Program Components

Aspire’s induction program is fieldwork based and the mentor/participating teacher relationship is the heart of all program components. The mentor will regularly observe the participating teacher and the two will meet weekly for at least 1 hour to debrief observations, give and receive feedback, plan professional development opportunities, and decide upon next steps. Ideally the mentor is also an integral part of the participating teacher’s school and will support the participating teacher’s growth and development with local context in mind.

The Individual Learning Plan is comprised of three components:

• • 1. Goal Setting and Growth Reflection

    2. Inquiry Action Cycles and Evidence Gathering

    3. Collaborative Meetings with mentors

• Individualized Pacing

  • The Aspire Teacher Induction Program Individual Learning Plan Guidelines can be found HERE (updated annually).

  • The pacing of induction is unique to each individual candidate. Each Participating Teacher (PT) works with their mentors to draft Growth Goals that are aligned to the California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP). To support PTs in drafting their growth goals each PT starts the program completing a CSTP Pre-Assessment that highlights their strengths and areas of growth. This assessment allows the PTs to reflect on areas of needed support. PTs use their growth goals as a foundation to their inquiry action cycles, in which they are actively working towards proficiency in their growth areas. The Inquiry Action Cycles are one component of each PTs Individualized Learning Plan (ILP).

  • Each participating teacher, within their first 60 days of enrollment, develops, along with their mentor, an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP). The purpose of the ILP is for the mentor, participating teacher, and site-administrator to think through and loosely plan an induction candidate’s path through the induction program components. This plan includes the participating teacher’s identified goals as well as the school context/focus areas.

  • The ILP is designed and implemented solely for the professional growth and development of the participating teacher, and not for evaluation for employment purposes.

  • Aspire’s ILPs are on the Google Classroom platform and are created with the intent that the mentor and participating teacher will collaboratively work on the three components of the ILP: 1.) Goal Setting and Reflection, 2.) Inquiry Action Plans and evidence gathering, and 3.) Collaborative Meetings. This plan is based on the participating teacher’s identified goals as well as the school context/focus areas.

  • Each mentor is provided a sample of how to pace the components over the course of the year although they are encouraged to individualize the pacing as much as possible.

• ILP Scoring 

  • Inquiry Action Plans and Evidence are scored using an evidence rubric. The rubric focuses on CSTP alignment, growth and deep reflection.

  • With the support of their mentor, candidates will upload all elements of their ILP to the Google Classroom platform.

  • Mentors will read through the evidence for each component and score using a 3-point rubric. In some cases, an ILP evidence may be scored twice.

  • If a participating teacher receives a “resubmission” score, they are asked to either edit the sections of the portfolio that caused the "resubmission" score. Teachers have 2 weeks to resubmit

    1. Participating teachers may successfully complete the correction process relatively quickly and continue on with induction as intended (either successfully completing if in their 2nd year, or moving on to year 2 if in their 1st year).

    2. Should a participating teacher have significant deficiencies in their ILP assignments requiring more time than is available at the end of the school year, that participating teacher shall continue in their current induction year into the following school year. Once the components are successfully completed a decision will be made regarding progression from that point.

• • All assignments must be submitted through the Participating Teachers Google Classroom Account. 

  • Late assignments will affect your ability to complete induction on time. 

  • Evidence and Reflection should demonstrate how the teacher is making growth toward their goal.

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