This book draws together various theoretical and research-based perspectives to examine the institutionalization of mentoring processes for beginning teachers. Teacher induction, defined as the guidance provided to new teachers, is increasingly gaining traction as a key stage in promoting quality education. Major efforts have been put into reducing transitional challenges from being a student teacher to a practicing teacher; optimizing professional relationships and socialization into school dynamics; and increasing teacher retention. Mentoring has been proven to add benefits in assisting beginning teachers during the early years of their teaching career, because it provides the required knowledge and skills to face uncertain school scenarios and the complexities of practice. However, teacher induction programs are not part of regular instruction in many countries. The lack of teacher training during the induction phase might result in lower levels of commitment, professional isolation, or even attrition. This book calls for more concrete mentoring processes for early career teachers, and questions how this can be put into practice.

In this groundbreaking work, Harry K. Wong, Laura Lipton, Bruce Wellman, and other top names in the field examine how successful mentoring and induction programs are developed and demonstrate how they can be replicated.

Use these step-by-step strategies to develop and implement a proven program that links to districtwide goals and results in highly qualified teachers and increased student achievement.

The ordeals and stresses of the first year of teaching have often been cited as reasons why many new teachers become discouraged and even abandon their teaching careers. One strategy that has proven successful in providing support to novice teachers is to match them with experienced classroom teachers, or mentors, in order to ease their induction into teaching. Mentoring also provides a meaningful challenge for experienced successful teachers. As more districts begin to implement mentoring and induction programs, they will need information and models to answer basic questions regarding how mentors are selected and how schools can provide training and support to all personnel involved in such programs. This book provides an overview of the induction into teaching and mentoring processes, describes five effective school-based models, and reports the results of a large-scale study of those elements found to be most helpful by experienced mentor teachers.

Larry Cubans How Teachers Taught has been widely acclaimed as a pathbreaking text on the history and evolution of classroom teaching. Now Cuban brings his great experience as a classroom teacher, superintendent, and researcher to this highly anticipated follow-up to his groundbreaking work. Focusing on three diverse school districts (Arlington, Virginia; Denver, Colorado; Oakland, California), Hugging the Middle offers an incisive portrayal of how teachers teach now. It is a revealing look at a range of current, workable pedagogical options educators are using to engage students while satisfying parents and policymakersoptions that succeed by creating hybrid practices that combine both teacher-centered approaches (e.g., mostly direct instruction, textbooks, lectures) with student-centered ones (e.g., team projects on real-world problems, independent learning, small-groupwork). This book serves as a state-of-the-profession assessment in an era of top-down educational policy.

The book also contains a special emphasis on under-prepared teachers and urban schools-those most in need of effective induction and mentoring and also the group that benefits the most from these types of programmes

"A much-needed resource for teacher mentors. The new and updated strategies and practical approach will give mentors crucial support as they provide assistance and encouragement to new teachers. Portner has clearly demonstrated the importance of both theory and practice in this practical guide." —Priscilla Miller, Director Center for Teacher Education & Research, Westfield State College A comprehensive guide for developing successful mentors! Quality mentoring can provide the support and guidance critical to an educator′s first years of teaching. In the latest edition of the best-selling Mentoring New Teachers, Hal Portner draws upon research, experience, and insights to provide a comprehensive overview of essential mentoring behaviors. Packed with strategies, exercises, resources, and concepts, this book examines four critical mentoring functions: establishing good rapport, assessing mentee progress, coaching continuous improvement, and guiding mentees toward self-reliance. Tools and topics new to this edition include: Teacher mentor standards based on the NBPTS Core Propositions and validated by members of the International Mentoring Association and other practitioners Classroom observation methods and competency instruments Tools to assess preferred learning styles Approaches to mentoring the nontraditional new teacher A guide for careerlong professional development School leaders, experienced and prospective mentors, and staff developers can use this step-by-step handbook to create a dynamic mentoring program or revitalize an existing one.