leveraging existing resources to 1/18/16 improve … · 500+ teachers ! 30+ intern, 71 ......

Leveraging Existing Resources to Improve New Teacher Support

1/18/16

Beth Roybal, MA, Salinas Union High School District 1

Leveraging Existing Resources to Improve New Teacher Support BETH ROYBAL, MA, NEW TEACHER SUPPORT SPECIALIST

SALINAS UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT

1 Today’s !  Understand the varying dynamics of new

teachers and their needs

!  Articulate the current areas of support for new teachers at your district/site

!  Identify existing resources at your district/site that can be used to support new teachers

!  Develop a plan for maximizing identified resources

!  Identify one step you can implement immediately upon returning to your site/district

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Today’s Agenda !  Introductions

!  Review the “whys” of new teacher support

!  Examine the differing characteristics and needs of new teachers, determining how this impacts your site/district

!  Learn from the SUHSD experience

!  Begin your plan

!  Fine-tune your philosophy

!  Identify existing resources within your setting

!  Use what you’ve identified in order to develop a plan for better supporting new teachers

!  Identify gaps where additional resources may be needed

!  Choose a step to begin

3 Introductions Me

! TSA for new teacher support, induction program advisor

! ELA 7/8, ELD, and Read 180 teacher

! “Previous life” as health/safety writer/editor/instructional designer/project manager

You

! Name?

! Role?

! Site/District?

! Previous experience?

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!  Growing need to retain new teachers

!  Fewer people entering teacher prep programs

!  Increasing numbers of teachers retiring

!  Increasing enrollments in many districts/sites

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!  Pressure to maximize funds

!  Access to funds usually distributed at county level brings opportunity

!  Uncertainty about future funding

!  Lack of ability or willingness to add staff

!  Need to improve student learning outcomes

Who are these new teachers, anyway? !  Apply same techniques as you would use to

understand your students or create a curriculum

!  Understand each group’s characteristics and needs

!  Use this understanding to target and prioritize support

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Leveraging Existing Resources to Im

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Teacher Support


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of New Teachers

Intern !  1-2 year program

under emergency credential

!  Working toward preliminary credential

!  Through university-based teacher preparation program

!  Support usually from university- and site-based staff

Induction !  Two-year program

under preliminary credential

!  Working toward clear credential

!  Through CTC-approved induction program

!  Supported by site-based coach or online mentor

New to District !  Completed induction

!  May already hold clear credential

!  May have years of experience elsewhere

!  Often no formal, standardized support beyond what district or site provides all teachers

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Teacher Support

Needs of New Teachers

Interns !  Often in a “sink or

swim” situation

!  Little previous classroom experience (maybe student/co-teaching)

!  Often frustrated by program requirements

!  Usually overwhelmed by time commitments

!  May be late hires

Induction !  May think they’re

further along in their teaching practice than they really are

!  Usually high content knowledge

!  Widely varying levels of teaching competence

!  Often unhappy with repetitive and burdensome induction program requirements

New to District !  Usually confident about

content knowledge and teaching practice

!  Concerned about differences between old and new settings

!  Want info to be immediately useful

!  Often resentful of info/training that is aimed at beginning teachers

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Teacher Support

Implication:

9 Leveraging Existing R

esources to Improve N

ew Teacher Support

The SUHSD Experience:

!  14,500-students (growing)

!  7-12 high school district, 13 school sites

!  500+ teachers

!  30+ intern, 71 induction, 60+ new-to-district teachers

!  1 TSA for new teacher support/induction program advisor, limited secretarial support

!  Previous sole focus on induction teachers (80/20 " 95/5)

!  Personal goal: Improve support initially without adding staff or requiring additional resources

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The SUHSD Experience: A !  Articulate philosophy of providing support to all new teachers

!  Refocus role as enabler & problem solver rather than modified support provider and record keeper

!  Understand dynamics & priorities of other stakeholders and effects on new teachers

!  District administrators

!  ALL site administrators, including sometimes-neglected (adult school, ROP)

!  Education services (PD needs)

!  Teacher union

!  Classified staff

!  Community

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!  Build knowledge/awareness and share best practices with any staff who has contact with new teachers: site & district administrators, coaching staff, curriculum support specialists, technology specialists, site secretaries

!  Align site administrator expectations with teacher practice (“reality check” goes both ways)

!  Differentiate & tier existing support (new teacher orientation, PD, SPED) to address new teacher needs

!  Expand working relationships with union and community resources (housing, Chamber of Commerce, CSUMB, NTP)

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Suggestions for Principals 13


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Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce Info/Goodie Bags

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The SUHSD Experience: continued

!  Create new teacher Google site for easy access to new teacher information and resources

!  Empower mentors/coaches to intervene with struggling teachers

!  Site-based coaching staff meetings to discuss teachers targeted by site administrators for extra support

!  Pilot more flexible induction and intern program options

!  Improve communication with HR staff to identify new teacher status and needs

!  Create spreadsheet to track new teacher information to determine services needed



ew Teacher Support

All Things New Teacher Google Site

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New Teacher Database 17


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!  Tweak funding to each school site for consistency in new teacher support activities (monthly meetings/lunch, stipends, etc.)

!  Additional stipends for mentoring new teachers who were hired too late to enter induction or internships

!  Teach Like a Champion 2.0 books

!  For all new intern & induction & targeted new-to-district teachers

!  Monthly voluntary book club hosted at union offices to discuss selected strategies

!  Orientation “Lite” for late hires to ensure knowledge and access to resources (with eye toward free-standing online program in future)

!  Support to teachers with special credential clearing needs

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Teach Like a Champion 2.0 Book Club

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Orientation “Lite” for Late Hires

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Pilot Online Access to Orientation Materials



ew Teacher Support

The SUHSD Experience: In the Works !  Providing mentors for all new teachers

!  Identifying more flexible induction and intern options

!  Aligning intern/induction program requirements with district PD

!  Identifying areas for improvement through exit interviews

!  Creating expectations baseline for site-based new teacher support activities

!  Comprehensively addressing new teachers’ socioemotional needs, such as housing, safety, emotional/physical well-being, integration into local culture

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Developing YOUR Plan

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Your Site/District: Background !  Number of students? Growing or slowing?

!  Number of school sites?

!  Number of teachers overall? New? Achieving/clearing credentials?

!  Who officially supports new teachers? (dedicated role?)

!  What is the current focus of new teacher support?

!  What is your personal goal for new teacher support?

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Take a few minutes now to answer as many of these questions as you can. Feel free to discuss with your tablemates.


1/18/16


Your Site/District Philosophy !  What philosophy would you like to broadcast concerning

new teacher support?

!  Does the new teacher support personnel role(s) need to evolve? How?

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Teacher Support

!  What do you already know about the dynamics/priorities of other stakeholders and effects on new teachers? Who do you need to consult to gather more information?

!  District & site administrators

!  Education services (PD needs)

!  Teacher union

!  Classified staff

!  Community groups Take a few minutes now to answer as many of these questions as you can. Feel free to discuss with your tablemates.

Which “Free” Steps Could You Take?

!  Which other staff could benefit from building knowledge or awareness and sharing best practices?

!  Consider site & district administrators, coaching staff, curriculum support specialists, technology specialists, site secretaries, etc.

!  What venues already exist where this could occur? Instructional Council/Principals meetings? Job-alike meetings? Steering committees?

!  What “reality check” pressures do your evaluators and new teachers need to take into account?

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“Free” Steps, continued

!  What kinds of orientation, PD, and other formal support systems are already in place?

!  Is it differentiated for various groups of teachers? Does it need to be?

!  What is the timing of this support? What would be optimal?

!  What other resources exist at your site, district, COE, or community that could support new teacher needs? How can you bring these resources into the picture?

!  What ways could you better communicate about resources available to new teachers?

!  Website? Google classroom? Discussion board? Newsletter?



ew Teacher Support


“Free” Steps, continued !  Are there ways to empower teacher leaders such as mentors/

coaches to intervene with struggling teachers?

!  Can you articulate needs to current induction/intern providers?

!  Who provides these services currently?

!  What “third party” programs may be available for you to “test drive”?

!  Which staff members are involved in the new teacher hiring paperwork?

!  Do they hold key information that could be useful?

!  How could you access this info?

!  Is there a mechanism for collecting and analyzing basic information about new teachers?

!  If so, do you have access to this information?

!  If not, how would you go about setting up such a database?

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How Could Extra Funds Be Used? !  Does each school site have a

consistent budget and expectations for new teacher support activities (monthly meetings/lunch, stipends)?

!  Are they ways to help late hires or other teachers who might otherwise “fall through the cracks”? “Late & Lite” orientation? Buddy system?

!  Are there printed resources, online courses, or live PD topics that would address needs of a large group of new teachers? Book clubs or discussion groups? COE-based PD opportunities? Who might have funding to support this?

!  Do you have teachers with special credential clearing needs not addressed by your traditional intern/induction programs? How might you serve these teachers better?

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BE the Squeaky Wheel!

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Where to Begin?

!  Review your notes from the reflection and planning tools

!  What ONE step can you begin to implement immediately?

!  What would you need to do to implement this step?

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Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share the SUHSD experience!

Beth Roybal, MA, SUHSD TSA New Teacher Support Specialist & Induction Program Advisor [email protected]

831-796-7045

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leveraging existing resources to 1/18/16 improve … · 500+ teachers ! 30+ intern, 71 ......

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