Creating Conditions for Success

Friends, 

As we begin our traditional academic year, we often think about student success and ensuring our programs have all the resources need in order to help the student achieve their learning goal. However, for this topic, I'd like to discuss the necessary conditions for teacher success. The resource Conditions for Success in Teacher Induction Teacher lists 10 conditions.  What do you think of this list? What would you add to it? What would you change? 

  1. A strong and supportive instructional leader

  2. Evidence-based instruction that is aligned with the vision and goals of the program

  3. Positive instructional community climate and culture

  4. Instructional staff who are committed to continuously improving their instruction and student outcomes

  5. A high degree of professional collaboration among teachers focused around sharing and improving instructional practices

  6. An expectation to participate in professional learning

  7. Use of data and evidence for program improvement and instruction

  8. The presence of experienced teachers who are interested in serving as mentors

  9. Release time and other incentives for teachers for professional learning, planning, mentoring, conferencing, and classroom observation

  10. Leadership at the organizational level that provides a systemic and comprehensive support structure for ongoing professional learning for teachers 

Ultimately, the goal of a teacher induction program is to help teachers become effective in the classroom. For teachers in this group, did you have an induction process? If so, what was it like? For those who provide professional development, what do you include in your teacher induction training?  

I'm looking forward to your ideas and input.

Sincerely,
Kathy  

Comments

As you review the conditions for success, I'd like to add one more strategy that has proven to be efficient. As new teachers, how many of you worked with mentors? As administrators, how many mentoring programs are out there? I'd love to bring the discussion around to mentoring as a condition for success. What are your thoughts? 

Sincerely, 
Kathy