Teacher Induction That Works: Empowering, Retaining, and Developing Teacher Leaders

Introduction

One of the most difficult aspects of teaching for new (or beginning) teachers is the ability to apply knowledge from teacher preparation to their personal contexts (Greenwood & Abbot, 2001; Whitney, et al., 2013). Add to this the complexities associated with teaching and the ever-changing landscape (Kennedy, 2016; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2018), and beginning teachers may have difficulty finding their footing in the classroom. New teachers do not have the same experience or expertise as veterans and need guidance in navigating the logistics of the profession. Guidance could include physical support, such as classroom setup needs or building logistics; emotional support when self-efficacy is low; or instructional support as new teachers work to refine and reflect on practices that impact learning (Boogren, 2015). Institutional support helps new teachers understand unwritten norms and the school and district culture (Boogren, 2015). Unwritten, invisible norms are sometimes the most difficult to learn as they can impact a new teacher’s sense of self, but induction programs can help provide institutional support. Unfortunately, after leaving teacher preparation, teachers frequently encounter uneven induction programs (Fleming, 2014; Hong & Matsko, 2019) and a general lack of support (Dunn et al., 2017).

Effective induction programs provide leaders (i.e., mentors and coaches) who can model, support, and guide teachers. These programs tend to have three main goals: increasing teaching effectiveness, student achievement, and teacher retention (Ingersoll & Strong, 2011). New teachers will make mistakes, feel dips in confidence, and experience confusion at times. This is part of the learning process and why researchers have found the structure of particular induction programs impactful.

Effective induction leaders model useful strategies, practical skills, and share foundational knowledge with new teachers. These interactions can extend from formal learning to informal peer learning post induction and/or create strong communities of practice throughout careers (Kearney, 2015; Mawhinney, 2010). Given that positive interaction and collaboration with the school community support effective induction (Kearney, 2015), those leading induction efforts must showcase leadership qualities. For example, teacher leaders often lead school improvement efforts (Katzenmeyer and Moller, 2009) and may serve in roles that cross boundaries in schools (Muijs et al., 2013) which both necessitate positive interactions and collaboration within the school community. This includes productive communication skills, an ability to build and sustain quality relationships which build confidence in others (Kearney, 2015; Habhab-Rave, 2008).

Since induction directly ties to teaching and learning conditions the “critical role of school leadership, opportunities for teacher leadership and collaboration, and personalized professional development” (Goldrick, 2016, p. 2) are necessary for effective induction. Effective mentoring and coaching practices via induction impact teacher effectiveness and retention through intentional instructional leadership (NEA, NBPTS, CTQ, 2018). Although limited research exists on the direct ties between specific leader qualities and induction, it is clear the attributes impact the outcome.

Effective induction links to retention, especially when novice teachers are deeply involved with teacher leaders who provide deliberative and safe spaces for them to be successful (Ingersoll & Strong, 2011). Teachers often have feelings of isolation, both early and late in their careers (Davidson & Dwyer, 2014; Ingersoll & Strong, 2011; Nehmeh & Kelly, 2018). With annual attrition rates as high as 8% in the United States, district costs associated with losing teachers can top $20,000 per teacher (Sutcher et al., 2016). Additionally, more than 41% of teachers leave the field within the first five years (Ingersoll et al., 2014). Teachers with more comprehensive and supported teaching experiences have an increased confidence and likelihood of staying in the profession (Ingersoll et al., 2014; Meyer, 2016; Ronfeldt et al., 2014).