Teacher Features

Showcasing Events of the Union College Education Program

New Teacher Induction Program

One of the most important aspects of the success of new teachers is the mentoring they receive during their first years of teaching. Several schools report that as many as 50% of their new teachers leave the profession after three years or less. A long-standing tradition at Union College is its commitment to the success of our new teachers. In keeping with this tradition, the Teacher Education Program has developed the following induction program.

1. Gather all the schools & addresses of new graduates.

2. Gather the names of the mentoring teacher assigned to each teacher.

3. Send both the new teacher and their mentoring teacher the book 101 Answers for New Teachers and their Mentors: Effective Teaching Tips for Daily Classroom Use, by Annette L. Breaux.

4. In the fall and spring, the unit conducts a simultaneous conference call with all the new teachers. The purpose of this call is to field questions, share ideas and give the teachers a sense of community.

5. Each new teacher in the Mid-America Union Conference receives a visit from one of the unit faculty early in the second semester and those not in MAUC will be visited when feasible. The purpose of this visit is to encourage, field questions and observe the teacher in action. Each visit is followed up with a letter.

6. Each spring new teachers are asked to complete the Professional Skill Checklist and their supervisors (school principals and/or superintendents) are asked to complete the New Teacher Evaluation. The goal is to have a 100% return rate on these surveys.

The results of these surveys are reviewed by the education faculty and, when indicated, changes are implemented to enhance the program.