Mentoring vs. Induction Programs - Essay Example

An induction program facilitates complete and persistent improvement to school customs and the new teachers. It generally adds on the quality of training, support and retention of newly hired or employed teachers. The new recruits become qualified as a result of the induction thereby making them more competent, able and more helpful. Mentoring on the other hand involves a more specific and personal and long term support for new teachers. The newly hired teachers are assigned to experienced fellow teachers who are able to guide and support them.

Mentoring programs are limited to resources while in induction there is massive investment that is used to make the program successful. Mentoring is therefore part of the induction process. It however does not have much clear cut goals to be accomplished and it fails to provide substantiation of relationship between professionals, communities and students. Nevertheless, it is important to note that both programs help to reduce first time grinding down. According to Department of Education (2006), wear and tear among the teachers has reduced by a huge percentage because of mentoring and induction programs that help in supporting sustainability.

Induction is more effective and critical because it consists of internships, workshops and clarification that help new students to understand and face new challenges. Induction also seeks to meet the long term teachers’ needs for as long as it is possible. In order to ensure success of both programs there must be a multi-faceted framework that views critical components and it is also quite important to assess the challenges so as to put in place adjustments that meet the challenges wholly and for an extensive period of time.

Different adjustments have been put in place to support the new teachers who participate in these programs. Supporting the new teachers is a critical strategy that integrates new teachers into the qualified way of life. Proper implementation attracts support and retains effective educators. This program ensures that there is excellence in teaching because it enhances student achievement and builds supportive environment within schools. The support available to new teachers would ensure there is increased scope in regards to their welfare and promotion of personal well being.

This supports the new teacher all the way by providing orientation to ascertain that they become self reliant. The Grand Wood AEA Mentoring and Induction program is intended to train mentors so as to ensure service delivery to new teachers. The training provides mentors with improved knowledge and skills that are interactive and full of opportunities for learning and practice; these support the new teachers in their growth and development. This ensures that the mentor and the new teachers finish mentoring assignments in between the sessions thereby ensuring the goals of mentoring are achieved.

These support the new teachers and ensure that there is reduced teacher turnover since mentoring ensures new teacher retention. Wong (2004) explores the fact that high quality mentoring and ind