Year 2

If adequately supported through reflective dialogue and celebrations of success in their first year, new teachers begin to feel more competent in the acts of teaching. Often, teachers in this stage know what effective practices are, but exhibit a knowing-doing gap. At this point, new teachers tend to make generalizations about the classroom reality.

In year 2, mentors, principals, and instructional coaches should support the new teacher in shifting from assumptions about what students know, personal preferences, or familiar practices to using student data to clarify the cause-and-effect relationship between their practice and student outcomes. Additionally, emphasis should be placed on helping the new teacher collaborate with others to plan effective lessons and have the opportunity to observe and practice effective strategies. The continuation of setting short-cycle goals and celebrating successes immediately is essential at this point, as the new teacher may likely still feel overwhelmed by long-range goals. Achieving short-term goals begins the process of garnering success.

Year 2 new educators will participate in Ongoing Support Cohorts with others in a similar content area, specialty, or grade level band. Each session will have a general topic applicable to all new educators and focus on topics of relevance specific to each cohort.