TRASTORNOS DEL CONTROL DE IMPULSOS
1. TRASTORNO EXPLOSIVO INTERMITENTE
Improving entry—Our district will use TL funds to support 58 TL positions related to instructional coaching. 4 of the 58 positions will be full-time coaches who work exclusively with new teachers (1st and 2nd year teachers with an initial license). We currently partner with Grant Wood AEA and the New Teacher Center (NTC) to provide high-quality, research-based mentoring and induction for new teachers. As members of the GWAEA consortia, our Induction and Mentoring Program is able to:
Provide highly-qualified, exceptional teachers to serve as full-release Induction Coaches; Follow the strongest research on new teacher development and retention available to ensure our
new teachers accelerate quickly into confident, competent professionals; and
Remain committed to constantly improving new teacher practice for the benefit of our students. Our 4 full-time Induction Coaches will each work with 15 new teachers providing job-embedded support for 1-2 hours every week. This includes:
Demonstration teaching, lesson & unit planning; Classroom observation & feedback;
Analysis of student work;
Co-assessing instructional practice;
Setting professional goals aligned with the Iowa Teaching Standards; and Triad conversations with the principal and mentee.
Our 4 coaches will also help new teachers observe exceptional instructional practices in their own building and in other buildings, while also fostering collaboration among all new teachers.
To ensure our 4 Induction Coaches are successful, the rigorous selection process for these positions will include administrators and teachers from across the district. All Induction Coaches will have at least 4 years of successful teaching experience. They will also participate in their own extensive professional development (PD). New Induction Coaches will participate in 40 hours of summer training to acclimate them to their new position. All Induction Coaches will engage in an additional 40 hours of ongoing PD every school year.
The 4 coaches will be supervised and evaluated using the NTC Mentor Standards and the Iowa Teaching Standards. 1 of the 4 Induction Coaches will serve as the Lead Induction Coach. The Lead Induction Coach will work with TL Program Coordinator to collect data from all new teachers each semester to determine the effectiveness of induction efforts for the new teachers. These monitoring data will be used to make adjustments to our induction activities.
Effectiveness of Current Program—The most recent long-term teacher retention data provided by the Iowa DE (2007) illustrates the continuing challenge districts face. 31% of teachers in Iowa leave the profession during the first 3-5 years. Because of our strong support for new staff, we have been retaining our new teachers at a much higher level. Last year, only 2 of the 39 new teachers (5%) left our district. Over the past 3 years, only 24 of 238 new hires (10%) have left the district. The factors that contribute to our success of new teachers remaining in our district include:
A starting salary of more than $33,500;
34 Access to high-quality PD for all content areas; & Participation in highly effective PLC teams.
Though we have provided induction support for many years, our current Induction and Mentoring Program has been in place for 18 months. During this time we have gathered feedback from all new teachers and our induction coaches. Program satisfaction is overwhelmingly high, with the new teachers feeling incredible levels of support and growth. Our 4 Induction Coaches have observed rapid and positive changes in their mentees’ abilities. Additionally, the training our coaches receive prepares them for the highs and the lows that naturally occur with new teachers. Thanks to high quality preparation and support, our Induction Coaches can see early signs of struggle, recognize the developmental stages new teachers’ experience, and draw upon their toolbox of strategies to help new teachers move effectively toward becoming competent, confident professionals.
Though we have been successful in retaining new teachers, a review of our induction and mentoring efforts reveal a few gaps. Our biggest areas for growth are: (1) improving the instructional practice of the individual teacher; and (2) quickly integrating new teachers into highly effective PLC teams. Though new teachers have many discreet skills and an appreciation of educational theory, they have little
experience working in collaborative teams and understanding the interplay between theory and practice in the context of a classroom and a school.
To address these gaps, we will continue to improve the peer review process that is part of our ongoing professional development for all teachers, including all new teachers. Peer review involves teachers collaborating in small groups to learn together around a specific professional need or interest. This provides teachers with the opportunity to delve more deeply into specific areas of practice while further strengthening relationships and experiences as they work in learning teams. We will use the peer review process to immediately engage new teachers in the practice of professional co-learning and co-creating. While only in its first year, we believe our peer review process can provide new teachers with strong models and examples as they watch their seasoned colleagues continuously engage in professional learning and development.
We are firmly convinced our results with new teachers are on par with and over time will match those the NTC has found over its two-plus decades of research. We are confident our approach will improve the quality of teaching, move new teachers to higher levels of confidence and competence, and ensure that we are able to retain outstanding individuals in the teaching profession.
Dubuque
The mentoring and induction program uses Journey to Excellence to train our mentors and beginning educators. To prepare mentors, we use Mentoring Matters: Learning-focused Conversations and Learning-focused Mentoring, A Professional Development Resource Kit. The materials address
awareness, demonstration, reflection and coaching. Annual renewal learning experiences are provided to experienced mentors. Training of mentors is provided by certified Journey to Excellence trainers. Surveys support program adjustments
Strengths
Journey to Excellence aligns with the Iowa teaching standards. The district employs a mentoring coordinator.
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New professionals currently have an additional 21 hours of contact time. Each second year professional has an additional 7 hours of contact time.
The district provides support for experienced professionals new to the district through orientation facilitators.
Weaknesses
Without the TLC grant, the district must fund mentoring as required per Iowa Code Transitioning from Pathwise to JtE, created gaps in mentor training
We need to improve the consistency, quality of training and accountability for mentors Lack of time to meet while teaching full-time
AEA1 offers a week of training for mentors during the summer. This is not a realistic option for Dubuque due to the numbers of mentors needed and the distance to the AEA.
AEA 1 has created a Moodle for Mentor training but it is not a preferred professional learning experience.
We intend to integrate a New Professional Residency Program for teachers holding an initial license alongside the traditional mentoring program for teachers with a Standard license. The New Professional Residency Program involves a year-long team teaching experience with a mentor for teachers with an initial license. The DCSD program provides support after participants complete the first year through differentiated mentoring.
The goals of the DCSD New Professional Residency program are: To build capacity of new professionals for student achievement
To share and build skills of new professionals with coherent, shared curricula and pedagogies To develop, support and sustain mentor teachers who demonstrate instructional leadership,
reflective practice and culturally responsive teaching
To develop the residency year as a strategy to build instructional capacity Our choices were framed by the following beliefs:
Skilled mentors are a critical component of the model. Selection of mentors is critical to the model.
Mentors who work with a resident will improve their instructional practice.
The New Professional Residency Program, following the same set of principles, may look different at different grade spans. The instructional delivery is different
Professional learning is best experienced through learning communities.
Cohorts of residents and mentors will build the capacity of coherent instructional effectiveness of the school and district.
The DCSD New Professional Residency model:
Blends a rigorous full-year classroom apprenticeship with a sequence of professional learning Teaches with a trained mentor using strategies for the classroom, examining student work, and
using data to drive instruction
Uses gradual release as the resident demonstrates proficiency in the Iowa Teaching Standards Participates in professional learning tailored to district needs, so new teachers learn the district’s
initiatives and curriculum
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Provides residents and mentors with professional learning on interpretation of performance data to inform interventions and improve teacher effectiveness
This program incorporates five strategies for induction and retention of new teachers to: o implement high quality instructional mentoring
o professional learning communities o new teacher support with district systems o ongoing evaluation for growth
o new teacher support as a district-level priority (Moir, New Teacher Center, Santa Cruz, CA)
DCSD Mentoring and Induction Overview New Employees Regardless of License Type Type of
Licensure
Program Approach Content Learning Targets All teachers New to the district Contract Days Seminar Release Time District Communications Aesop, SolutionWhere Bloodborne Pathogens Device Distribution Iowa Teaching Standards (ITS) 8 Ethics Collaboration CEI: Assessment of Learning Grade or Content Specific Materials/Curriculum Participate in a variety of protocols to enhance learning
Have experience with their grade/content specific materials. Year One or Two DCSD Employment (Initial License)
New Professional Residency
A year-long team teaching experience with a mentor for teachers with an initial license Journey to Excellence Mentoring ITS: 6,3, 4, 7 Characteristics of Effective Instruction (CEI): Student- Centered Classrooms Teaching for Understanding. Demonstrate growth in the ITS: 6, 3, 4, and 7
Increase knowledge of teaching for learner differences
Year Two Teachers: Initial License
Mentoring (having completed a residency)
AND
Journey to Excellence ITS: 6, 2, 5, 1
CEI: Teaching for Learner Differences
Demonstrate growth in the ITS: 6, 2, 5, and 1
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Year Two Academy
Increase knowledge of teaching for learner differences
Year Three Teacher: Initial License
Mentoring Personalized Content Demonstrate growth in their implementation of the ITS and CEI Year One Teachers: Standard License:
Year One Academy Orientation Facilitator Characteristics of Effective Instruction (CEI): Student- Centered Classrooms, Teaching for Understanding, Teaching for Learner Differences
Increase knowledge of all CEI
Year Two Teachers: Standard License
Year Two Academy 15 Fixes for Broken Grades, O’Connor
Develop current grading practices
Johnston
The TLC planning committee believes in the need for a focused plan to support first and second year teachers. As the Johnston TLC plan was developed, members of the planning committee reflected on their first two years in the classroom. Many remembered these years as a mixture of rewards and challenges. The question the committee sought to answer was: How do we improve the entry into the teaching profession and support first and second year teachers to accelerate student learning? While answering this question, it became clear that the district must have increased capacity in order to improve the entry into the teaching profession. The TLC project gives the Johnston School system this increased capacity to support experiences of first and second year teachers. The experiences of first and second year teachers will be very different when compared with previous school years because of the
collaborative work of the committee. The committee members included a diverse group of 38 people, K- 12 teachers, elementary instructional coaches, building and district administrators, community members and parents.
The result is a TLC project that will employ a structure in which teachers new to the profession will have dramatically increased access to exemplary teachers. In addition to improved access to ongoing
embedded and formalized professional development, Johnston has designed a tiered approach to the TLC plan. Model teachers, lead teachers and instructional coaches will all have specific roles providing multi-leveled, consistent, and timely support.
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In order to develop an innovative TLC plan unique to the needs of the Johnston Community Schools and its educators, the planning committee first had to analyze the effectiveness of the district’s current teacher induction and mentoring programs.
The district’s current induction program provides differentiated support and instruction for new teachers. Teachers new to the profession are provided one monthly, two hour, professional learning directed by two elementary instructional coaches, mentoring program trainers and the Director of Teaching and Learning. In addition, the staff members serving as mentors receive additional support and training including Mentoring Matters training through the Heartland Area Education Agency and monthly professional learning opportunities to expand on Mentoring Matters training.
Mentors engage their mentees in the following ways:
Meets with mentee on a weekly basis to: brainstorm, co-plan, serve as a study partner, prompt & encourage without supplying the answers.
Facilitates and coaches the new teacher to problem-solve through questioning, cueing, prompting and supplying resources. Supports the new teacher in being solution-focused.
Models professional learning; seeks out current research; uses continuum to grow as a professional.
Ensure new teacher’s voice is heard; inquires about successes and concerns of new teacher’s performance; focuses on new teacher’s goals and needs; increases expertise in planning, reflecting on practice, and decision making through questioning, cueing, and prompting. Support and speak in favor of the new teacher; share successes of new teacher; encourage new
teacher; also advocate for students to ensure quality instruction is occurring.
Models & facilitate planning and reflective conversations on instructional practices. In analyzing the current mentoring program, the following gaps were identified:
The number one issue facing mentors is a lack of time. Current mentors teach 100% of the time and have very limited time to thoroughly implement the current responsibilities.
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More time for job-embedded professional learning that aligns to the instructional strategies identified by the district would result in greater teacher learning and development.
Curriculum and district initiative supports currently compete for time.
Current practice does not incorporate enough guidance in using student data for instructional decision making to support new teachers in collecting, sorting, and analyzing student and teacher data.
The Johnston TLC plan would address each of the current gaps in the mentoring and induction programs: Lead teachers and instructional coaches would have the necessary release times to devote to the
development of teachers new to the profession.
Teachers new to the profession will be assigned instructional coaches and lead teachers as mentors.
The increased capacity provided with instructional coaches, lead teachers, and model teachers will allow the district to reevaluate and prioritize the roles and responsibilities of mentors in respect to the time allocated.
Lead teachers and model teachers would address the need for real time job-embedded learning for teachers new to the profession.
Instructional coaches and lead teachers will guide new teachers in the data-driven decision- making process, resulting in more effective first year instruction, greater teacher satisfaction, and improved student outcomes.
Ottumwa
While our district's current Mentoring and Induction (M&I) Program provides a strong structure of accountability, it fails to address the most immediate needs of beginning teachers. For instance, the program does not detail methods for helping new teachers plan for instruction or how to maintain
classroom management. Focusing on these key areas (Teaching Standards 4 & 6) is crucial for improved entry into the teacher profession for new teachers. We would like to capitalize on our current strengths and also build a program that will ensure our beginning educators become effective teachers as a result of their participation in our M&I Program.
Our new program will retain the effective use of technology for ongoing communication (Moodle) and accessibility to professional resources and be more designed to assist beginning educators before the school year starts and maintain intensity through the first semester. Second semester will be used for more individual reflection and goal setting. This design will help mentors shepherd beginning educators during the most critical times of their career. The TLC plan will assist our district in creating a
meaningful and substantial program that will help beginning educators develop the necessary skills to become effective educators.
Current evaluations of the M&I Program showed strong support by beginning educators to increase collaboration time with their mentor. Beginning educators also asked for additional time at the beginning of the year. Therefore, M&I activities will include planning, collaborating as a professional learning community, evaluating student performance, developing assessments, contacting parents, providing accommodations to special needs students, and organizing a portfolio of artifacts that address each teaching standard.
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Ottumwa already has a beginning salary that far exceeds the $33,500 minimum. Therefore, to attract beginning educators to our district, as well as provide incentive for teachers to become mentors, our district is proposing an M&I Program that pays teachers and beginning educators to prepare for a successful school year prior to school starting.
Based on best practices found in the March 2006 ACSD article “What New Teachers Really Need” by Scott Mandel and feedback from a cadre of teachers who are experienced mentors, the following program has been designed:
Beginning educators will each be assigned a Mentor teacher to work together the first two years
of teaching. Mentors and beginning educators would ideally be in the same building and teach
the same grade level or department. Partners could be reassigned, if needed.
Provide 12 hours of collaboration time between first year beginning educator and Mentor teacher,
which would be spread out over several days. These twelve hours should occur in August prior to the beginning of the school year. Mentor teacher and beginning educator will use this time to plan lessons, outline pacing of instruction, discuss instructional strategies, and develop classroom management.
All Mentor teachers and Instructional Coaches will meet for three hours prior to the beginning of
the school year to get instruction on what professional development will be for beginning educators.
The following is a revised outline of M&I Program activities for the remainder of the school year: 1st YEAR TEACHERS:
September: Beginning educators and mentors will conduct an observation exchange, discuss grading, create formative assessments to monitor student growth, and collaborate on strategies to maintain classroom management as well as effectively gather data.
October: Prepare beginning educators for Parent/Teacher Conferences by hosting a guest speaker to train them on “Fierce Conversations.”
November: Celebrate American Education Week with our district and allow beginning educators to network at a teacher mixer. Following the dinner, beginning educators will participate in a gallery walk to view portfolios of former beginning educators.
December: Beginning Educators attend a panel of second and third year teachers to share their concerns, celebrate their successes, and answer questions.
January: Beginning educators will reflect on their first semester of teaching. Mentors and beginning educators will also use this time to develop summative assessments (9-12) or evaluate student progress using assessments (PreK-6).
February: Iowa Assessment preparation (3-12) or evaluating student progress (PreK-2)
March: Mentors and beginning educators will collaborate to plan lessons and discuss characters of