Many veteran teachers vividly remember their first years of teaching.  Unfortunately, many of their memories probably included a poorly managed classroom, a disjointed curriculum, piles of paperwork, and a lack of free time and support.  Many of these teachers who chose to stay in the profession had to learn the skills to deal with the never-ending tasks of a teacher; however, some of these educators gave up hope and sought out a new career.  Because of their frustrations, many quality districts lost good teachers who might have stayed in the profession had they been given a support system.  In the 1980’s, districts began implementing mentoring programs as a vehicle for reforming teaching and teacher education; however, after twenty year of trying mentoring as a process for guiding new teachers, research indicated that few programs found success (Feiman-Nemser study as cited in Wong, 1999).  Recently, many districts have begun revising their mentoring programs in order to provide more support for new teachers.  Induction programs, “the process of systematically training and supporting new teachers, beginning before the first day of school and continuing throughout the first two or three years of teaching,” now only consider mentoring as one component of a program rather than the entire program (Wong, 1999).  Many school districts see induction as an ongoing process which will provide new teachers with support, assistance, information, feedback, coaching, guidance and modeling (Wong, 1999).  Before understanding the purpose, organization, good qualities and benefits of induction programs, it is necessary to characterize the typical new or beginning teacher.  By understanding the developmental phases of first year teachers, it will enable administrators as well as other educators the ability to support them effectively (Moir, 1999).
     According to research conducted by Douglas Brooks who wrote The First Day of School, the first two to three weeks of school are critical in determining a teacher’s success throughout the remainder of the year (Wong, 1999).  During this period, many new teachers feel isolated, vulnerable and deeply concerned with how they will be perceived; however, they lack the initiative to ask for help.  Usually, these beginning teachers are given the worst teaching assignments, and thus they become frightened and humiliated (Wong, 1999).
     In the late 1980’s, Ellen Moir and her colleagues studied the phases of beginning teachers.  She notes that although not every teacher follows the exact sequence of these phases, it’s useful for other educators, so they can assist them properly.  Starting as early as their student teaching assignment, many beginning teachers go through the anticipation phase.  During this phase, teachers usually have an idealistic view of the profession, and they enter this career with a tremendous commitment to make a difference.  Usually, this euphoric feeling gets new teachers through the first few weeks of school.  In September and October, teachers usually encounter the survival stage.  Unfortunately, this is the time when new teachers are barely keeping their heads above water.  Because teachers are so consumed with their daily routines, they have no time to reflect, develop curriculum or become familiar with their subject area content.  Moir shared that one new teacher even wrote in her journal that, “it’s like working two jobs, one from 7:30am-2:30pm and the other from 2:30pm-6:30pm.”  After the survival phase passes, disallusionment sets in around November.  Many factors play into teachers feeling disillusioned:  extensive time commitment, the realization that things aren’t running smoothly and low morale.  During this phase, teachers begin questioning their commitment and competence.  In addition, because teachers are encountering new events such as back-to-school night and parent/teacher conferences, they become quite stressed which usually leads to sickness and conflicts with family members.  Luckily, with winter break around the corner, many new teachers count on this time to rejuvenate.  The rejuvenation phase which occurs around January through April, creates a feeling of improvement in teachers’ attitudes.  During winter break, teachers have time to spend with their families and friends and most importantly, they have the time to take care of themselves properly by getting enough food, rest and exercise.  Because of new teachers’ increased time, they are able to organize materials, prepare their curriculum and reflect on their past experiences.  Consequently, having time to prepare and reflect, will allow a teacher to gain confidence which will enable them to be more productive in their classroom.  From May through the end of the school year, teachers will encounter their last phase of reflection.  During this time, new teachers are able to highlight events that were successful and critique those that were not.  Also, new teachers will begin to think about the changes they plan to make the next year in management, curriculum and teaching strategies (Moir, 1999).  Knowing these phases that a new teacher encounters, gives administrators a framework in which they can begin to design teacher induction programs that will then create a more positive experience for their beginning teachers.
     While teachers encounter these five stages throughout their first year, it’s important that they feel supported.  Harry Wong succinctly summarizes what the purpose of any teacher induction program should be:  train new teachers, support new teachers and retain new teachers (1999).  In order to train new teachers, school districts should offer workshops, demonstration classrooms, visitations and debriefing sessions.  These aspects of a training program will successfully provide beginning teachers with the effective classroom strategies that they will need to finish their first year (Wong, 1999).  According to Wong, “Much worse than training people and losing them is not training them and keeping them (1999).  By providing new teachers with a wide array of support, they won’t have to tackle their first year alone.    A supportive environment could be made up of a group of mentors, administrators and staff developers.  Retention, the third reason to have an induction program, is important because effective teachers are increasingly hard to find.  The goal of an administrator should be to retain effective teachers in order to create a culture of an effective school (Wong, 1999).  The following statistics illustrate some disturbing trends in teacher employment, further justifying the need to retain and train quality people.

·  15 percent of new teachers depart after their first year.
·  Up to 50 percent of beginning teachers desert the classroom after teaching seven years or less.
·  First year teachers report anxiety, stress and feelings of inadequacy and isolation (Green, Roebuck and Futrell, 1999),
·  33 percent of all qualified new teachers leave within the first three years.
·  Approximately 200,000 new teachers will enter the profession each year for the next decade and the corp of teachers, presently at 3.1 million will increase to 3.3 million (Wong, 1999).

As one can see, creating teacher induction programs is necessary if schools want to develop effective teachers.  The process that teachers go though will transition them from being, “students of teaching to teachers of students” (Wong, 1999).  While many districts have different aspects of their induction programs, they all highlight many of the same topics.
     For many years, other professions such as businesses have included the participation in an induction program as a prerequisite for hire.  Because other professions have found success in using these programs, many ideas for teacher induction programs have been borrowed from them (ERIC digest online publication, 1986).  Harry Wong believes that induction programs should begin four or five days before school begins, and then continue for two to three years providing the teacher with many opportunities for professional development.  He also believes that mentoring should be only one component giving the new teacher a strong sense of support.  Furthermore, administration should provide opportunities for inductees to visit other classrooms to observe effective teaching strategies (1999).  Some school districts even higher teachers as interns usually at a reduced salary without a full time load, so they can continue with their academic studies through a master’s program and to become acclimated with the educational environment.  Most induction programs also consist of a committee which includes principals, curriculum consultants and mentors. The role of the administrator is the responsibility for instruction, assessment and evaluation.  On the other hand, the role of the mentor is to provide daily guidance to assist the new teacher in adjusting to his professional environment (ERIC digest online publication, 1986).
 The induction program at Mahomet-Seymour Junior High consists of four major components.

·  Monthly meetings with administration and other mentors and mentees throughout the school year /topics discussed can range from co-teaching to standardized testing
·  Informal meetings with mentors/mentees to discuss procedures, rules, traditions, policies and handbooks
·  Participation in peer observations
·  Journal reflections
(Information courtesy of mentoring handbook created by Lindsey Hall, principal at Mahomet-Seymour Junior High)
The organization of induction programs is open-ended; however, certain qualities of an induction program are essential in order for teachers to gain the valuable assistance they need to have a successful teaching experience.
     When creating an induction program, it’s important for administrators to realize that it must reflect the needs of their schools.  Every program is unique reflecting the norms, cultures, and expectations of districts but should include the same basic qualities.  Aileen Heidkamp and Janet Shapiro provide five tips for a successful induction program.  First, beginning teachers should be provided administrative support and direction.  On the first day of an induction program, Heidkamp and Shapiro stress that key individuals should be pointed out to new teachers early and those experts should also explain the kind of support they offer.  Making new teachers feel welcome is another tip given.  Heidkamp and Shapiro feel mentors should try to get to know their mentees on a personal level, so they will feel more comfortable confiding in their mentors in the future.  Next, administration should allow for frequent contact between the inductees and mentors by holding regular meetings.  Also, if informal observations are conducted, then immediate feedback should be given.  School officials should also make time for new teachers to discuss professional issues with veterans and administrators.  It’s important to encourage new teachers to hear stories from veterans because their experiences may help the inductees in the future.  Lastly, an induction program should conduct self-evaluation.  The only way to know if induction programs are working is to ask the new teachers.  Their comments will assist administrators in improving the program the following year (Heidkamp and Shapiro, 1999).
 Another expert, Schlechty, offers more qualities induction programs should focus on:

· The program should explain to the inductees that the process of their selection is based on special requirements and that induction training is crucial to their future success.
· The induction process is divided into progressive stages of achievement.
· The program cultivates mutual support within per groups.
· The training is orientated toward long term career goals.
· Administratively-set expectations and norms of teacher conduct are clearly articulated.
· Teachers must assimilate a professional vocabulary.
· New teaches receive supervision, coaching, demonstration and assessment.
· The responsibility for supervision should be distributed throughout the faculty in a tightly organized, consistent and continuous program
(ERIC digest online publication, 1986)
As one can see, induction programs can be organized differently but general qualities should be focused on to provide support to all beginning teachers.
     As previously mentioned, mentoring does not entirely make up an induction program; however, mentoring is an important component of the induction process.  Research has shown that mentoring alone does not properly support the needs of beginning teachers.  For example, mentors are given to novice teachers only, whereas an induction program encompasses all newly hired teachers.  Also, mentoring alone leaves administrators out of the training and support process.  In addition, mentoring is a one-to-one support process whereas induction is a group process (Wong, 1999).  Mentors do have a role in the induction process, but it is considered only one component.  According to Wong, the mentor’s responsibility is to implement the information that has been taught by the administrators and/or staff developers (1999).  For instance, mentors can clarify building and district level procedures and explain the educational support system.  The mentor should also be a professional who should develop mutual respect for each other’s competence.  Other roles a mentor should play are that of leader, organizational guide, colleague, encourager, role model and counselor (Mentoring Handbook, 2001).  James B. Rowley has identified many of the characteristics previously listed; however, he offers more insight into these roles of a mentor teacher as well as other qualities.  Rowley believes that an effective mentor is accepting of the beginning teacher.  Showing empathy, accepting another person without making judgments, is an important quality of a mentor.  He states that mentors should set aside their personal beliefs about new mentees and recognize the beginning teacher as a developing person and professional (Rowley, 1999).  Rowley also provides more detail about the mentor as a role model.  “Beginning teachers rarely appreciate mentors who have right answers to every question and best solutions for every problem.  Good mentor teachers are transparent about their own search from better answers and more effective solutions to their own problems” (Rowley, 1999).  Also according to Rowley, being a good role model involves the mentee observing the mentor enroll in graduate courses, experiment with new practices, share new knowledge and attend workshops.  A mentee never wants to feel like his/her opinion doesn’t matter rather the relationship between mentor and mentee should be that of mutual respect and trust (1999).  Although mentoring shouldn’t be the only aspect of an induction program, it is an integral component of a successful program.
     While the aforementioned research upholds the need for teacher induction programs, there is evidence that shows the benefits of these programs.  First, mentor teachers gain the satisfaction of being able to transfer skills and knowledge accumulated through extensive professional practice (i.e. they feel valued).  The questions from new teachers to mentors can provide opportunities for the mentor to reexamine their own classroom practices and the effects of accepted instructional techniques on the teaching/learning process.  Not only does the mentor teacher benefit, but the new teacher benefits in three major ways:  fast assimilation into the school environment, establishment of professional competence and introduction into teaching as a continually developing lifelong career.  Having induction programs can also positively affect the school district:  potentially reducing its teacher attrition by enthusiastically welcoming new teachers and catching problems early which may affect the instructional process through the use of the mentor teacher.  Additionally, by involving experienced teachers in the program, and affording them to opportunity to pass on their expertise, administrators are demonstrating long-term professional interest in the faculty and providing and environment conducive to lifelong professional careers (ERIC digest online publication, 1986).
     Education has come a long way in supporting its new teachers.  There was a time when principals would hire their new teacher, toss them a key with direction to their room and unfortunately, provide them without any support.  Many teachers thus felt frustrated, left teaching and entered a new profession.  Then school districts became wise and began establishing mentoring programs; however, according to the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Commission, new teachers rated mentors the least effective way to help new teachers.  “Giving a teacher a mentor only is a convenient and unconsciously foolish way for an administrator to divorce himself or herself from the leadership required to bring a beginning teacher up to professional maturity level” (Wong, 1999).  Because research was so convincing against mentoring programs as the only means to support new teachers, districts began developing programs with other components to include in a teacher training program.  Now teacher induction programs include some components such as workshops, information about assessment, social events and portfolios.  Even though induction programs look different according to the district a new teacher enters, the qualities should be the same: provide support, opportunities for professional development, mentoring, and time to observe effective teaching.  If our society wants what’s best for our children, then it is in a district’s best interest to nurture and support our beginning teachers.

Resources
(1986) ERIC digest #4:  Components of Good Teacher Induction
        Programs.   [online]  Available:  http://www.ed.gov/databases/
        ERIC_Digests/ed269407.html.  (October 20, 2000).
 

(1986)  ERIC digest #7:  Teacher Mentoring. [online].  Available:
          http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_digests/ed2/14//html.
         (October 20, 2000).

Green, Roebuck, and Futrell (Spring 1994).  Combating Isolation:  A
      First Year Teacher Support Program.  Rural Educator, 15 (3),
      5-8.

Heidkam, Aileen and Shapiro, Janet. (1999).  The Elements of a
     Supportive Induction Program.  In M. Scherer, (Ed.), A Better
     Beginning (pp. 40-45).

Moir, Ellen. (1999).  The Stages of a Teacher’s First Year.  In M.
     Scherer, (Ed.), A Better Beginning (pp. 19-23).

Rowley, James B.  (May 1999).  The Good Mentor.  Educational
     Leadership, pp. 20-22.

Wong, H.K. (1999).  There Is Only One Way to Improve Student
     Achievement.  Mountain View, CA:  Harry K. Wong Publications.

(2001-2002).  Mahomet-Seymour Junior High Induction Program Handbook
 created by Lindsey Hall, principal.