1 Mentoring vs Induction Programs University of Phoenix 2 An induction program is about sitting someone down and going through a list of material that needs to be understood to function in a place or institution Mentoring is about having someone to walk through the experience with you It s a far more human system Teacher mentoring programs have been around for about a generation More than half the states in the country now require mentoring for entry level teachers School districts moreover are beginning to realize that the veteran third grade teacher who is suddenly reassigned to middle grades social studies may need the help of her colleagues every bit as much as the brand new teacher who is fresh out of graduate school Ganser 1999 Demographic and policy trends now lend greater importance to mentoring programs than perhaps at any other time in recent memory Increasing student enrollments an escalation of teacher retirements and the popularity of class size reduction efforts in many states represent serious challenges to districts seeking to ensure the quality of classroom instruction Concerted action must be taken to assist the anticipated two million new teachers who will enter the profession within the next decade and uncounted numbers of experienced teachers who will assume new assignments Ganser 1999 Successful mentoring benefits all stakeholders For school administrators mentoring aids recruitment and retention for higher education institutions it helps to ensure a smooth transition from campus to classroom for teacher associations it represents a new way to serve members and guarantee instructional quality for teachers it can represent the difference between success and failure and for parents and students it means better teaching Ganser 1999 3 Data from the National Center for Education Statistics dramatically demonstrate that the efficacy of mentoring is linked to the amount of time that a mentor and prot g work together Only 36 percent of prot g s who work with mentors a few times a year report substantial improvements to their instructional skills That figure jumps to an impressive 88 percent for those who work with mentors at least once a week Ganser 1999 The issue of full time versus part time mentors can be particularly vexing Many teachers who serve as mentors emphasize the extent and complexity of the role and the difficulty of balancing a classroom schedule with consistent attentiveness to the myriad needs of their prot g s This is especially true if a mentor s responsibilities include peer review which involves evaluating a prot g and making recommendations pertaining to continued employment Others prefer to maintain their classroom activities to some degree Unknown 2009 The importance of this sense of collegiality cannot be overestimated Formal mentoring programs leave an imprint on the dynamics of a school Asking questions asking the right questions is the first step in reflecting on and establishing the context climate and structure of an effective mentoring effort Good mentors also demonstrate a variety of skills and knowledge that come with experience knowing the ropes of a school district for example and understanding the politics of the school community as well as having access to a network of instructional resources Unknown 2009 The demands of mentoring and the desire to attract the services of the very best candidates highlight the importance of incentives A reduced or modified course load for both mentors and prot g s ranks at or near the top of anyone s list of needs for a successful mentoring program Like other professionals mentors and prot g s prefer to work under conditions that lead to 4 success Mentoring achieves less when it is relegated to after hours and weekends Unknown 2009 Teachers and school administrators involved in successful mentoring programs emphasize that training for mentors must be ongoing Some programs provide mentors with ready access to the counsel of higher education faculty Others provide mentors with common office space which allows them to meet with each other on a regular basis discuss coaching strategies share instructional resources and plan additional ways to assist their prot g s Unknown 2009 There are no easy solutions to this challenge It necessitates cooperation between a school district and its teacher association and may involve significant changes to the teachers contract including differentiated roles and responsibilities for teachers Like other aspects of a quality mentoring program the way a district supports its mentors requires systemic changes that affect school climate conventional definitions of the job of teaching and a host of policies and procedures governing school business Unknown 2009 I feel that induction programs and mentoring programs need to work hand in hand for new teachers I will learn all I can from my mentor so that I can then pass my knowledge and training on if necessary Employee turnover is often highest among new employees The sooner a new employee starts to build relationships within the organization and a belief in the goodness of the organization the stronger their commitment to the organization A smart Induction Program includes activities that while teaching facts also build relationships and loyalty The sooner a new employee understands the fundamentals of their new organization and position the sooner they can focus on the specific skills and knowledge they need for their job An effective Induction Program builds these fundamentals quickly 5 The intent of a teacher induction program is to provide a systematic structure of support for beginning teachers A teacher induction program can help new teachers improve practice learn professional responsibilities and ultimately positively affect student learning In addition to providing support to beginning teachers these programs allow veteran teachers to reflect upon practice and can unite the learning community as each individual works toward the same goal improving the quality of education Induction programs also have the potential of elevating the teaching profession and fostering a collaborative learning community for all educators These benefits can lead to a much higher rate of retention as new educators find themselves in an environment that cultivates continual growth and success Most mentoring programs fail because they re too loose People under plan and don t build in important processes steps resources assignments