Induction & Staff Development Program: Grand Blanc West Middle School

EA 754 June 11, 2013

Crystal Chapa Scott Turnbow

Induction and Staff Development Program PART I: The First Year Month Topic
August 27, 2013 (6 hrs.) Professional Learning Communities (PLC)

Rationale Who will present Goals

All teachers in the Grand Blanc Community School District actively participate in a Professional Learning Community. Principal 45 minutes/ PLC Group Collaboration 5 hrs. 15 min. New teachers will become actively engaged in a Professional Learning Community within their building. The new teachers will be welcomed into their PLC group, where they will actively engage in the PLC meeting, focusing on PLC outcomes from the 2012-13 school year and plans for moving forward in the 2013 14 school year, including the development of a PLC SMART goal.

Descriptio n

Relation to NSDC/Lear ning Forward standards

Contex Research t Proces s

Data-Driven Research-Based Design Learning Collaboration

Conten Quality Teaching t

Month Topic

August 28, 2013 (1 hr.) First Days of School Prior to the first official teacher work day, the principal will meet with the new teachers and mentors as a group, introducing and providing the opening day materials, which will be distributed at the first staff meeting the following day. Mentors will have an opportunity to bring meaning to these items to lower anxiety at the opening day staff meeting. As well, mentors, will share daily protocol and discuss Unit 1 curriculum to help teacher become ready to use their single teacher work day efficiently as they prepare for students the following Tuesday. Principal 20 minutes/ Mentor 40 minutes New teachers will be able to meet the expectations of the daily school protocol, be prepared to meet opening week deadlines, and show readiness to implement the first unit curriculum. Discuss daily procedures (attendance entry, grade book entry, print shop protocol, hall passes, use of planning time, etc.) . Explain September deadlines (grade policies, classroom rules/ management plan, emergency substitute lesson plan) . Prepare to implement the curriculum (unit one overview and daily
lessons).

Rationale

Who will present Goals

Descriptio n

Relation to Context NSDC/Lear ning Process Forward standards Content

Learning Communities Resources Design Learning Collaboration

Month Topic

October (2 hrs.) Crucial Conversations book studyparent/teacher conferences Synergy grading/report cards Oftentimes parent/teacher conferences are the site of crucial conversations and it is necessary for teachers to have the appropriate tools to speak with about student concerns in a manner that conveys the right message and meets the intended goals. Teachers must also be familiar with the new Synergy online grading program, understanding its capabilities and its intent on providing information to parents and students. Teacher leader or counselor & building technology/Synergy representatives Provide a resource to teachers on how to handle crucial conversations and deliver a message that is properly received. Also, to provide guidance and support in the use of the Synergy grading program for record keeping and communication with students/parents. New teachers will be given a copy of the book, Crucial Conversations by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan & Switzler and assigned a chapter to read approximately one month before the scheduled meeting. A teacher leader or member of the counseling staff will facilitate a discussion of the chapters. New teachers will be expected to read and summarize the chapter along with providing a brief reflection on the implications/applications to their current position. A review of the Synergy program is intended to compliment the introductory training provided to teachers at the beginning of the school year. This session will focus on further applications and capabilities of the online grading program and how teachers can use it to record grades and communicate information to students and parents. Leadership Context Resources

Rationale

Who will present

Goals

Descriptio n

Relation to NSDC/Lear ning

Process

Evaluation Research Based

Forward standards Month Topic

Content

Design Learning Collaboration Equity Quality Teaching Family Involvement

November 19-21, 2013 (3 days) Positive Behavior Supports (PBIS) for Students This opportunity is being provided to first address one of the most difficult aspects for new teachers, classroom management by learning how to use PBIS and RTI within the classroom. The second reason is new teachers will be sent to an off-site training is to provide an opportunity to build an external network with other new teachers in the district (ALL first year GBCS teachers will attend) and educators from across the county. Genesee Intermediate School District Off Site Learning Opportunity - Chorley, Deschaine, Cheff New teachers will be able to implement PBIS in their classroom. New teacher will actively engage in an external professional network. Participants will learn how to utilize Evidence Based Practices to give effective behavior support for students. This will include a combination of START Positive Behavior Supports information as well as RtI-MTSS (Multi-tiered System of Supports) information. This training is appropriate for general education and special education teachers, social workers, and speech pathologists. This is a 3-day course. Context Learning Communities Resources Data-Driven Evaluation Research-Based

Rationale

Who will present

Goals

Descriptio n

Relation to NSDC/Lear ning Forward

Process

standards

Content

Design Learning Collaboration Equity

Month Topic

January 14- 15, 2014 (2 day training) START-- Educational Strategies for Students with ASD Teachers need to develop strategies for working with all students. Providing training to new teachers will help them to create a successful learning environment for all types of learners, including those with special needs. Genesee Intermediate School District Off Site Learning Opportunity - Chorley, Deschaine The two-day training will provide new teachers with the opportunity to develop strategies for working with students with ASD. Teachers will also be able to network with their peers from other districts in the area. Participants will gain knowledge and skill in the importance of using evidence based practices and strategies that will build upon strengths of the student with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This training is appropriate for general education and special education teachers, social workers, speech pathologists and para-educators. Context Process Content Resources Design Learning Equity Quality Teaching

Rationale

Who will present

Goals

Descriptio n

Relation to NSDC/Lear ning Forward standards

Month Topic

February (2 hrs.) Implementation of Common Core New teachers need to be informed of the districts plans to implement Common Core State Standards (CCSS) into current or new curriculum. Teacher leaders will share knowledge of standards along with strategies for creating a more rigorous classroom curriculum to help students prepare for new standardized assessment requirements. Curriculum chair from each subject area Teachers will leave the training knowing what is expected as part of the Common Core Curriculum for their content area and grade level. Teachers will be given strategies to improve students writing and analytical skills and their own questioning and collaborative teaching skills. New teachers will work with their content area curriculum chair to discuss strategies and reconstruct/design lesson plans to provide opportunities to expose students to the expectations detailed in the Common Core State Standards. Teachers will meet with other content area teachers from throughout the district to collaborate on creating opportunities to implement the above mentioned initiatives. Learning Communities Leadership Resources

Rationale

Who will present

Goals

Descriptio n

Relation to NSDC/Lear

Context

ning Forward standards

Process Content

Evaluation Design Learning Collaboration Equity Quality Teaching

Month Topic

March (1 hr.) Preparation for end of year evaluation All teachers are expected to collect meaningful achievement data to measure their students growth. In addition to measuring student growth, this data has become a vital part of measuring teacher effectiveness. New teachers need help analyzing and interpreting this data to better understand the needs of their students, to drive their instruction, and also to evaluate their teaching to assure continued improvement. Principal & Mentor New teachers will know how their use of student data will be used to assess their growth toward established teacherquality standards in their end of year evaluation. New teachers will be able to analyze and interpret achievement data to identify student needs, drive classroom instruction, and self-evaluate their teaching. Principal will share requirements for the end of the year evaluation protocol and will help prepare teachers as they continue to collect and compile data to determine if personal goals were met for the year. Mentor teachers will be available to discuss in more detail the goals and data for each mentee.

Rationale

Who will present

Goals

Descriptio n

Relation to NSDC/Lear ning Forward standards

Context Process Content

Resources Data-Driven Evaluation Research-Based Design Learning Quality Teaching

Month Topic

April (Two 1.5 hour sessions) Self selected professional development Professional Development must be on-going to provide continues support and reinforcement in order to be effectively utilized by new teachers. District Representatives Curriculum Chairpersons & mentor teachers that have been identified as highly effective in helping teachers learn. New teachers will be able to identify areas of professional development where they either need more support or would benefit from enrichment. New teachers will gain the support and/ or enrichment to effectively utilize best practices within their classrooms. New teachers will have the opportunity to attend two sessions of a continuation of one of their earlier professional development sessions. They may choose to re-visit and build upon learning from two of the following: Crucial Conversations, PBIS, ASD Strategies, Common Core, Analyzing and interpreting data.

Rationale

Who will present

Goals

Descriptio n

Relation to NSDC/Lear ning Forward standards

Context Process

Leadership Resources Evaluation Research Based Design Learning Collaboration Equity Quality Teaching Family Involvement

Content

Month Topic

May (1 hr.) Celebration & Reflection of the year New teachers need time to reflect on their first year of teaching and to spend time in the company of other first year teachers. Also, the completion of the first year should be celebrated by the teacher and district. Building administrator New teachers are given time to reflect on the experiences throughout the first year of teaching and to share with other new teachers. Opening up about the positives and negatives will encourage camaraderie among the staff and increase the level of support among the group. Two to three weeks before the meeting, teachers will be sent a list of reflection questions that will be asked. Teachers are expected to come to the meeting having reflected on the list of questions and be ready to share some of their experiences from the year. A selected building administrator will facilitate the discussion by displaying the questions, choosing teachers to answer and adding

Rationale Who will present

Goals

Descriptio n

commentary to the discussion when necessary.

Relation to NSDC/Lear ning Forward standards

Context Process Content

Learning Communities Evaluation Quality Teaching

PART II: GOALS FOR YEARS 2-4

Mentor involvement will continue to be an important aspect of induction during the second year of teaching. Teachers will continue to receive support and training for the refinement of established curriculum and teaching strategies that were the focus of the first year of induction. Teachers will be asked to continue reflecting on their experiences in the classroom and build relationships with other teachers in the induction program though collaboration.

Year Two

Year Three

A primary focus of induction in year three will be on cooperation and collaboration to improve the school-wide learning community. Teachers will continue to receive support and training for school/district initiatives when necessary. The third year teacher will not be assigned an official mentor.

Year Four

A primary focus of induction in year four will be on developing leadership skills among the teachers. Additional support will be given to teachers on an as needed basis in order to increase proficiency and efficacy.

PART III: SUMMARY

When developing our induction plan, we used the NSDC/ Learning Forward standards as a guide as we attempted to meet what we felt were the most pressing needs of new teachers during their first year of service that will work within the Grand Blanc Community School district. As we developed our plan we also considered the important aspects of quality induction, which were outlined in the article, Tapping the Potential. We tried to provide quality mentoring, opportunities for collaboration, meaningful professional development, opportunities to build professional networks outside of the district, and clarity of the expectations for new teachers in regard to successfully completing their daily duties, while striving to assure student growth, which is used to assess their effectiveness on the end of year evaluations. As we attempted to develop our induction plan we learned that it was difficult to balance the professional needs of the first year teacher. There is so much that new teachers need to learn as they begin their career as a classroom teacher and learn to work within a school system. This made developing opportunities that were both meaningful and timely a challenge. As we look back on the plan we created using the NSDC standards, we did a satisfactory job of balancing the Context, Process and Content Standards. When focusing on the Context Standards, the leadership training and opportunities were focused on less than resources, which was a primary focus. Learning Communities were adequate in the first year, and we believe this is largely due to the use of PLC in our district. When looking at the Process Standards, we did not put a large focus on Research Based or Data Driven. However, both of these standards were addressed, and considering that most new teachers are coming directly out of teacher preparatory programs they should have adequate knowledge of recent research based best practices in education. Finally, Family Involvement received the least amount of focus in the first year. This is a shortcoming of our induction program as one of the biggest adjustments for new teachers is preparing to communicate with the adult stakeholders. We feel that we have created a thoughtful, research based induction plan that attempts to provide professional development and support from administration, mentoring, and external networks. We purposefully set the timing of both training and collaboration opportunities in a manner that we hope will make them meaningful and applicable for the new teachers. One area that we know should be improved is an increased focus on Family Involvement to prepare the new teachers to work with this important stakeholder group.