The Role of Mentoring and Induction Programs - Report Example

Introduction Teachers enter the profession of teaching to make a difference in the lives of the children but they soon develop a sense of isolation and disenchantment. This is one of the very strong reasons for high rate of teachers’ turnover. Nearly 30% of the teachers at the entry level leave the profession in the first five years (Vierstraete, 2005). Schools are finding it difficult to retain the experienced teachers (Magna, 2007). Most teachers leave the profession in the early stages for factors such as low salaries, student discipline problems, lack of support, poor working conditions, and no opportunity to participate in decision-making (Hahs-Vaughn & Scherff, 2008). Teacher turnover increases the administrative costs as well as the time spent on recruiting, interviewing and hiring (Communicator, 2005). Teachers need to be helped to recognize that it would take time for them to settle down and understand the discipline and culture of the profession. They need support to share their concerns and ideas. This support and encouragement can come through the right induction program which includes mentoring. Importance of Induction programs The teachers at the beginning of their career are filled with enthusiasm and are overwhelmed when they are first addressed as “teachers”. Soon they are overwhelmed by the demands of the profession and feel they lack the efficiency necessary for this profession (Vierstraete, 2005). The new teachers tend to work alone and not discuss or collaborate with colleagues (Fletcher & Barrett, 2004). New teachers need to learn how to interact with colleagues. Induction is a sophisticated method of initiating, sustaining and shaping the first work experience of prospective career teachers (Vierstraete, 2005). Mentorship is the major portion of the induction process. Induction programs provide continued assistance to reduce the problems known to be common to the teachers in the early stages of their career. It helps integrate the teachers into the social system of the school and provides the teachers an opportunity to analyze and reflect on teaching with the assistance of a mentor. Mentoring and induction programs have been found to be effective in retention of teachers. Beginning teachers that had the support of mentors and well-planned induction programs experienced greater job satisfaction and self-efficacy (Hanuscin & Lee, 2008). Teacher induction programs coupled with mentorship programs assist the teachers to integrate into their assignments and positions faster. While recruiting potential teachers who demonstrate qualities like persistence as teachers helps, a better solution to retention of teachers is the development of effective induction programs (Luft, Bang & Roehrig, 2007). Beginning teachers are being recognized as distinct from their pre-service and in-service counterparts. This view acknowledges that are different phases in a teacher’s career and that each phase needs to be tackled in a different manner. Brown (2001) finds that inadequate mentoring support can be accounted for high drop-out rates in the beginning of the teaching profession for language teachers. At the same time, strong support may help the teachers stay in the profession. The flight for survival for language teachers is expressed in terms of target language teaching and communicative methodology. Without support the new teacher may insist on using the target language and this could make the situation even more difficult. Importance of reflection Through the mentorship program, the new teachers can be encouraged to engage in reflective learning (Vierstraete, 2005). If they learn to reflect on their experiences, these teachers can become professional teachers. Reflection helps the teachers to acquire craft knowledge and internalize meaning about their skills and knowledge. De Villa (2010) explores the basis of the professional reflective practice among the science teachers and finds that teacher education has always emphasized on ‘reflective professionals’ engaging in ‘critical reflection’. Even educationists such as John Dewey have pointed out that one’s direct experiences informs of future actions. Both pre-service and in-service teacher education programs are based on a reflective model as reflection has been found to be a source of privileged knowledge. The professional development of a teacher is influenced by the staff involved in professional training, supervising teachers and the peers. However, an empirical study conducted by the author, in which primary data was collected from 17 teachers, who were recent graduates from the science teaching programs in Australia, revealed that there was lack of a systematic, unified approach towards teaching of reflective practice. However, mentoring the pre-service teachers did take place wherein the pre-service teachers interacted with the lecturing staff on an informal basis. Mentor relationships had significant impact on the development of pre-service teachers as reflective practitioners. Benefits of induction programs Teacher development depends on more than just the individual. It relies on the extent to which the teacher engages in the school community. Effective mentorship for new teachers can help sustain the interest of new teachers. Teacher mentorship helps the novices to speed up the learning of the skills and reduce the stress of transition (Vierstraete, 2005). It helps improve instructional performance by following a role model. Through this process the novices become comfortable in the profession of teaching. Mentorship helps in orientation and induction of new teachers and such efforts can change the culture of the school to a more collaborative learning environment. Regular interaction between the new teachers and their senior colleagues are life-savers for the first-year teachers. The mentor can be seen as a friend, a coach or a role model. Induction programs, according to Hahs-Vaughn and Scherff (2008) do not necessarily comprise of extra training but it does provide activities for teachers who have completed the basic training program. The authors studied the case of English language teachers and found that induction programs provide the new teachers with mentoring support and with the opportunity to become engaged in networking with other teachers. When a novice teacher participates in a network group, it would help to combat stress and foster encouragement. Group support helps lower frustration and feelings of isolation while promoting teacher enthusiasm, competency and reflection. Formal induction programs like team teaching and providing common planning time also have been found to be effective strategies in teacher retention. Luft, Bang and Roehrig (2007) found that a new science teacher needs five types of support – logistical, instructional, conceptual, psychological and philosophical. They need assistance in the identification of resources, in the enactment of lessons, in disciplining the students. They need emotional support and empathetic listening. In addition, they need to be provided with norms and practices of accepted classroom methodologies and practices. The authors also describe the support that teachers need at different phases in their profession. In the beginning surviving in the profession is important and hence this is the teacher-centered phase and as the teacher settles down in the profession, the teacher moves into the instruction-centered phase. During this phase there is increased focus on planning and enacting of lessons. In the learner-centered phase, the teacher ultimately focuses on the student learning during instruction. This support can be provided by experienced teachers who have been dedicated in improving their craft. An experienced science teacher is knowledgeable about laboratories and experiments. Participation in induction programs may help the teachers to meet the challenges of their new job. It provides them emotional support and helps them in the socialization process (Fletcher & Barrett, 2004). The socialization includes directing the teachers about when to come and when to leave, how to perceive the students and also getting the new teachers to become familiar with other teachers in the school. In short, the mentor helps the teacher learn about the school rules and policies, and guides the new teacher to maximize learning of diverse students. Mentors can help students analyze student work, plan lessons, develop curriculum and develop strategies for working with diverse students. Mentorship enables the new teachers to observe and interact with other teachers. Without this support the new teachers may rely on highly teacher-centered instruction and less effective teaching methods (Hanuscin & Lee, 2008). The instructional guidance that beginning teachers receive from their mentors, helps them set up their own set of teaching practices (Hanuscin & Lee, 2008). It helps them resolve their difficulties and develop the vision of the kind of teachers they want to be. The value of mentoring is not limited to new teachers. In fact, mentoring helps the experienced teachers to increase the awareness of their own professional development. It also makes them develop a clearer justification of their own teaching practices. The values of the self as a teacher increases when he/she realizes the contribution that he/she has made to the teaching profession through mentoring new teachers. Hence, mentoring others contributes towards personal and professional development of the mentor. Ingersoll and Smith (2004) found that induction program should not be limited to mentoring. In fact, teachers that get collective support or multiple induction components can have a strong and statistically significant effect on teacher turnover. The mentors should be from the same field as the mentee teacher and they should be encouraged to plan the schedules with the teachers from the same subjects (Smith & Ingersoll, 2004). The new teachers should also be a part of the network of external teachers. Structured, sustained, intensive personal development programs enable the new teachers to observe other teachers, be a part of the network or study groups, where teachers learn from each other, share experiences and respect each other (Wong, 2004). Good teaching thrives in a collaborative environment as the teachers must feel they are connected to the school and other teachers. Challenges in mentoring The new teachers must be matched with competent mentors who would guide them through the process of reflection. Mismatched relationships can leave the beginning teacher without support and thereby lead to isolation (Vierstraete, 2005). The induction program has to be well planned and designed. Oconee County School District failed to achieve synergies even after pairing new teachers with experienced teachers as mentors (Magna, 2007). They could achieve success when they created a teacher induction program and hired an induction specialist who coordinated mentoring between schools. A leader is hence needed to bring about the goals of the teacher induction program. The District Board realized the retention and growth was not possible without extensive induction, mentoring and development of the new teachers. Within two years they achieved 91% retention rate of teachers. Not all induction programs are well designed with many programs providing generic information and strategies, lacking in depth and breadth, necessary for beginning teachers (Hahs-Vaughn & Scherff, 2008). Mentoring is one aspect of induction. Mentoring requires strong collaboration, effective interpersonal skills and critical reflection. One of the strategies to reduce teacher turnover would be to encourage and develop the experienced teachers to be mentors to the new teachers (Fletcher & Barrett, 2004). Teachers need to be involved and encouraged to participate in different activities. This can keep them motivated in the profession and help reduce attrition. According to Eric Digest (1996) mentor teachers seldom have experience with the core activities of mentoring. While the authorities discuss and are enthusiastic about mentoring, the purpose and benefits of mentoring have not been clearly articulated. Most teachers work alone as they are bound by the norms of privacy and non-interference. The mentors first need training on the new methods of teaching. The effects of mentoring also need to be evaluated. Qualities of a mentor Listening is a quality that mentors need to have because new teachers have the need to express themselves. The mentor must be able to acknowledge that he/she understands the concerns of the new teacher or the mentee (Luft, Bang & Roehrig, 2007). The mentee needs assurance that he/she is not alone having this experience. The new teachers need reassurance that their contribution is necessary and that they are making a positive contribution to the school or the district. Mentors have to be willing for the role and the entire exercise would be futile unless they are comfortable with the role (Fletcher & Barrett, 2004). The persistence, patience and commitment of the mentor are equally responsible for the success of the mentoring program (Rowley, 1999). Commitment would come naturally when the mentor has faith that he/she can make a positive impact on the life and profession of the new teacher. The mentors must have faith on the practice of mentoring, in the first place. They need to be empathetic and set aside personal beliefs and values. Even if the new teacher exhibits traits such as over confidence or is defensive, the mentor should accept these as challenges. This again suggests training the future mentors or engaging them in reflecting on the qualities of effective helpers. The mentors need to be prepared to provide instructional support. Mentors should recognize that they are role models and they should at all times, communicate hope and optimism. Teacher shortage is a retention issue and not a recruitment issue (Wynn, Carboni & Patall, 2007). The authors cite Senge who described a learning organization as a place where people continually expand their capacity to create desired results. Schools should also strive to develop the ability of school personnel to function as professional learning communities. Successful learning communities would have positive, shared and interactive environment where teachers feel positive about being teachers and they are able to meet the needs of the students. Conclusion It is the innate human nature to be needed and to belong. Teaching being a profession full of stress, especially for the new teachers, requires guidance and support. Teacher shortage is more about teachers leaving the profession than retirement with age. The teaching profession tends to be full of stress and apprehensions in the first few years. The new teachers require mental and emotional support to understand and integrate into the profession. This process known as induction has been suggested by many authors where mentoring is the main component. Induction programs have been known to reduce attrition from the profession. Mentoring helps both the mentor and the mentee in several ways. It helps the beginning teacher to get a grasp of the profession, of the school environment, and get the right perception of the students. Mentoring helps the teachers to become socialized, apart from achieving better job satisfaction and self-efficacy. Mentoring helps teachers to meet the challenges of their new profession. Reflection is a major part of mentoring because it helps new teachers internalize meaning about their skills and knowledge. The importance of reflection in the teaching profession is not just for the new teachers. Reflection should be encouraged even among the mentors because the success of the induction program depends on the effectiveness of the mentor. Challenges in mentoring include matching the teacher with a competent mentor, preferably from the same field. Mentoring also requires the mentor to posses the interactive and communicative skills, apart from empathy and perseverance. Mentoring helps the mentors to understand their own skills and professional development. Teachers in the beginning want to work on their own but they should be encouraged to participate in workshops and engage in networking with external teachers. If such strategies are adopted by the schools and authorities, the attrition in the teaching profession could be reduced to a large extent. References: Brown, K. (2001). Mentoring and the Retention of Newly Qualified Language Teachers. Cambridge Journal of Education. 31 (1), 69-88 Communicator. (2005). Keep Teachers Teaching. The Education Digest. May 2005 De Villa, P.A. (2010). Mentoring Reflective Practice In Pre-Service Teachers: A Reconstruction Through The Voices of Australian Science Teachers. Journal of College Teaching and Learning. 7 (9), 1-18 Eric Digest. (1996). Teacher Mentoring: A Critical Review. Retrieved September 26, 2010 from http://eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED397060.pdf Fletcher, S.H., & Barrett, A. (2004). Developing effective beginning teachers through mentor-based induction. Mentoring and Tutoring. 12 (3), 321-333 Hahs-Vaughn, D.L., & Scherff, L. (2008). Beginning English Teacher Attrition, Mobility, and Retention. The Journal of Experimental Education. 77 (1), 21-53 Hanuscin, D.L., & Lee, M.H. (2008). Mentoring new Teachers. Science & Children, Summer 2008. 56-57 Ingersoll, R., & Smith, T.M. (2004). Do Teacher Induction and Mentoring Matter? NASSP Bulletin. 88 (638), 28-40 Luft, J.A., Bang, E., & Roehrig, J.H. (2007). Supporting Beginning Science Teachers. Science Teacher. 74 (5), 24-29 Magna. (2007). American School Board Journal. National School Boards Association. 194, 18 Rowley, J.B. (1999). The Good Mentor. Supporting new teachers. 56 (8), 20-22 Smith, T.M., & Ingersoll, R. (2004). What Are the Effects of Induction and Mentoring on Beginning Teacher Turnover? American Educational Research Journal. 41 (3), 681-714 Vierstraete, S. (2005). MENTORSHIP: TOWARD SUCCESS IN TEACHER INDUCTION AND RETENTION. Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice. 8 (3), 381-392 Wong, H.K. (2004). Induction Programs That Keep New Teachers Teaching and Improving. NASSP Bulletin. 88 (638), 41-58 Wynn, S.R., Carboni, L.W., & Patall, E.A. (2007). L1N57eLa47Pd04S-e05r07sh46i3p and Policy in Schools, Vol. 6, No. 3, March 2007: pp. 1–38 Beginning Teachers’ Perceptions of Mentoring, Climate, and Leadership: Promoting Retention through a Learning Communities Perspective. Leadership and Policy in Schools. 6, 209-229 Read More