Teacher Induction Program
Update 1/25/21
With all the resources available to you, the amount of information can seem overwhelming at times. We are all here to help answer questions and support. Your mentors, your peers, school leaders, and supervisors - along with the new teacher induction team - are united in our support for you.
Upcoming Dates of Interest
January 29, 2021 - No School for Students (Staff Development/Professional Responsibilities) - TAC Window Closes at NOON
February 3, 2021 -
Report Cards Distribution (Available in HAC)
New Teacher Seminar at 5:00 PM
February 15, 2021 - President's Day - All Schools and Office Closed
February 26, 2021 - Two Hour Early Dismissal End of Interim (No School for Head Start and PreK Students, Professional Responsibilities)
January New Teacher Survey Results
During both the live session and the asynchronous activity of the January New Teacher Seminar, your colleagues shared great strategies that they have found to be successful in their classrooms. The Nearpod Collaborative Board link can be accessed for review HERE.
Follow-Up Items from the Survey Responses:
The Department of Special Education will offer Friday PD sessions on elements of IEP writing and the February New Teacher Seminar (February 3, 2021) will be focused on the needs of students who need accommodations.
Technology hardware needs for effective and efficient online and hybrid instruction were shared. Please see the Classroom Needs - Materials of Instruction section below to request your item to be delivered to your school site in the coming weeks.
Concerns for content pacing and anticipated benchmarks were shared. Because this is specific to grade-levels and contents, it is recommended that teachers discuss this topic with their supervisors during the system-wide professional development scheduled for January 29, 2021.
Return to hybrid instruction - how to manage it and the expectations - was a concern as well. Hybrid instruction will be a featured topic in the New Teacher Seminar on March 3, 2021.
The status of state testing: At this time, MD State Assessments (MESA, MCAP, HSA) are still expected to be administered this spring.
The remainder of the questions and concerns are being reviewed and will be addressed as appropriate.
Classroom Needs - Materials of Instruction (Please complete form in your email)
Several survey participants indicated a need for particular materials of instruction that would make their on-line and future hybrid instruction more efficient. Based on the suggestions, we are offering each New Teacher Seminar participant one of the following items: webcam light stand, magnetic easel, wireless mouse, or webcam stand arm (for use as a document camera arm).
New Teacher Seminar participants should complete the form emailed to participants no later than Friday, January 29, 2021.
Teacher Self-Care Reminder
We have talked a great deal about the importance of self-care to prevent teacher burnout and provide balance between work and home life. However, many expressed concern about teacher burnout in the feedback provided earlier this month.
To address this concern, we will provide recommendations for ways to take some time for yourself with each New Teacher Update!
Schedule Time for Yourself!
Our computers, email, and calendars seem to run our lives in recent months.
Self-Care Reminder: Take advantage and take control by scheduling time for yourself sometime this week. Consider something that you need for yourself - a walk, a phone call, guilt-free time to read a chapter of a non-school book - whatever you need to give yourself a break.
By placing it in your calendar, you will be setting aside that time for yourself. Treat that time as important as any meeting that you attend each day!
Time Management Calendar Bonus Tip: Schedule your grading and/or planning time in your calendar. Limit the time that you spend in a single day on those tasks and find the time of day that works best for you.
Possible Topics for Meeting with Mentors - January
Each month, a list of possible topics to discuss is shared with mentors. Based on the feedback from new teachers, we are sharing this same list so that you can determine your needs and set the agenda for your meetings with your mentor.
Please use these lists to help you plan for your needs and determine how your mentor can best work with you to make your mentoring time to be as valuable for you as possible. Your time with your mentor is designed to be individualized to your needs and may look different each week.
Elementary
Pacing
Consider your long-range planning. What standards will be your focus moving forward?
What skills are your priority? How might instruction look for online and possible hybrid learning?
End of Semester Report Cards
Does there seem to be a pattern in low performances in SBRCs?
What strengths have your students demonstrated in the first half of the school year? How can you build on those strengths?
Assessments
What kinds of assessments have you used in your classes?
Did the assessments provide information for your SLOs?
Revisit Classroom Management
What rules or procedures might you want to revisit and adjust?
How are you revising your classroom rules and procedures for the second half of the school with a view toward hybrid instruction?
Are there rules or procedures that you plan to re-teach or revisit with students? How? Why?
Differentiation
What strategies have you found to be successful for ESOL students?
How are you accommodating students with IEP/504 plans during synchronous instruction of new material/content?
How are you accommodating students with IEP/504 plans while they are working asynchronously for your classes?
How are you communicating with your support staff to meet the needs of your students?
Secondary
Pacing
Consider your long-range planning. What standards will be your focus moving forward?
How does your pacing compare to the curriculum documents provided by your supervisor?
What skills are your priority? How might instruction look for online and possible hybrid learning?
End of Semester Report Cards
Does there seem to be a pattern in low performances in standards or skills?
What strengths have your students demonstrated in the first half of the school year? How can you build on those strengths?
Assessments
What kinds of assessments have you used in your classes?
Did the assessments provide information for your SLOs?
Revisit Classroom Management
What rules or procedures might you want to revisit and adjust?
How are you revising your classroom rules and procedures for the second half of the school with a view toward hybrid instruction?
Are there rules or procedures that you plan to re-teach or revisit with students? How? Why?
Differentiation
What strategies have you found to be successful for ESOL students?
How are you accommodating students with IEP/504 plans during synchronous instruction of new material/content?
How are you accommodating students with IEP/504 plans while they are working asynchronously for your classes?
How are you communicating with your support staff to meet the needs of your students?
Articles of Interest
Student Engagement: 15 Kahoot Ideas and Tips by Jill Staake, We Are Teachers
Early Childhood: Making Space for Student Choice in Preschool by Oi Ling Hu, Edutopia
Early Childhood: Can You Provide a Quality Preschool Education Over Zoom? by Stephen Noonoo, EdSurge
Technology: 6 Ways to Jam on Jamboard by Linnea Lyding, Edutopia
Organization: The Best Online Calendars for Morning Meetings and More by Jill Staake, We Are Teachers
Student Assessment: Teacher-Created Assessments During Remote Learning by Kipp Bentley, Center for Digital Education
Induction Site Access from Staff Page
You can now access the resources of the SMCPS Induction Site from the SMCPS Staff page. You do not have to wait for an update to easily find the Induction Site. The link is active for those logged into their SMCPS account and can be found under the Human Resources heading.
New Teacher Schoology Group
All teachers participating in New Teacher Seminars have been added to the Schoology Group for the New Teacher Program 2020-2021.
This group is where the New Teacher Seminar Book Study Discussions are currently underway. Be sure to post to the discussion prior to the January 6th New Teacher Seminar. The next discussion post will begin after New Teacher Seminar on January 6th.
The latest Schoology News update which includes Organizing Google Drive, Tech Tips, use of assessments for practice and available PD can be found HERE.
Teacher Performance Assessment System
For certificated instructional staff, the Teacher Performance Assessment System (TPAS) is used for classroom observation and annual evaluation. The TPAS system complies with the Maryland State Department of Education requirements for evaluation of certificated staff. The system is built upon the Charlotte Danielson Model and also includes an annual expectation of two Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) - one for student achievement and one for culture and climate.
TPAS includes five domains:
Domain 1: Planning and Preparation
Domain 2: The Learning Environment
Domain 3: Instruction
Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities
Domain 5: Evidence of Student Learning (SLO)
The Signal
Have you seen the Signal? The Signal is the bi-weekly newsletter from SMCPS for all staff. It includes important information for all staff, and has a few professional articles for your reading as well. Take a look - www.smcps.org/signal.
