task-…

The research literature shows mentoring programs for beginning teachers to be highly complex and situational. Despite potential advantages for both mentor and novice teacher, the effective widespread use of mentoring in beginning teacher induction is limited by problematic issues related to the lack of definition of mentoring, mentor training, and…

Describes a study conducted in Arizona with the support of policymakers that investigated beginning secondary school science and mathematics teachers' perceptions of teacher preparation and induction programs. Identifies the school districts not having a reliable mechanism to monitor beginning teachers and suggests induction programs for beginning…

Surveyed beginning teaches, support providers, site administrators, and program staff in local California Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment programs regarding their perceptions of the effectiveness of various program elements in fostering reflective teaching, examining policy intents, program goals, and teachers' understandings of their…

Examines the separation of teacher education from higher education in Scotland, drawing on interviews with stakeholders and existing literature. The paper provides a background to developments in Scottish teacher induction and outlines a proposed framework. It constructs a coherent, multiple role for higher education in teacher induction, noting…

Considers the experiences of two beginning English teachers and how they made the transition from college students to practicing professionals. Gives detailed case studies of the process of becoming a professional educator. Provides recommendations for mentoring beginning teachers. (HB)

Sketches what the ideal first-year teacher might look like. Gives a tongue-in-cheek view of a "super" beginning English teacher's experiences and skills. (HB)

Describes how one beginning English teacher learned about the profession through her experiences working with a special education student. (HB)

Beginning elementary teachers were surveyed four years after their initial, mentored teaching year in a large, collaborative university-school system to determine their attitudes about mentoring and whether they were still teaching. The 96 percent still teaching most valued the emotional support they received from their mentors. (SM)

Presents a report by the Conference on English Education's Commission on the Transition to Teaching, offering extensive guidelines in two major sections: (1) Guidelines for Student Teaching Experience in English Language Arts; and (2) Guidelines for the Induction of Beginning English Language Arts Teachers. Presents a 49-item representative…