Support for Individualizing Teacher Induction

An alarmingly high attrition rate of newly qualified teachers has spawned investigation of the problems faced by beginning teachers. The resulting induction programs prescribed assistance that aided new teachers in solving these common problems. Recently, these programs have utilized mentors who guide new teachers in actual teaching situations, which has reduced the number of new teachers leaving the profession. Trained mentors, however, are not always successful because they fail to recognize the wide variety of developmental needs of beginning teachers. Through a state-wide survey, 286 first-year teachers were asked to report the types and amounts of assistance they found most supportive during their transition into teaching. They reported as helpful a vareity of assistance with classroom procedures, lesson plans, teaching methods, and discipline. As teaching situations became more challenging, more teachers in this study desired more assistance. The data support varying the quantity and type of assistance for beginning teachers.