Standard 2: Program Goals and Design
Induction/mentoring program goals should be grounded in the needs of students by helping improve their school experiences, academic achievement, and other desirable outcomes. Toward these primary ends, induction/mentoring programs typically specify more immediate goals including improving teacher retention, enhancing teacher quality and performance, and bettering school climate.
The design of the induction/mentoring program should reflect an understanding of research. It may be inspired by other programs, but it must remain rooted in the needs and strengths of local contexts. Induction/mentoring programs should include mentoring and coaching as well as a range of other supports for beginning teachers, including orientations, professional development, formative assessment, opportunities for networking, and whole-school supports. These activities should recognize the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards and provide clearly-defined expectations for program completion.
The various elements of induction/mentoring program design will be dealt with in much greater detail under Standards 3 through 9. This section provides an overview of the major components.
The Standard 2 Subsections address the following issues:
While examining Standard 2, keep the following questions in mind:
- What teacher development and student learning outcomes will the program produce?
- How are these expectations communicated to the beginning teacher and mentor?
- What role is the beginning teacher expected to play in raising student achievement and following the school improvement plan?
- How do the mentors and beginning teachers accomplish essential program activities in a timely manner?
- How do program leaders and stakeholders periodically review and revise program goals and outcomes for teacher development, retention, and student learning?