Introduction to the Startup Guide
New teacher induction is structured support across a new teacher’s formative first years in the classroom and is designed to increase retention, help teachers be more effective more quickly, and improve student outcomes.
Induction includes mentoring, professional development, and whole-school supports for new teachers and is tied to best practices and district improvement plans.
This guide is intended to help new induction and mentoring programs get started—whether the program is being run by a school district, a Regional Office of Education, a university, or another service provider.
This guide will provide advice on:
- setting up program leadership
- setting goals and designing the program
- tasks to accomplish before, during, and at the end of the school year
- establishing a timeline for induction activities
- setting a program budget
This guide is intended as a brief overview. More comprehensive advice is contained in the larger Illinois Induction Guide, available at inductionillinois.com.
Although the steps in this guide may seem overwhelming, beginning induction programs do not necessarily need to do everything during their first year. It is more important to start supporting new teachers right away than to delay until the “perfect” program can be funded and planned.
For more information or personal assistance, contact the Illinois New Teacher Collaborative.
