Teacher Induction

The goals of the Eastern York School District Teacher Induction Program are designed to serve the unique needs of the inductee and is developed pursuant to the requirements of Pennsylvania Code (22 Pa. Code §49.16 and §49.83). In particular, it is intended to provide each inductee with a general orientation to the district and to increase his/her knowledge and improve his/her teaching skills. The objectives of the program are to:

• Familiarize new professional staff members with school district policies, procedures, and services within EYSD to integrate inductees into the social system of the school and community;

  • Inductees will know the basic details and expectations related to district-wide/school initiatives, practices, policies and procedures.

  • Inductees will know and utilize district/school resources that are available to assist students in crisis.

• Provide professional development as required by Pennsylvania Code (22 Pa.Code § 49.16 and § 49.83) and Chapter 49. 

  • The Standards Aligned System (SAS)

    • Standards - Pennsylvania’s Core Standards define what students should know and be able to do as a result of instruction.

    • Assessments - Assessments offer tools and resources to support the process of assessing, evaluating, and documenting student learning to improve professional practice and increase student achievement.

    • Curriculum Framework - Drawn from the Pennsylvania Core Standards, the Curriculum Framework is a set of teaching topics by subject and grade level further defined using Big Ideas, Concepts, Competencies, Essential Questions, and Vocabulary.

    • Instruction - – Pennsylvania has adopted the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching as the overarching vision for effective instruction in the commonwealth. The model focuses the complex activity of teaching by defining four domains of teaching responsibility:

      • • Planning and preparation

        • Classroom environment

        • Instruction

        • Professional responsibilities

  • Materials and Resources - Support standards align instruction and include Voluntary Model Curriculum, learning progressions, units, lesson plans and multimedia content examples for use in planning and delivering instruction.

  •  Safe and Supportive Schools - – Supplies resources and exemplars to promote active student engagement in a safe and positive learning environment. Areas within the element include the following:

    • • • Engagement

        • Safety

        • Environment

  • Accommodations and Adaptations for diverse learners

  • Professional Ethics Program Framework

  • Culturally Relevant and Sustaining Education Competencies

  • Introduction to Act 13 Educator Effectiveness

• Provide a support network for each Inductee including a Mentor, peers in the Induction Program, and other supportive resources that exist within EYSD;

• Provide educators with an overview of professional practice within the context of the Observation and Practice Framework for Teaching;

• Provide a series of experiences and activities designed to enhance the inductee’s professional training.

• Cultivate a professional attitude toward teaching and learning, and working with others such as students, parents and colleagues; 

• Provide physical support, emotional support, instructional support and institutional support to beginning teachers and their mentors; and 

• Provide continued assistance to face the challenges of the new teacher.

Chapter 49 of the Pennsylvania Code requires a mentor relationship between the education induction team and first-year teachers, educational specialists, and long-term substitutes who are hired for a position for 45 days or more. The mentor relationship is required for the length of the induction program; however, the assigned mentor may vary. 

Mentors are those educators recognized for instructional leadership and their ability to work collaboratively on development of job-embedded knowledge and skills. Being a mentor is an honor and mentoring provides the opportunity for leadership. 

• Temporary Professional Employees will receive a formal mentor. This mentor relationship will be 2 years in length. 

  • Year 1 - Formal Mentor. 

  • Year 2 - Informal Mentor

• Long-term substitutes, who are hired for a position for 45 days or more; and newly employed teachers with prior school teaching will receive an informal mentor for one year.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Formal Mentor

• Ensure a strong start to the year.

  • Mentors help inductees launch into a productive year by making sure they know where to obtain all needed materials and by explaining the pertinent routines and schedules.

• Participate in mentor training and other in-service programs related to the induction process.

• Meet with the beginning teacher and building principal/supervisor on a regular basis.

• Establish rapport as a helping person.

• Help new teachers to identify most immediate and pressing needs.

• Help with ways to organize and manage the classroom.

• Suggest ways to plan for instruction.

• Observe teaching and provide feedback.

• Help with ways to teach the district’s curriculum.

• Help with all aspects of the teaching process.

• Suggest ways to communicate with parents.

• Serve as a sounding board and mentor on a regular basis.

• Provide activities to promote a positive self-concept in the beginning teacher at the district and building level.

• Participate in peer visitation activities.

• Promote professionalism.

• Assist in the evaluation of various aspects of the teacher induction process.

• Maintain a confidential relationship with the assigned mentee.

• Participate in a support process for maintaining a mentor/inductee relationship.

•  If an unresolvable issue arises in the mentor/inductee relationship, the inductee or mentor can request a meeting with the Building Principal to help to reach a resolution

Roles and Responsibilities of the Informal Mentor

• Ensure a strong start to the year.

  • Mentors help inductees launch into a productive year by making sure they know where to obtain all needed materials and by explaining the pertinent routines and schedules.

• Participate in the first three teacher induction events.

• Meet with the teacher on a regular basis.

• Establish rapport as a helping person.

• Help with ways to teach the district’s curriculum.

• Serve as a sounding board and mentor on a regular basis.

• Promote professionalism.

• Assist in the evaluation of various aspects of the teacher induction process.

• Maintain a confidential relationship with the assigned mentee.

• Participate in a support process for maintaining a mentor/inductee relationship.

  • If an unresolvable issue arises in the mentor/inductee relationship, the inductee or mentor can request a meeting with the Building Principal to help to reach a resolution.

Definition of Inductee:

• First-year, teachers;

• Teachers in pre-kindergarten programs, when offered;

• Long-term substitutes, who are hired for a position for 45 days or more; and

• Newly employed teachers with prior school teaching, as required by the school entity. 

Inductee responsibilities should include attending all orientation activities, seeking help when needed, observing experienced teachers/specialists, meeting regularly with mentors, meeting with other inductees to discuss experiences, and evaluating the program. 

New teachers shall be compensated in the amount of six hundred dollars ($600) into a 403(b) at the completion of their first year.

Roles and Responsibilities of the New Teacher Inductee

• Actively participate in mentoring activities and relationships;

• Meet with the mentor and building administrator/supervisor on a regular basis;

• Interact with induction team members;

• Communicate needs to respective induction team members;

• Promote professionalism;

• Accept and act upon constructive feedback through open communication with the mentor;

• Attend all scheduled mentoring sessions;

• Participate in peer visitation opportunities;

• Assist in the evaluation of various aspects of the teacher induction process;

• Complete necessary forms and return to appropriate person(s) in a timely fashion; and

  • Documentation of the induction process must be submitted to the Director of Teaching and Learning’s Office electronically through Canvas/Comply by established deadlines.

• Maintain a confidential relationship with the assigned mentor.

• Participate in a support process for maintaining a mentor/inductee relationship.

•  If an unresolvable issue arises in the mentor/inductee relationship, the inductee or mentor can request a meeting with the Building Principal to help to reach a resolution.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Newly Employed Teacher Informal Inductee

• Actively participate in mentoring activities and relationships;

• Participate in the first three teacher induction events.

• Meet with the mentor and building administrator/supervisor on a regular basis;

• Interact with induction team members;

• Communicate needs to respective induction team members;

• Promote professionalism;

• Accept and act upon constructive feedback through open communication with the mentor;

• Participate in peer visitation opportunities;

• Assist in the evaluation of various aspects of the teacher induction process;

• Maintain a confidential relationship with the assigned mentor.

• Participate in a support process for maintaining a mentor/inductee relationship.

  • If an unresolvable issue arises in the mentor/inductee relationship, the inductee or mentor can request a meeting with the Building Principal to help to reach a resolution.

Description: The joys and pains of starting a teaching career often go undiscussed. This field guide dives deep into the personal side of teaching, offering crucial advice, empathy, and new-teacher support. The author details six phases every new teacher goes through—anticipation, survival, disillusionment, rejuvenation, reflection, and second anticipation—and outlines targeted classroom-management strategies and self-care practices for each.

Learning Goals:

• Understand the feelings and teaching challenges of each phase during a beginning teacher’s career.

• Practice self-care to combat beginning and first-year teacher stress and burnout; avoid the mental pitfalls that so often lead to teachers changing careers.

• Learn effective classroom-management strategies for new teachers and how to maintain positive relationships with students.

• Respond to prompts that will help you process and reflect on your first years’ culmination.

• Utilize the prompts and journaling spaces throughout the book to reflect on your professional improvements and successes.

Table of Contents

• Introduction: First Things First (1-12) 

• Chapter 1: The Anticipation Phase (13-32) 

• Chapter 2: The Survival Phase (33-50)

• Chapter 3: The Disillusionment Phase (51-68)

• Chapter 4: The Rejuvenation Phase (69-82) 

• Chapter 5: The Reflection Phase (83-98) 

• Chapter 6: The Second Anticipation Phase (99-108) 

• Epilogue: The Year in Retrospect (109-112) 

• Appendix A: End-of-the-Year Activities (113-118) 

• Appendix B: Mementos (119-130)