Running head: CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

CREATING A MEANINGFUL NEW TEACHER INDUCTION PROGRAM IN
THE BALDWIN-WHITEHALL SCHOOL DISTRICT

A Doctoral Capstone Project
Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies and Research
Department of Education

In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education

Rachel L. Sprouse
California University of Pennsylvania
July 2022

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

© Copyright by
Rachel L. Sprouse
All Rights Reserved
July 2022

ii

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

iv

Acknowledgements
There are so many people who have been influential as I worked to complete this
milestone in my professional and personal journey. The words of encouragement have been
so meaningful and the support has been instrumental to my success.
First and foremost, I would like to thank my husband, Chas, and my children,
Dominic and Sophie for being supportive of my long days and nights at the kitchen table.
Thank you for putting up with the inconveniences that have come along with completion
of this degree and I hope you see that you can achieve anything you put your mind to. Chas,
thank you for bringing me back to reality during those moments when I would feel like this
was all unattainable at this point in our crazy lives.
To my chairs, Dr. Janeen Peretin and Dr. Kevin Lordon for revision suggestions,
guidance, and most importantly, your support and encouragement throughout this process.
To Dr. Randal Lutz for planting the seed about this program. I would never have
considered a doctorate program at this point in my career without your suggestion. Thank
you for entertaining and supporting my ideas for research.
To Ms. Allison Misho for her excitement and expertise in proofreading and editing.
Thank you for spending your free time correcting my mistakes and making suggestions on
ways to better this document.
To the teachers in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District who participated in the
research surveys. Thank you for providing open and honest feedback in an effort to support
new colleagues to our district. Your work each and every day is admirable and you inspire
me to do my best work.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

v

Finally, I would like to thank my family and friends for celebrating the little
successes with me along this journey. The little celebrations helped make this daunting
task more manageable and gave me the perseverance to keep going.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

vi

Table of Contents
Acknowledgements

iv

Table of Figures

ix

Abstract

xii

CHAPTER I. Introduction

1

Background

1

Capstone Focus

2

Research Questions

4

Expected Outcomes

4

Financial Implications

5

Summary

5

CHAPTER II. Review of Literature

7

The Art of Socializing New Employees

8

The Evolution of Employee Socialization

8

Organizational Socialization as a Process

9

Qualities of a Comprehensive Onboarding Program
Onboarding in Education

11
13

History of the New Teacher Induction Program

15

What is Induction?
Brief History of Induction in the United States
Induction at the State Level

15
16
18

Important Professional Relationships for New Teachers

19

Mentorship

19

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

vii

Advantages of the Mentor/Mentee Teacher Relationships
Advantages for the Mentor Teacher
Advantages for the Mentee
Challenges for the Mentor Teacher
Challenges for the Mentee

21
21
22
23
24

Relationships with Administration
Challenges Facing Administration Relative to New Teachers

25
29

Creating Meaningful Induction Programming in the BWSD

31

The Need for Meaningful Induction in the BWSD

34

CHAPTER III. Methodology

37

Purpose

37

Setting and Participants

39

Research Plan

42

Financial Impact

50

Research Design, Methods & Data Collection

52

Validity

54

Triangulation of Data

54

Summary

55

CHAPTER IV. Data Analysis and Results

57

Data Analysis

57

Triangulation of Data

58

Results
NTIP Participant Survey Results
Mentor Teacher Survey Results

59
59
86

Discussion

99

Summary

106

CHAPTER V. Conclusions and Recommendations

107

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

viii

Conclusions
The Process of Induction
The Role of the Mentor Teacher
Financial Implications
Limitations

108
109
115
117
119

Recommendations for Future Research

120

Summary

121

References

123

APPENDIX A. Survey Disclosure Letter and Consent to NTIP Participants

133

APPENDIX B. NTIP Participant Survey Questions

136

APPENDIX C. Survey Disclosure and Consent to Mentor Teachers

141

APPENDIX D. Mentor Teacher Survey Questions

144

APPENDIX E. District Approval Letter

147

APPENDIX F. IRB Approval Letter

148

APPENDIX G. NTIP Participant Open-Ended Question Responses

150

APPENDIX H. Mentor Teacher Open-Ended Question Responses

155

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

ix

Table of Figures
Figure 1. Year of NTIP Participation

60

Figure 2. Educational Area During the NTIP

61

Figure 3. Highest Level of Education During the NTIP

62

Figure 4. Years of Teaching Experience Prior to BWSD NTIP

62

Figure 5. Tenure Acquired Before BWSD Employment

63

Figure 6. Prior Completion of an Induction Program

63

Figure 7. Willing to Serve as a Mentor Teacher in the Future

64

Figure 8. Recommend the Program to a New Teacher

64

Figure 9. Agreement Statement #1 – I Got What I Expected.

65

Figure 10. Agreement Statement #2 – Sufficient Time Dedicated.

66

Figure 11. Agreement Statement #3 – Knowledgeable NTIP Staff

67

Figure 12. Agreement Statement #4 – Helped Me Feel Confident

68

Figure 13. Agreement Statement #5 – Sufficient Time Dedicated to Building Topics

68

Figure 14. Agreement Statement # 6 – Sufficient Time Dedicated to My Concerns

69

Figure 15. Agreement Statement #7-NTIP Allowed Me to Form Relationships

70

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

Figure 16. Agreement Statement #8 – I Would Make Changes to NTIP

x

71

Figure 17. Agreement Statement #9 – I Gained from My Mentor Teacher Relationship 71
Figure 18. Satisfaction Statement #1-Intro to Administrative Staff and New Teachers 72
Figure 19. Satisfaction Statement #2-Explanation of District Policies and Procedures 73
Figure 20. Satisfaction Statement #3 - District Tour

74

Figure 21. Satisfaction Statement #4 – Introduction to Technology

75

Figure 22. Satisfaction Statement #5 – Overview of Eval Process, DSAP, etc.

76

Figure 23. Satisfaction Statement #6 – Explanation of Instructional I vs. II; Tenure

77

Figure 24. Satisfaction Statement #7 – Topics in Special Education

78

Figure 25. Satisfaction Statement #8 – Classroom Observations

79

Figure 26. Satisfaction Statement #9- HR Related Topics

79

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

xi

Figure 27. Satisfaction Statement #10 – ALICE Training

80

Figure 28. Satisfaction Statement #11 – Mobile Fab Lab or Other Technologies

81

Figure 29. Mentor Teacher Highest Level of Education

87

Figure 30. Mentor Teacher Educational Area

88

Figure 31. Mentor Perspective-NTIP provides a support network

88

Figure 32. Mentor Perspective – Recommendation of the NTIP

89

Figure 33. Mentor Agreement Statement #1 – Experiences to Feel Confident

90

Figure 34. Mentor Agreement Statement #2 – NTIP Program Beneficial to Mentors

91

Figure 35. Mentor Agreement Statement #3 – NTIP Needs Structure for Mentor/Mentee

92

Figure 36. Mentor Agreement Statement #4 – Mentors are Appropriately Prepared

92

Figure 37. Mentor Agreement Statement #5 – Compensation is Commensurate

93

Figure 38. Mentor Agreement Statement #6 – Mentors Feel Appreciated

94

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

xii

Abstract
Historic decreases in teacher preparation program enrollments across the nation and in
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are resulting in school districts experiencing
difficulty in attracting and retaining new teachers. This crisis highlights the importance of
a meaningful and effective New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP) to support and retain
newly hired professionals in a school district. This mixed methods study examined the
NTIP in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District (BWSD) from the perspective of 22 past
NTIP participants and 35 former mentor teachers from August 2016 through January
2021. Through the collection of survey data, it has been determined that the current
BWSD NTIP is beneficial and helpful to new teachers, but revealed significant room for
improvement in areas that are more focused on the individualized needs of the new
teacher to make the NTIP more meaningful. Findings also highlighted the importance of
a mentor teacher in the development and support of a new teacher during their first year
of teaching. The implications of this study resulted in the recommendation of creating a
two-year induction program in BWSD that provides another year under the guidance of a
mentor teacher, the opportunity to participate in small group sessions addressing learners
with special learning needs, and additional peer observation time. Additionally, the
research brought to light the need for a mentor teacher training camp to better serve the
mentor teachers who support the new teachers in the program.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

1

CHAPTER I
Introduction
In the fall of 2019, the NTIP was transferred to the responsibility of the
Employee Services Department within the BWSD. This program was already a very
structured process that provided a wide variety of professional development and
training to new teachers in the BWSD. Since taking over responsibility of the program,
the Employee Services Department has not made any drastic changes to the program,
but is exploring ways to make improvements to best support all new teachers to the
district. While administrators know that it is crucial to support new teachers in their
practice, they should, more importantly, also be providing professional development
and support in areas that are useful and beneficial to the new teacher, not simply what
administrators think they need. Often, school districts place a heavy focus on
improvements to the academic programming–as they should-but as a result, the
importance of creating significant programs to train and support staff are often
neglected.
Background
The BWSD is situated in the South Hills suburb of Pittsburgh, approximately ten
miles from downtown Pittsburgh. The district covers just about 10 square miles,
comprised of Whitehall Borough, Baldwin Township, and Baldwin Borough. There are
nearly 4,450 students in Kindergarten through 12th grade within the district.
The overall population of the district is experiencing significant growth and is
surpassing the demographic study projections previously supplied to the district. These
projections show increases in population first at the elementary levels. This extraordinary

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

2

growth can be contributed to the low tax rate and the change in the overall age of district
residents. BWSD is seeing an aging population move out of their single-family homes,
making room for young families with young children. Currently, BWSD services a
population that is 41% economically disadvantaged. Additionally, there has been a
significant increase in the English Learner (EL) population over the past 10 years. The
EL population within the district is approximately 9% and growing.
In addition to the growing population of EL students, the district is seeing an
increase in special education students. In an effort to provide the best services and
supports, the district internally operates its own emotional support, autistic support, and
life skills programs. Approximately 10% of students are special education students
enrolled in programs across the district. As an added support to these services, BWSD
employs a full-time Transition Coordinator to meet the special education needs of the
older students.
Capstone Focus
With a large population of BWSD students in need of specialized services like
special education and EL acquisition coupled with the over 41% of students who are
considered economically disadvantaged, new teachers to the BWSD are often placed in
positions that other teachers bid or transfer out of to other positions. This phenomenon is
not new to education; Coffey et al. (2019) describes how students who often require the
most supports, or are marginalized due to color, race, socio-economic background, or
difficult education needs, are often the students assigned to the newest, least experienced
teachers. As discussed earlier, the diversity of the student population within BWSD is
rapidly growing and changing. The new teachers being hired into the district, similar to

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

3

most areas across the country, do not mirror the backgrounds of our students. Nationally,
predominantly white, middle-class females are hired for over 80% of teaching positions
(Taie & Goldring, 2017). Teachers are then faced with not only meeting the educational
needs of their students, but are also challenged with learning and understanding cultural
and racial backgrounds. This aspect coupled with a shrinking candidate pool provides
many layers of challenges for school districts.
Teacher attrition in the United States is about 8%. This number significantly
increases to 17% among new teachers. These numbers are nearly double the attrition rates
when comparing equally or higher achieving countries (Gray & Taie, 2015). Teacher
attrition numbers in the double digits combined with declining enrollment in teacher
preparation programs and a lower number of teachers being certified in the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania places an increased burden on school districts to support
and grow their young talent. BWSD is no exception to the expectation. Over the past
three years, BWSD has experienced difficulty in hiring and/or keeping quality candidates
as full-time teachers, or even substitutes, in the areas of Special Education, English as a
Second Language, Science, and World Languages. This difficulty aligns with trends
being seen across the nation (Beeson & Strange, 2003).
The BWSD is the largest employer of residents within the school district borders,
supporting the community atmosphere and environment within the buildings. There are
over 545 employees in the BWSD. The district is proud to maintain its own
transportation fleet, food service program, technology department, and facilities
department, totaling over 200 classified employees. The professional staff is made up of
over 260 teachers and 38 administrators.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

4

With the continued growth that is expected in BWSD, efforts need to be made to
ensure that new teachers meet the expectations of the district. The district will need to
place a renewed emphasis on the supports put in place for new teachers in order to keep
new teachers in all positions.
Research Questions
The BWSD NTIP is loosely designed to help provide supports and skills for
teachers new to the district. Closer examination of the current practices within the
BWSD NTIP compared to research and best practices in both the educational setting
and the business realm will be considered to ensure an effective NTIP for many years
to come. The following research questions will be considered when exploring the
previous research and closely analyzing the BWSD NTIP:
1. What aspects of the BWSD NTIP have been beneficial to new teachers with the

district?
2. What aspects of the current NTIP were of least value in supporting teachers?
3. What are the perceptions of mentor teachers as indirect participants in the

NTIP?
Expected Outcomes
Utilizing the research questions and best practices that are proven in reviewed
literature, it is expected that the current NTIP will be revamped and refreshed to meet
the needs of the newest generation of teachers coming to BWSD. Designing and
developing activities and supports that are meaningful to all participants will be an
integral outcome to the research. In addition to adding or refreshing the current

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

5

practices that are in place, validating the current practices of the NTIP are also an
expected outcome based on the survey results collected from both previous mentor
teachers and previous NTIP participants.
Financial Implications
Since the start of the 2016-2017 school year, the district has hired over 60 new
teachers, and with expected enrollment increases, anticipates hiring at least 10 new
teachers each year for the next three years. This estimate does not include new hires
for attrition reasons. With this large number of new teachers, it will be important to
acclimate them appropriately to the district in an effort to retain them for many years
to come. From a financial perspective, retaining new teachers can be a great cost
savings. In just the first three years, a new teacher will cost the district over $300,000
in salary and benefits alone. Not included in this figure is the time and training that
new teachers receive through professional development, mentor relationships, and
other activities to support new teachers. When these activities and supports are added
to overall costs of a new teacher, school districts cannot afford to ignore the
importance of training and keeping new teachers. The importance of appropriate
training and retention is not solely for financial reasons, but certainly provides another
reason to build programming surrounding best practices.
Summary
NTIPs across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are developed at the local
level. This flexibility allows BWSD to create a program for new teachers that meets
their needs and supports them through the challenges of a teaching career. In turn,

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

6

BWSD is able to facilitate a NTIP that will give new teachers the support to help
students experience growth and success.
BWSD recognizes the importance of teachers in the education process.
Creating a research and needs based NTIP will create a meaningful program that will
allow the district to reap the benefits both financially and programmatically for the
duration of, what has the potential to be, a 30-year teaching career with the district.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

7

CHAPTER II
Review of Literature
Each year, schools invest a significant amount of time and effort to interviewing
and hiring the best candidates to provide educational effectiveness within their districts.
“Hiring is the single most important thing you can do to improve your school” (Mongeau,
2015, para. 35). Once the best candidate is found, it is imperative that the district provide
the necessary supports to retain quality candidates. There are a number of factors that
should be considered and addressed by school districts to help increase teacher attrition.
Podolsky et al. (2019) have determined an induction program as one of five influences on
teachers as they determine whether to stay in the profession. While many districts have
already implemented an induction program, it is imperative to have a program that is
meeting the needs of all of the participants. Too often, the induction program is a
universal program and leaves many participants feeling as though they are not being fully
supported.
Onboarding goes beyond simple paperwork and orientation (Davis & Shannon,
2011), and it must include support over a period of time. Other professions, including
business companies, utilize comprehensive on-boarding procedures when orientating new
employees to their profession or company. It will be important to review the best,
common practices of onboarding new employees across professions. Focusing on the
qualities of programs that allow for new employee socialization, mentorship, and
professional development will be key in ensuring success. Placing an emphasis on the
technical aspects of becoming acclimated to a new work environment and learning

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

8

protocols to be successful in a new position are important. Socializing employees to the
way the company does business is just as crucial.
A review of the requirements for NTIP in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
and in the BWSD will provide a sound starting point to school districts in developing an
induction program that will aid in supporting new teachers and impact the rate of attrition
that will allow for a direct impact on students in the classroom.
The Art of Socializing New Employees
The Evolution of Employee Socialization
Onboarding is no longer simply filling out payroll and human resources
paperwork that ensures you are paid appropriately and receiving the correct benefit
levels. Onboarding has evolved to a complex system of events designed to acclimate a
new hire to an organization and align them for success. Onboarding should be viewed as
an organizational attempt in providing supports to the new employee by aiding in the
reduction of anxiety, helping them best understand the new environment, and supplying
resources for effective habits within their new position (Klein et al., 2015). Providing a
high level of support for longer periods of time will help ensure new hires are fitting in to
their new work environment and profession. The “fitting in” of new employees as part of
the onboarding process has been described as a socialization period and includes many
phases or steps to full or complete socialization within an organization.
Organizations have moved beyond the cursory paperwork protocols and are
looking to mold their newly hired employees into a persona that best represents their
product by adhering to the mission and goals that have been established. Businesses and

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

9

schools, as places of employment, spend a significant amount of time and money on the
development of programming to integrate new employees and socialize them into the
practices and beliefs of the organization.
Organizational Socialization as a Process
It is evident in the research that the terms onboarding and socialization are often
used interchangeably, and describe very similar processes. Organizational Socialization
is defined as “a process through which new employees move from being organizational
outsiders to becoming organizational insiders” (Bauer & Erdogan, 2011, p. 51).
Onboarding, as described by Bauer and Erdogan (2011), is the steps in the process by
which new employees learn skills and gain knowledge to become successful in their job.
This, in turn, helps new employees transition to becoming organizational insiders.
In 1979, John Van Maanen and Edgar H. Schein outlined six ways in which
organizations approach socialization for new employees. Each of these approaches are
contrasted in their explanation to provide a more wholistic understanding:
•

Collective and individual socialization: Collective socialization refers to group or
en masse experiences that provide the same, common experiences to new hires.
Individual socialization, like internships or apprenticeships, provide unique,
personalized opportunities for training.

•

Formal and informal socialization: Formal training separates out new employees
from all other employee groups. Informal socialization is less structured and often
is a result of trial and error or on-the-job training.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

•

10

Sequential and random socialization: Just as the name implies, sequential
socialization provides a systematic approach to onboarding. It employs a first,
then, and last menu of trainings. Random socialization is when the steps of
socialization occur in any order and the sequence is often unknown to the new
hire.

•

Fixed and variable socialization: In fixed socialization scenarios, new hires know
the exact timeline to complete tasks in socialization. Variable socializations allow
new hires to complete tasks when they are ready and/or comfortable. Often,
variable socialization occurs when upward movement in an organization is not yet
fully defined.

•

Serial and disjunctive socialization: Mentorship opportunities are afforded
through serial socialization efforts. Socialization strategies and tactics that do not
partner new hires with mentors are described as disjunctive tactics.

•

Investiture and divestiture socialization: Characteristics that a new hire brings to
their role are utilized as part of the new hire’s job responsibilities in investiture
socialization. In situations where the new hire must assimilate to the new values
of the workplace, the employee will need to forget old processes and experiences
to develop the beliefs of the current organization. This is done through divestiture
socialization (Van Maanen & Schein, 1979).

In further research, Jones (1986) examined the socialization research of Van Maanen
and Schein. Jones suggested that the six tactics described by Van Maanen and Schein
could be better categorized into two smaller descriptors–institutionalized and

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

11

individualized. These two categories of socialization further classify the work of Van
Maanen and Schein into more comprehensive terms.
Institutionalized socialization to the workplace is described as training sessions
that all new hires are exposed to through formal sessions, group orientations, and mentor
programs. This classification described by Jones (1986) takes Van Maanen and Schein’s
collective, formal, sequential, fixed, serial, and investiture tactics and places them under
the institutionalized classification. Individualized socialization identifies processes that
new hires learn along the way as they are actively working in their hired position. Taking
Van Maanen and Schein’s individual, informal, random, variable, disjunctive, and
divestiture tactics and placing them under the individualized framework described by
Jones further explains the individual role of the new hire and their need to be more
proactive in becoming socialized to the organization.
Qualities of a Comprehensive Onboarding Program
Current job market trends indicate that at any time, 25% of all employees are new
to their position, department, or organization. Additionally, workers in the age group of
18 to 37 will change jobs 10 times in their career (Rollag et al., 2005). These statistics
highlight the importance of socializing new employees effectively so that organizations
are able to reap the benefits of their new hires. The sooner new hires feel safe and
confident in their new environment, the sooner they will be able to assist in fulfilling the
mission and vision of the organization.
Onboarding provides for increased job satisfaction, increased job performance,
and also prevents against unnecessary turnover (Bauer, 2010). The stages of

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

12

organizational socialization or onboarding provide support and clarity through the
journey of a new hire and their experiences within the organization. According to Bauer,
there are four C’s, compliance, clarification, culture, and connection, that must be
considered and integrated into any effective onboarding protocol, and can be leveraged as
strategical levels in the onboarding process (Bauer, 2010).
Compliance is the lowest level of onboarding and addresses the fundamental
aspects of starting a new position. Items such as employee handbooks, policies, payroll
documentation, and health and safety fall into this category. Providing information about
job expectations and other related points of information fall under the clarification
classification. Culture is the onboarding technique that gives new hires the ability to meet
others in the organization, view welcome videos, and become acquainted with
organizational norms. The final C of onboarding is connection, or providing opportunities
for new hires to foster relationships and express their needs allows for connections within
the organization (Bauer, 2010; Qualee, 2021).
The effectiveness of onboarding or socialization practices often cannot be realized
until years after an employee is hired. However, onboarding processes and explicit
training has been linked to overall job satisfaction in new hires (Bercu, 2017).
Additionally, connections are solidified by asking staff about their experiences and needs.
The training and support provided through onboarding and socialization tactics followed
by the evaluation of the programming allows for new hires to continue the connectedness
of the organization and has a direct impact on their attitude toward the organization
(Israel et al., 2014). An effective socialization program for any new hire should include a
way for feedback to be shared as well as provide an ongoing connection for professional

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

13

growth and development. New hires should be asked about their experience and whether
the tactics and trainings were developed with the needs of the new employee in mind
(Suggs, 2014). This perspective will allow the organization to be reflective in the
implementation of new employee socialization and onboarding strategies.
Onboarding in Education
There are many similarities in the art of onboarding across employment areas.
Onboarding in the realm of education is no exception to this. As seen through the
research, socialization is one of the top priorities for nearly all onboarding scenarios
(Bauer, 2010). In education, onboarding has been dictated by policy implemented by
state legislation.
Induction programs were designed and implemented as early as the 1960s to
support new teachers and keep them from leaving the profession (Serpell, 2000). Rollag
et al. (2005) described that it takes nearly a full 20 weeks for a new hire to reach full
productivity in their new role and organization. In the life of a teacher, and more
importantly the students, this is well over half of a school year. Teachers must be at full
effectiveness on the first student day to have the most impact on student learning.
“Teaching is one of the few professions where novices are expected to perform the same
tasks as veterans in the field,” accurately described by Zaharis (2019) when identifying
issues that face schools and new teachers. In addition to the expectation of performing at
high levels from the onset of their career, Zaharis describes that the new teachers are
more than likely experiencing some of the most stressful teaching loads and assignments
in the whole school.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

14

Often, new teachers describe their first year of teaching as “keeping their head
above water,” “day to day survival,” or playing by a “sink or swim” mentality. New
teachers who are left to survive these feelings without support are statistically more likely
to leave the profession after one year. New teachers supported through an effective, welldeveloped induction program often are retained in the profession and have been found to
have a positive impact on student achievement (Ingersoll, 2012; Ingersoll et al., 2018;
Krasnoff, 2014; Wong, 2004).
Studies conducted at the University of Tennessee showed that students who had
effective teachers over a three-year period of time showed academic gains well over 50%
compared to students with less effective teachers over the same length of time (Sanders,
1996). Because school districts typically do not have the luxury of 20 weeks for teachers
to be fully acclimated and operating at maximum effectiveness, school districts must find
ways to support their new hires so they can be at full productivity on the first day of
school. The support that new teachers are given early in their teaching career will have an
impact on the new teacher’s professional development for the duration of their career
(Krasnoff, 2014).
Again, Mongeau (2015) shares that hiring is one of the most important processes
for any school district. Arguably, supporting, training, socializing, and onboarding these
new hires could be the single most important task after the hiring process is over. A
successful induction program will be the key to this success. Each district must
intentionally develop a comprehensive induction program that can be sustained in order
to support and retain new teachers not only to the district, but also for the success of the
profession (Zaharis, 2019).

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

15

History of the New Teacher Induction Program
What is Induction?
Induction provides support for new teachers who have already attained
employment. Induction is not a probationary or screening tool to determine if permanent
employment will be offered (Zeichner, 1979). Wong (2004) further describes:
Induction is a systemwide, coherent, comprehensive training and support process
that continues for 2 or 3 years and then seamlessly becomes part of the lifelong
professional development program of the district to keep new teachers teaching
and improving toward increasing their effectiveness. (p. 42)
Along with Wong’s definition of induction, there is a historical pattern showing
that induction has been defined by describing the goals of an induction program. HulingAustin (1990) and Arends (1998) detailed goals of an induction program to include:
•

technical training to ensure the new teacher is professionally ready to teach,

•

socialization to district and school culture,

•

facilitation of a comfortable and rewarding experience for the new teacher,

•

providing opportunities for increased new teacher retention, and

•

the meeting of requirements of policy and mandates from state and federal
legislation.

Additionally, induction programs have been described as a list of common practices,
procedures, and components. Components that have been commonly cited as part of a
successful induction program include:

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

•

orientation before the start of school

•

reviewing documents related to working in the district (i.e. handbooks,

16

policies)
•

mentoring

•

release time

•

reduction in work load

•

exposure to teaching practices

•

common planning time with content or grade-level partners

•

observations with constructive feedback

•

regular access to administrator (Bland et al., 2014; Conant, 1964; HulingAustin, 1990; Ingersoll, 2012; Moir, 2009; Robinson, 1998; Wong, 2004;
Zaharis, 2019)

Ingersoll (2012) discusses how implementing just one of the above-mentioned
components of an induction program will have a positive impact on new teachers’
productivity. The addition of multiple components into a comprehensive induction
program will yield an even higher retention rate of new teachers beyond their first year.
Kearney (2014) feels that induction programs are more important now than ever before.
Brief History of Induction in the United States
Formal induction programs can be found in research as early as the 1950s and
were a result of the perceived inadequacies of teacher preparation and education
programs in actually providing useful skill sets for new teachers (Elias, 1980). The
creation of 5th year programs for education majors and teacher candidates were created

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

17

with the help of Ford Foundation grants to provide an internship-like experience for
teacher education candidates to put the theory into practice (Elias, 1980; Serpell, 2000).
The 1960s provided even more insight to the needs of new teachers. Giving new
teachers a voice as a result of a mounting body of research, attention was drawn to the
experiences and needs of new teachers (Lawson, 1992). Prior to the 1960s, there was not
much research that studied the needs of new teachers and their experiences and attitudes
after their first year of teaching. Lawson (1992) highlighted the disconnect that teachers
felt when comparing their first year of teaching experience with the content that was
actually taught and emphasized in the collegiate teacher preparation programs.
In 1964, Conant released a report called The Education of American Teachers. In
his report, Conant outlined the failure of American School Boards across the nation. This
failure is attributed to the lack of support and guidance provided to new teachers. Many
researchers credit Conant with outlining the foundation of early induction programs
(Elias, 1980). Conant recommended five components that school districts should
implement to support their new teachers. The five components that were recommended
by Conant included: reduction of teaching load, assistance gathering teaching materials,
mentorship, less challenging teaching assignments, and preparation to alleviate culture
shock (Elias, 1980; Serpell, 2000; Zeichner, 1979).
In 1965, the Higher Education Act was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
This Act supported the creation of the National Teaching Corps and “legally and
politically set the stage for alternative certification programs” (Eckert, 2011, p. 933). The
creation of this program was meant to be a mechanism for funding to support new
teachers, but in reality, only implemented a pathway to support the employment of

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

18

teachers in high poverty areas (Eckert, 2011). Fifth year teacher programs and the
establishment of the National Teaching Corps provided an internship-like experience and
did not successfully provide support to new teachers in their first year as a professional
(Serpell, 2000).
In spite of continued research for new teacher induction and support services, the
1970s and early 1980s did not have much significant activity supporting ongoing new
teacher induction implementation. The increase of federal mandates and legislation
during this era was the foundation for educational reform in the mid-1980s (Durbin,
1991; Sclan & Darling-Hammond, 1992; Lawson, 1992; Serpell, 2000) that then allowed
for new teacher induction programs to become more prevalent across the United States.
Along with these mandates, the mid-to-late 1980s also saw an increase in funding of
these mandates to many states. By 1992, 46 of 50 states implemented new teacher
induction and evaluation programs. Three additional states were evaluating and
considering similar programs. The remaining two states, Nebraska and Rhode Island, did
not have any policies in place or in review to address the support of their new teachers
(Furtwengler, 1995; Sclan & Darling-Hammond, 1992; Serpell, 2000). As the 1990s
progressed, the funding that was associated with some of these programs became
unavailable. As the funding sources were eliminated, so were many induction programs
(Arends, 1998; Furtwengler, 1995; Wang et al., 2010).
Induction at the State Level
Since 1987, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has required an induction
program for all first-year teachers, educational specialists, and long-term substitutes in an
assignment for at least 45 days (Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2019). The

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

19

Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) specifies that the induction program be, at
minimum, the length of one year, but it allows the local school district to create a
program that could be implemented over a longer period of time.
In line with nearly all of the research that has been presented thus far, PDE also
describes an effective induction program will retain teachers beyond their first year of
work in the profession, and that new teachers who participate in a PDE approved
induction program will:
•

use instructional practices that improve student achievement;

•

assign challenging work to diverse student populations;

•

use standards-based curriculum frameworks; and

•

accomplish the goals of the curriculum (Pennsylvania Department of
Education, 2019).

Pennsylvania School Code requires the induction program to include an assignment of a
mentor to the new teacher and the assignment of activities to address diverse needs of
learners in an inclusive setting. Diverse learners include students with learning
disabilities and language barriers (Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2019).
Important Professional Relationships for New Teachers
Mentorship
In 2000, Roberts proclaimed that, “Mentoring is a complex, social, and
psychological activity” (p. 162). All too often do NTIPs only focus on the mentoring
aspect of supporting new teachers. Wong (2004) shares that mentoring can be the primary
pillar of a NTIP, but it cannot operate alone. Mentorship should be supported through
other examples of socialization, orientation, professional development, and meetings

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

20

(Wong, 2004; Zembytska, 2016). Through their research, Behrstock-Sherratt et al. (2014)
determined that although it is not the only factor, having access to a mentor teacher is one
of the most valuable components to a new teacher feeling successful in the early years of
their career.
The mentor teacher has significant influence on the development of a mentee’s
teaching practices. From the onset of the relationship, mentors help new teachers learn
and adapt to the expectations of their school building, district, and the teaching profession
as a whole (Wang & Odell, 2002). Through the practices of modeling, providing critical
and constructive feedback, and on-going discussions, the mentor teacher has the ability to
shape the professional practices of the mentee teacher for the next 30 years (Clarke et al.,
2014; Hobson et al., 2009; Tonna et al., 2017). Often, the mentor teacher is the first and
only opportunity for the mentee to receive socialization to the organization, having a
profound impact of the mentee’s developing opinion of the organization (Bey & Holmes,
1992). For these reasons, districts must ensure the requisite amount of thought and
research has been put into partnering mentees with their mentor. The district should
consider factors like success in teaching practice, ability to effectively communicate, and
positive representation of the practices and beliefs of the district when looking for
mentors to help support the new teachers. Additionally, mentor characteristics such as
being a good listener, supportive, approachable, trustworthy, and empathetic should be
sought in the selection of mentor teachers (Hobson et al., 2009; Roehrig et al., 2008).
Tonna et al. (2017) describe mentoring as, “an important adjunct to teaching, because it
influences and fosters the intellectual development of learners” (p. 211).

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

21

Advantages of the Mentor/Mentee Teacher Relationships
The learners in the case of mentoring are the new teacher mentees. Cultivating
relationships between the mentor and the mentee is a key to the success of most
situations. Just as teachers need to develop relationships with students and their families
in an effort to maximize participation, the mentor/mentee relationship should be
developed in the same way. Lock et al. (2006) outlined 20 ways in which mentors and
mentees can work to enhance their relationship. The recommendations encourage both
participants to be active in the process and become comfortable with being vulnerable.
The relationship requires active participation from both individuals (Lock et al., 2006).
Mentors should be prepared to listen to their mentees.
Advantages for the Mentor Teacher
Research suggests that there are as many advantages for the mentor teacher as
there are for the new teacher mentee. Research from Lopez-Real and Kwan (2005),
Simpson et al. (2007), and Hobson et al. (2009) shows that mentor teachers benefit from
the mentor/mentee relationship by gaining new perspectives, new ideas, and improved
teaching strategies. This research also shows that the mentee is valuable to the mentor by
providing exposure to cutting edge teaching strategies or perspectives that the mentor
teacher may not have experienced had they not engaged in the mentorship process
(Hobson et al., 2009).
Mentor teachers often feel validated after participating in the new teacher
mentorship program. Through this experience, they feel reassured of their own teaching
practices and capabilities (Simpson et al., 2007). Due to this validation and the newfound experiences, mentor teachers also cite being reenergized and recommitted to the

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

22

teaching profession as a result of the relationship. The result of the relationship is a
forced re-engagement due to the conversations between mentor and mentee (Hobson et
al., 2009). Lopez-Real and Kwan (2005) reported that 70% of mentor teachers in Hong
Kong felt that they benefited professionally from being a mentor teacher because of the
opportunities, both formal and informal, to receive additional training and discuss
teaching and learning as a craft.
Advantages for the Mentee
The overwhelming advantage of a mentorship program for the new teacher is the
support and guidance provided by the mentor teacher. Scenarios describing the trainee
teacher mimicking the master in all matters of content, delivery, and even vocal tone and
inflection date back to the 13th century (Zembytska, 2016). When implemented
appropriately, mentees are afforded the time to meet with their mentor teacher and reflect
on the curriculum and their teaching practices (Tonna et al., 2017).
Earlier research and support of mentoring as part of the NTIP was largely fueled
by the need to retain new teachers to the profession (Arends, 1998; Bey & Holmes, 1990;
Hobson et al., 2007; Huling-Austin, 1992; Ingersoll, 2012; Ingersoll & Kralick, 2004;
Tonna et al., 2017; Wong, 2004). Mentorship is one of the greatest reasons cited for
success in retaining new teachers, and the more comprehensive the induction program,
the higher the chance of retaining new teachers. Adding additional components to an
induction program along with mentorship (i.e. release time, reduced work load,
socialization, and orientation) also increases the likelihood of new teachers not leaving
the profession after their first three years (Ingersoll, 2012).

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

23

Tonna et al. (2017) cited another advantage to a well-developed mentor/mentee
relationship, which also aligns with an effective induction program. When an induction
program incorporates a mentorship component and is comprehensive in its goals, new
teachers are forced to identify their own professional learning needs. The comprehensive
induction program provides an opportunity for mentees to interact with mentors in such a
way that the dialogue allows for growth instead of the mentor teacher telling the mentee
what to do, what to implement, or how to reflect on situations. This facilitated discovery
of teaching philosophies through collaborative, purposeful conversations allows new
teachers to be reflective on their practice in a supportive environment with their mentor
teacher guiding and suggesting along the way (Tonna et al., 2017). Just as this
identification and reflection of learning needs is an advantage, it can also pose a
challenge for the mentor teacher.
Challenges for the Mentor Teacher
As teaching professionals, it is easy to stay isolated in the confines of the
classroom. This feeling of isolation could lead to mentors not being fully committed to
the process of being an available mentor for their mentee. Mentors often have a sense of
feeling overwhelmed due to an increased workload. Typically, mentor teachers will have
full teaching schedules in addition to taking on a mentor teacher role, adding more to an
already over flowing plate. Mentor teachers are rarely given release time. These added
responsibilities can lead to feeling overwhelmed and stressed, often without any
additional supports from a professional perspective (Hobson et al., 2009). Mentor
teachers should force themselves out of any potential isolation to be an active participant
in the mentees’ teaching careers. Mentor teachers should work to be present for their

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

24

mentee as much as possible. Building this relationship may be one more addition to an
already full plate, but as noted before, the advantages that both the mentor and mentee
will reap are priceless (Lopez-Real & Kwan, 2005; Norman & Gansler, 2004; Simpson et
al., 2007).
The literature repeatedly cites mentor teacher training as a significant challenge in
creating the most effective mentorship programming. Research suggests that mentor
teachers could benefit from training similar to what an instructional coach receives.
Aspects of giving effective feedback after an observation and guidance on how to lead
classroom practice discussions are areas that most teachers are never trained on (FeimanNemser, 1996; Huling-Austin, 1992; Kling & Brookhart, 1991; Tonna et al., 2017).
Coaching and challenging the mentee is difficult to do well. For mentors who are already
over-worked, it is often easier to share their own opinion instead of spending time
guiding the mentee through a reflective and thought-provoking discussion. Without
proper training and coaching, mentors may not be able to challenge the thinking of their
mentee, facilitate appropriate discussion, or force them to arrive at their own thoughts,
which would be an impetus for their professional learning and growth (Bullough, 2005;
Tonna et al., 2017).
Challenges for the Mentee
The success of the mentorship hinges on the foundational relationship that is
fostered between the mentor teacher and the mentee. Dobie et al. (2010) describes that a
safe space for the mentor/mentee relationship must be established before a relationship
can be built or fostered. Establishing a mutual respect between the individuals is crucial
not only for their professional practice, but on an interpersonal level. It is difficult for a

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

25

new teacher to place their trust and vulnerability in the hands of a mentor in whom they
do not feel has their best interests at heart. If a mentee is feeling a sense of judgement
from their mentor, the mentee will lose confidence in themselves and the mentor/mentee
relationship (Tonna et al., 2017). Mentoring programs should be developed to minimize
or alleviate the requirement of the mentor teacher formally evaluating the mentee. This
simple act will diminish concerns from the mentee about being judged (Dobie et al.,
2010).
Tonna et al. (2017) details the lack of confidence that some mentees have in
themselves and their practices as a new teacher. This lack of confidence can be
detrimental to the reflective relationship that is needed for the two-way learning
necessary within the mentor/mentee pairing. New teachers must realize they have a
valuable perspective to offer to their mentor teacher. The mentee must see themselves as
an asset to the mentoring team. In order to add value, the mentee must feel safe and
confident to share their ideas and strategies and realize they will have a professional
learning impact on their mentor teacher (Hobson et al., 2009; Lopez-Real & Kwan, 2005;
Simpson et al., 2007; Tonna et al., 2017).
Relationships with Administration
The relationship that principals have with beginning teachers may support or
hinder a new teacher’s professional and personal well-being. Administrators have
multiple responsibilities within their school building, but most importantly, they set the
culture and climate for the building and the school’s vision and mission. All of these
responsibilities require effective, clear communication from the administrator to all of the
teachers (Brock & Grady, 1998; Moir, 2009; Roberson & Roberson, 2009).

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

26

Administrators must be willing to support all teachers technically, emotionally,
pedagogically, and socially, and be willing to provide guidance to their staff members
(DePaul, 2000; Eaton & Sisson, 2008; Kelchtermans et al., 2009). Roberson & Roberson
(2009) determined that the most critical role a principal can play is one of supporting the
new and novice teachers in their buildings. Additionally, the nature of the principal’s job
is to lead change. Principals hold and use a power that elicits change and, in turn, an
emotional response from the teachers in the building. The decisions made by principals
will have an emotional response from teachers that will lead to an impact on the teaching
and learning occurring in the building (Hargreaves, 2008; Roberson & Roberson, 2009).
Research conducted by Lassila et al. (2017) outlined that many new teachers will
put a focus and emphasis on their relationship with the principal. In particular, the
personal aspect of these relationships will be revered more than the professional side. In
the research, the personal relationship is described as being parental in nature on the part
of the principal. The new teacher feels a connection to the principal in this relationship
because the principal is a support system and often listens to the questions of the new
teacher. Teachers are attuned to when the principal shares power with the teachers but
does not require the teachers to carry the decision-making burden on their own, without
leadership. The principal’s perceived leadership skills are very important in the opinion
of new teachers and will impact the relationships teachers build with their principal
(Lasilla et al., 2017).
Lasilla et al. (2017) described how perceptive new teachers are to the atmosphere
around them. As supported by Roberson and Roberson (2009), the principal is directly
responsible for the climate and atmosphere of the building. Lasilla et al., stated,

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

27

“Beginning teachers are very keen readers of the school atmosphere and situation, and
they figure it out quickly if the poor atmosphere is due to the non-efforts of the
principal.” (2017, p. 499).
Relationships with the principal are viewed as meaningful when the principal
creates supportive structures for teachers to experience success within the building and
champions an atmosphere where teachers can build and sustain relationships with other
teachers. The camaraderie and support amongst teachers is beneficial to the new teacher
socialization process (Lasilla et al., 2017; Roberson & Roberson, 2009).
Through the relationship building process between the principal and new teachers,
behavior norms and expectations are established, internalized, and understood. Principals
hold the following expectations of new teachers:
•

professional attitudes,

•

adequate knowledge of the subject area for which they are hired,

•

effective classroom management skills,

•

excellent communication skills,

•

belief in the expectation that every child can learn, and

•

possession of the desire to help all students succeed (Brock & Grady,
1998).

In turn, Brock and Grady (1998) described the expectations that new teachers
have of their principals. All of the expectations listed are based on communication. New
teachers seek regular communication and crave affirmation and reassurance that they are
exhibiting behaviors favored by the principal. New teacher expectations of principals
include:

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

28

•

communication to the new teacher on good teaching criteria,

•

regular communication, formal and informal, with the principal by means
of a regular, scheduled meeting, and

•

regular visits to the classroom by the principal that include constructive
feedback and affirmation of the new teacher’s performance (Brock &
Grady, 1998).

McCann and Johannesen (2004) conducted interviews of new and novice
teachers. Their research findings supported that many new teachers have concerns around
their relationships, or lack thereof, with their principal. Specifically of concern were the
new teachers’ relationships with the administrator who supervises and evaluates their
performance. Levels of concern, anxiety, and worry rose when the new teachers felt that
they did not receive specific feedback about their performance from their evaluating
principal. The new teachers yearned for reassurance and knowledge that they were
meeting the expectations established by their principal (McCann & Johannesen, 2004).
Ganser (2002) shared that when principals support new teachers and mentoring
programs in their school, they are able to “maximize the unquestionable value of teacher
mentoring as a central feature of the professional learning communities they lead” (p.
11). Principals cannot ignore or neglect their role in supporting new teachers. There is a
need for the principal to build cohesion and fill the gaps of lost or unlearned knowledge
and practices that occur when an established teacher departs from their building and a
brand-new hire or transfer is integrated into the teaching staff. Schools that have large
numbers of new teachers at any one time will experience a lack of institutional and career
knowledge that is established with a veteran teaching force. This demand can be

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

29

incredibly draining on the culture and practices of a school building when there are many
new teachers on staff, or if the school consistently experiences high teacher turnover
(Darling-Hammond, 2002).
Challenges Facing Administration Relative to New Teachers
The face of the teaching profession has changed drastically over the last few
decades. The pathway to the classroom is experiencing an influx of candidates who
attained certification through non-traditional pathways and alternative routes. This
generation of second career educators are arriving with the intention of a finite amount of
time spent as a public service teacher (Peske et al., 2001). Often, newcomers to the
profession are selecting teaching as a second career or a capstone to their working life. In
addition to the “capstone” career teachers, the field is seeing an increased number of
young professionals coming to education as “early career contributors.” The candidates in
the latter category are not looking to make a 30-year career out of being a teacher. Many
see the field of education as an opportunity to give back to the community or as a means
to figure out what they really want to do for a career (Peske et al., 2001).
Principal training courses have done little to teach or train aspiring principals on
the art of supporting and retaining new teachers. This becomes increasingly more
challenging when the new teachers arrive to the building with such a varied background
of experiences. Principals need to be prepared to lead buildings and support new teachers;
this includes those with alternate, non-traditional paths to the teaching force. In addition,
the field of education is seeing a large number of uncertified teachers arriving in school
buildings. This additional alternate path is mostly due to shortages in teacher preparation
programs (Ganser, 2002; Peske et al., 2001).

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

30

Those teachers who are arriving through the traditional methods of teacher
training and preparation programs do not arrive without their own challenges. Abrams
(2018) draws attention to the 20-to-30-year old new teachers that are entering the
workforce as part of the storied millennial generation. Abrams suggests that as the new
teachers of the millennial generation enter the teaching field, it may be their first time
ever in the workforce. Millennials are digital natives and have always known that Google
and Alexa are a way to acquire information instantly. These candidates will thrive in a
school setting when their principals and administrators respond quickly and with an
abundance of information. Principals should be explicit and create clarity when working
with millennials, especially surrounding the topics of policies and expectations. This
clarity will be especially important before looking to enforce, evaluate, or hold
accountable (Abrams, 2018).
Principals and school leaders should have an awareness that millennials typically
look to advance in their careers quickly. It is also imperative that school administrators
understand and acknowledge that the millennial new and novice teachers could very well
be the next cohort of aspiring leaders in the district. In their quest for speedy, quick,
and/or immediate solutions or answers, the lack of a timely response from a principal
may find the millennial new teacher searching for answers or solutions on their own. This
search could potentially result in the new teacher leaving the field of education
altogether. If the millennial teacher does not feel supported or valued, they will be quick
to find an environment that meets their needs. Principals must be attuned to this need and
predisposition, and be willing to provide the appropriate supports through regular

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

31

meetings and fostering robust, responsive mentor relationships (Gong et al., 2018;
Abrams, 2018).
In 2002, Darling-Hammond argued that “school systems can create a magnetic
effect when they make it clear that they are committed to finding, keeping, and
supporting good teachers” (p. 12). Now more than ever, it is important for principals to
play an active role in the support and retention of new teachers. Principals will see
success in not only the retention of new teachers, but in the overall impact that new
teachers will have on their school-wide learning community if they:
•

build purposeful relationships with the new and novice teachers,

•

support and foster the mentoring relationship with new teachers and their mentors,

•

meet regularly, listen to, and respond to new teachers, and

•

have an active role in establishing the culture and climate within the school
building (Darling-Hammond, 2002; Lasilla et al., 2017; McCann & Johannesen,
2004; Roberson & Roberson, 2009).

Creating Meaningful Induction Programming in the BWSD
Although an induction program is mandated by the PDE, there is not a consistent
model that is applied across the Commonwealth. Local school districts are provided a
framework of topics that must be covered by an induction program, but PDE does not
mandate how long the program should last or specifics on how to address individual
topics. In accordance with the regulations established through Pennsylvania School Code,
the BWSD has an active NTIP. The BWSD NTIP is a comprehensive, year-long program
aimed at socializing and supporting all new professionals to the school district. This

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

32

includes: teachers, long-term substitutes, school nurses, school counselors, and all other
educational specialists.
The BWSD NTIP aligns to the requirements of approval established by PDE. The
goals of the NTIP (Baldwin-Whitehall School District, 2021) are, “to provide each
inductee with a general orientation to the BWSD and to increase his/her knowledge,
improve his/her teaching skills, and to assist in making him/her an integral part of our
school community” (p. 3).These goals are met through participation in three days of
intense orientation and socialization in August prior to the rest of the teaching staff
returning to the district and through monthly induction meetings that address the topics of
teaching and learning through the Danielson Framework and the PDE Standards Aligned
Systems. Key components of the BWSD NTIP include mentorship, peer observations,
feedback, and reflections.
Each new teacher is paired with a mentor teacher at the onset of the program.
Mentors are selected based on matching certification areas with the new teacher. Mentor
teachers are required to be in satisfactory standing with the district, recommended by the
administration, and to have obtained tenure and Level II certification through PDE. As
stated, new teachers have the opportunity to meet their mentor teacher during the first
three days of orientation in August to begin the development of their relationship. The
BWSD NTIP requires new teachers to meet with their mentors at least twice a month and
complete a monthly report on topics that were discussed and addressed during those
meetings. The meetings are not given a mandatory topic list as it is important for the new
teachers to discuss pressing topics or concerns that are pertinent to their particular
building or assignment.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

33

Although new teachers are only required to complete one observation, new
teachers are given a full day of release time from their teaching assignment to complete
peer observations. The full day of release time allows the new teacher to have the
opportunity to go beyond their grade level or team of teachers and perhaps even observe
another teacher at a different building within the district. New teachers are required to
reflect on the teaching practices that they observed and utilize templates provided in the
NTIP manual which will guide their observation (Baldwin-Whitehall School District,
2021, p. 15) to then list ideas from their observation that they are excited to try in their
classroom and items they are still thinking about or wanting to explore further (BaldwinWhitehall School District, 2021, p. 16).
Teachers in the NTIP are asked twice a year for feedback. The first opportunity
typically occurs in December/January. New teachers are asked to evaluate the
applicability of the monthly meeting topics that they have participated in to this point.
They are then asked to provide suggestions for topics that they would like to have
addressed for the last half of the program. These suggestions are utilized to develop the
remainder of the calendar for the induction year. The last opportunity for formalized
feedback occurs at the end of the school year. New teachers are asked to evaluate the
effectiveness of the induction program, provide suggestions on improvement for
upcoming NTIP topics, and determine the degree to which the objectives of the program
were met. New teachers also have the opportunity to provide open-ended feedback
regarding the program or their participation in the program (Baldwin-Whitehall School
District, 2021, p. 13).

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

34

Lastly, new teachers are asked to meet with their supervising administrator at the
end of the year. This meeting is in addition to their end of the year evaluation meeting for
supervision and observation. During this meeting, the new teacher must provide their
own reflection of the school year as experienced at the building-level. They are
encouraged to share with their administrator both successes and areas for growth, their
fondest memories of the year, or even what they wished they knew before the school year
started. The principal will then share with the new teacher their assessment of the year
and the progress that was made. Again, this is not meant to be evaluative in nature, but to
engage in the reflective process. This reflection provides yet another opportunity for the
new teacher to have individualized time with the building administration, which in turn,
allows the administration to have another opportunity to make a connection with the new
teachers.
The Need for Meaningful Induction in the BWSD
Since the start of the 2018 school year, BWSD has hired 67 professional
employees (teachers, counselors, specialists, and nurses). Of these 67 new professional
employees, 64 are still employed by the district. This staggering number can be attributed
to two factors within the district. The first factor, and probably the factor that has the
most impact on the number of newly hired teachers, is the significant population growth
that is being experienced within the community. The second factor having a lesser impact
on this number is an Early Retirement/Resignation Incentive (ERRI) that was offered to
the professional staff.
The age of the BWSD community is in a state of transition; older senior citizens
are moving out of their family homes for smaller, more manageable options, which opens

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

35

up real estate within the district. Younger families are purchasing these homes,
establishing roots and are sending their children to schools within BWSD. Currently, the
largest population growth is being experienced at the elementary levels. The district
anticipates this population increase to be realized at the secondary level within the next 24 years. Where there is an increase of students, an increase in the need for teachers is not
far behind.
BWSD offered an ERRI to the professional employees at the end of 2018, and
again in the spring of 2020. Although it is not typical to offer availability of an ERRI in
back to back years, the district felt that it was necessary due to the uncertainty of the
COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of these offerings, 17 teachers retired or resigned under
the ERRI. The departure of these teachers required the district to hire new teachers in
their place.
BWSD also has a School Board policy that stipulates that new hires will be
granted years of service credit up to and including five years and nothing beyond. This
adds another implication for the experience levels of newly hired teachers to the district.
Having over 65 new teachers who have five or less years of experience in a public school
setting is an institutional challenge that cannot be ignored. ERRI programs give a district
the opportunity to part ways with teachers who are jaded or no longer in the business for
appropriate reasons. Not to be ignored, a district also stands to lose a tremendous amount
of institutional knowledge that retirees take with them when they retire. That knowledge
loss must be supported and gains in this area must be cultivated by induction programs.
With such a large contingency of new teachers, BWSD must ensure that the new
and novice teachers being hired are appropriately supported and trained in the ways of the

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

36

district. If the over 65 new and novice teachers are being made an afterthought, the
district runs the risk of employing ineffective teachers for many years to come. Students
will be the group ultimately impacted by the district’s inability to facilitate a meaningful
induction program for its new and novice teachers.
The population growth shows no signs of slowing in the BWSD and projections
indicate that the district will need to hire at least ten staff members each year for the next
four years to keep up with the growth. If that rate holds true, well over 50% of the
teaching staff at BWSD will have less than ten years of teaching experience.
In school districts across United States of America, there are NTIPs that are
implemented with very little focus on professionally developing the new and novice
teachers. In many of these programs, mentoring is relied upon as the main component of
the induction program. The mentoring relationship is often the only safety net that is
provided to new teachers as they navigate the landscape of a new and challenging career
(Wong et al., 2005). While BWSD supports a NTIP that is more robust than most school
districts and incorporates more support than mentoring alone, the need for more
specialized, individual professional development must be considered for not only the new
teacher, but for mentor teachers and principals. (Ganser, 2002; Hobson et al., 2007).
The impact of a meaningful new teacher induction program cannot be
underestimated. Wong (2004) appropriately stated why districts need to focus on when
providing an induction opportunity to new teachers, “new teachers hired today are the
teachers of the next generation. Their success will determine the success of an entire
generation of students. Their success can be ensured by providing them with a
comprehensive, coherent professional development plan” (p. 41).

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

37

CHAPTER III
Methodology
All new teachers in a school district are required by PDE to complete a NTIP.
School districts are tasked with creating programs that check the boxes for compliance.
BWSD wants to utilize the NTIP not only to meet the requirements of the
Commonwealth, but to meet the needs of newly hired teachers coming to the district to
establish themselves as professionals. A significant amount of time, money, and
resources are dedicated to the process of recruiting, vetting, interviewing, and hiring new
teachers. BWSD wants to ensure that these resources were well utilized by creating a
worthwhile NTIP in an effort to support and retain newly hired teachers. The NTIP must
provide a foundation for the new teachers being initiated into the district to support a
long, successful career in BWSD. In general, new teachers have similar needs when
starting a new position and a “one-size-fits-all” NTIP will likely support those needs.
With the new challenges of teaching post-pandemic, significant teacher shortages, and
the ever-evolving needs of a newly hired employee, BWSD must look at ways to create a
more meaningful NTIP to support and secure the available talent for years to come.
Purpose
Now more than ever, it is important to recruit, support, and retain valuable
teachers (Kearney, 2014) to BWSD. Teacher shortages are being seen across not only
Pennsylvania, but the nation. In Pennsylvania alone, the number of individuals enrolling
in undergraduate education programs has decreased by over 50% and the number of
teaching certificates being issued by PDE has decreased by over 70% (Prose, 2022).
Research shows that a comprehensive induction program will support and retain new

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

38

teachers to the district and the profession as a whole (Arends, 1998; Bland, et al., 2014;
Conant, 1964; Huling-Austin, 1990; Ingersoll, 2012; Moir, 2009; Robinson, 1998; Wong,
2004; Zaharis, 2019). The goal of this action research project will be to determine how
the NTIP within BWSD can be adjusted to provide new teachers with more meaningful
professional learning experiences that are directly beneficial to their immediate work.
BWSD already implements a comprehensive NTIP that exceeds the minimum
requirements for programming according to PDE. In recent years, the large NTIP classes
have included such vast differences in certification areas that it has been nearly
impossible to meet the needs of all new professionals at one time. Teachers in an
elementary classroom have different needs, questions, and demands than their peers hired
at the same time who may be a school nurse, school counselor, or world language
teacher.
The role of the Director of Employee Services for BWSD includes the
responsibilities of advertising for open positions in the district. The Director of Employee
Services is fortunate enough to also supervise the NTIP, allowing for the interaction with
the newly hired teachers through the progression of onboarding and induction. From one
month to the next, the activities and speakers planned for the current NTIP are well
thought-out and implemented, but those activities only have direct applicability to some
of the individuals sitting in the class. Rarely, outside of the first three days of induction,
do all of the new teachers have a concept or skill that they can immediately take and use
the next day to support their practice. Discerning what the needs are for the new teachers
from year to year and finding effective ways to meet the needs of all the new teachers
through the NTIP is the focus of the research questions. The questions below align with

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

39

the purpose of creating a more meaningful induction program for all new teachers in the
BWSD. The end result will include aspects of the current program that are meeting new
teacher needs, best practices from research, and topics specifically articulated from new
teachers in the program and mentor teachers supporting the NTIP. The best practices and
well researched topics will support new teachers in their profession, and show the value
of BWSD through supportive and enriching measures. These supports and enhancements
will lead to newly hired professionals wanting to continue their career within BWSD for
many years.
The research questions that were developed to specifically support the action
research outcomes are:
1. What aspects of the BWSD NTIP have been beneficial to new teachers with
the district?
2. What aspects of the current NTIP were of least value in supporting
teachers?
3. What are the perceptions of mentor teachers as indirect participants in the
NTIP?
Setting and Participants
The BWSD is situated in the South Hills suburb of Pittsburgh, approximately ten
miles from downtown Pittsburgh. The district covers just about ten square miles,
comprised of Whitehall Borough, Baldwin Township, and Baldwin Borough. There are
nearly 4,450 students in Kindergarten through 12th grade within the district. Currently,
BWSD services a population that is 41% Economically Disadvantaged. There has also

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

40

been a significant increase in the English Learner (EL) population within the district over
the past 10 years, approximately 9% and growing. In addition to the growing population
of EL students, the district is seeing an increase in special education students. In an effort
to provide the best services and supports, the district internally operates its own
emotional support, autistic support, and life skills programs. Approximately 10% of
students are special education students and are enrolled in programs across the district.
The district employs 264 professional staff members. Of those, 74.5 (28%) have
been hired since the start of the 2016–2017 school year. Every new professional–teacher,
counselor, nurse, etc.–is required to participate in the NTIP to meet not only the
requirements of PDE, but those of BWSD. As part of the program, new teachers are
paired with a tenured, permanently certified mentor teacher for the duration of their first
year with the district. Mentor teachers are compensated each semester for serving in the
capacity of a support system for teachers in the NTIP.
Mentor teachers have a very unique perspective of the NTIP. Because of their
close work with newly hired teachers, they are able to see firsthand the short comings and
the needs of each individual teacher. There is also a contingency of mentor teachers in
BWSD who have served as a mentor teacher for multiple new teachers. They have seen
the needs of the new teachers change from year to year or, in some cases, decade to
decade. BWSD is fortunate to have a group of tenured, dedicated teachers who are
committed to supporting new teachers in BWSD and, on a larger scale, supporting the
profession. Their input and perspectives on the current NTIP will be beneficial to
determine what aspects of the program are helping further the mission and direction of

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

41

the district, and what portions of the program should be revamped or redesigned in an
effort to support the needs of the teachers currently being hired by the district.
Teachers who completed and/or served as a mentor teacher in the BWSD NTIP
beginning in August 2016 through January 2021 were invited to participate in the
research project. There are 57 teachers identified who are currently employed within the
district and completed the NTIP from August 2016 through January 2021. All 57 of the
teachers were sent the survey cover letter (Appendix A) and the survey questions
administered through Google Forms, which included participator consent and procedures
for opting out of the research (Appendix B). Of the 57 NTIP participants identified, 22
completed the research survey.
Sixty-five current employees also served in the capacity of a mentor teacher from
August 2016 through January 2021 and were sent the research survey and survey cover
letter (Appendix C). Thirty-four of the former mentor teachers used Google Forms to
complete the survey that included consent to participate and the procedures for opting out
of the research (Appendix D). For both the NTIP participant and the mentor teacher
surveys, participants were assured of anonymity and personal, identifying information
was not collected.
Mertler (2019) recommends appropriate sample sizes when conducting research
using a survey. In research similar to this project, the sample size is small and totals less
than 100 participants for each of the surveys (Appendix C and D). With a population this
small, it is recommended that all responses are carefully considered when analyzing the
data. Mertler (2019) also recommends that the return rate on a survey represent between
10% and 20% of the total population surveyed.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

42

For this research project, there were two surveys that were administered. The
survey completed by participants who completed the NTIP from August 2016 through
January 2021 yielded a 38.6% participation rate. Comparatively, the survey completed by
mentor teachers had a 53.8% participation rate. These are both beyond the acceptable
minimum sample sizes for research involving survey methods.
Research Plan
On their first day in the classroom, new teachers are expected to be just as
effective as the teacher who has been teaching for ten years (Zeharis, 2019). Krasnoff
(2014) outlines that the professional development that a new teacher receives in their first
years of teaching will have a lasting impact on the rest of their career. School districts
that develop a meaningful, valuable NTIP are establishing a pathway for teachers to
experience success throughout their career. Induction programs relative to the field of
education have only been existence since the 1950s; however, other employment fields
have been implementing onboarding and socialization tactics for employee support and
retention well before 1960. Examining these successful strategies will help support the
development of a meaningful NTIP in BWSD.
In any field, a newly hired employee needs about 20 weeks before they are fully
acclimated and able to reach full productivity within the organization (Rollag et al.,
2005). For a teacher, that is well over half of the school year and represents valuable time
in a student’s learning journey that cannot be lost. It is known that teachers donot get an
extended training period. On the first day of school, they must perform just as effectively
as a veteran teacher (Zaharis, 2019). New teachers supported through an effective, welldeveloped induction program often are retained in the profession and have been found to

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

43

have a positive impact on student achievement (Ingersoll, 2012; Ingersoll et al., 2018;
Krasnoff, 2014; Wong, 2004).
The onboarding of new employees has evolved over the years, from simple
paperwork completion to a more comprehensive approach to employee acclimation and
ultimately, a focus on employee retention. Klein et al. (2015) describe onboarding as the
process of supporting new employees to help reduce their anxiety in their new workplace
and allow them to feel a bit more comfortable. In many areas of employment, newly
hired employees are given a training period in which they shadow someone for an
extended period of time. While the field of education has student teaching requirements
for graduation, there is not an on-the-job training period. When hired, new teachers are
expected to perform at the highest level of effectiveness on their first day. This is a high
standard that, if not supported correctly, could end in failure for a new teacher.
As part of the onboarding process, the socialization of employees should be a
focus. Bauer and Erdogan (2011) describe the process of socialization as taking the
outsider–the new employee–and making them an insider. This creates a sense of
belonging, and also trains and supports the new hire in the way of the organization.
Socialization is further explained and outlined by Van Maanen and Schein (1979) as six
tactics that organizations should use during the earliest phases of new employment. The
six tactics-collective and individual, formal and informal, sequential and random, fixed
and variable, serial and disjunctive, and investiture and divestiture socialization–describe
the methods of socialization that should be integrated. Jones (1986) further clarified the
research of Van Maanen and Schein to explain that the individual employee is just as

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

44

much responsible for socialization as the organization. Socialization is an active process
on the part of both the organization and the individual.
According to Bauer (2010), onboarding should include exposure and training to
compliance, culture, clarification, and connection within the new employment
environment. The integration of these four C’s into any onboarding or orientation
program for new hires will lead to increased job productivity and satisfaction, and will
ultimately lead to less turnover. The effective onboarding and new employee
socialization practices are linked to job satisfaction and organizational connectedness.
These factors ultimately lead to more effective employees who are able to implement
their knowledge as an insider and be more effective and productive employees (Bauer,
2010; Bercu, 2017; Israel et al., 2014).
Onboarding should be a focused, strategical training experience that is done in
partnership with new employees, not something required of new employees. Suggs
(2014) suggests that new employees should be surveyed and asked about their
onboarding, socialization, and training experiences. This allows the organization to
determine what was beneficial and meaningful to the new employees, but upon further
reflection should allow the organization to determine where their efforts might be lacking
and provide a means to implement professional development and training that is both
needed and wanted by the new hires.
True onboarding practices came to light in the field of education during the 1960s
out of the need to fill the gaps that were perceivably left by collegiate teacher preparation
programs (Lawson, 1992). In 1964, Conant released The Education of American
Teachers. This report outlined the failures of the system in supporting new teachers and

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

45

was the first to suggest the foundational components of a successful induction program
(Elias, 1980).
The mid to late 1980s saw an increase in federal and state dollars dedicated to the
development and implementation of induction programs by way of policy and mandates
(Durbin, 1991; Sclan & Darling-Hammond, 1992; Lawson, 1992; Serpell, 2000). These
dollars were aimed at attracting and retaining new teachers to the profession. By the late
1990s, the funding waned and so did support for induction programs across the nation
(Arends, 1998; Furtwengler, 1995; Wang et al., 2010). Pennsylvania is one of the states
that continued with their induction requirements as others began to pull away from the
implementation.
Mongeau (2015) declared that hiring is the single most important processes for
any school district. Kearny (2014), argue that a sound, research-based induction program
is more important now than ever before. Hiring is the easy part. Retaining and supporting
the needs of the newly hired teacher is critical to the overall success of student
achievement, the district, and ultimately the profession. Once the employee is hired,
school districts must find ways to provide professional development on topics that are
meaningful to a new teachers’ current practice. This is why a meaningful and effective
NTIP must be established and implemented.
Wong (2004) describes induction as a comprehensive training and support process
that is integral in the life-long professional development of a new teacher. While many
induction programs are implemented for the span of a year or less, Wong suggests that
induction programs should be a two to three-year process (2004). Huling-Austin (1990)
and Arends (1998) detailed goals of an induction program to include:

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

•

technical training to ensure the new teacher is professionally ready to teach,

•

socialization to district and school culture,

•

facilitation of a comfortable and rewarding experience for the new teacher,

•

providing opportunities for increased new teacher retention, and

•

the meeting of requirements of policy and mandates from state and federal

46

legislation.
Several researchers (Bland et al., 2014; Conant, 1964; Huling-Austin, 1990;
Ingersoll, 2012; Moir, 2009; Robinson, 1998; Wong, 2004; Zaharis, 2019) suggest topics
and strategies that should be included as components in a comprehensive induction
program. Ingersoll (2012) states that implementing just one of the components will yield
positive results. The implementation of two or more components will have a drastic
impact on not only teacher productivity, but teacher retention beyond the first year of
service.
The recommended components to be included in an induction program are:
orientation before the school year, reviewing policies and handbooks, mentoring, access
to administrators, regular observations with feedback, common planning time with
colleagues, and exposure to successful teaching practices.
PDE mandated induction programs in the Commonwealth in 1987 (Pennsylvania
Department of Education, 2019). The requirements for an induction program included
new teachers being assigned mentors and the implementation of activities and
professional development surrounding diverse learner needs and inclusive practices.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

47

Additionally, PDE states that induction programs should be a minimum of one year
(Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2019).
In BWSD, newly hired teachers are automatically included in the NTIP. It is a
yearlong program that helps to onboard and socialize new teachers to BWSD. It begins
with three days of intense training at the start of the school year discussing policies and
handbooks, introductions to the administrative team, training and distribution of
technology devices, and ends with a tour of the district. The district tour has recently
been upgraded to be a district scavenger hunt aimed at showing the newly hired teachers
the community and surrounding areas.
Throughout the year, new teachers are required to participate in a monthly
meeting that address topics that include: converting their Level I certificate to a Level II
certificate, obtaining tenure, successfully completing an observation, guidelines
surrounding educator effectiveness, the code of educator professional practice and
conduct, support for ELs and students with special learning needs, and a meet and greet
with the current Board of School Directors.
In addition to those activities and topics, a large component of the BWSD NTIP is
assigning new teachers a mentor. This mentor is assigned to help the new teacher through
their first year and be the new teacher’s first source of information for questions
regarding procedural and even instructional questions. Mentor teachers are meant to be
the dedicated support person for the new teachers.
While mentor teachers are not required to participate in the monthly Induction
meetings, they are required to meet weekly with the new teacher. This gives the mentor

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

48

teacher a unique, inside perspective on the strengths and weaknesses of the new teacher.
The mentor teacher’s perspective on the effectiveness of the NTIP is valuable and
important to consider when determining the effectiveness of the NTIP and what
additional aspects would make the NTIP more meaningful. Those teachers who served as
a mentor teacher from August 2016 through January 2021 and are currently still
employed with the district have been included in this research project. This research asks
the mentors for their perceptions of the NTIP as indirect participants and solicits ways to
improve the program to help fortify the effectiveness of the NTIP.
While the current BWSD NTIP includes nearly all of the research-based
components, we are still implementing a “one-size fits all” program. The professional
development that is being included in the monthly induction meetings are topics that are
beneficial to most, but not all. BWSD needs to do a better job of making the NTIP
meaningful for all participants so they feel connected to the district, feel compelled to
build a career in the district, and, most importantly, be highly effective for the benefit of
all students.
Due to the recently felt teacher shortages across the nation, many new teachers are
coming to the profession by means of alternative certification programs (Peske et al.,
2001). It is also important to note that there are still some new teachers arriving at the
doors of our schools by traveling the traditional educator pipeline.
These traditionally trained educators also have drastically different needs than the
teachers arriving at districts 10-15 years ago. The new teachers of the millennial
generation will thrive in situations of extreme clarity surrounding expectations and

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

49

policies. Additionally, new teachers of the millennial generation expect an abundance of
information at a quick response rate from administrators (Abrams, 2018).
The apparent dichotomy between the newer, millennial generation teacher and the
newer teacher who arrives at education as a capstone to their working career poses
significant challenges to those creating and implementing NTIPs. The challenge is
implementing a meaningful induction program for all of the new employees while
ensuring the mission and vision of the district is accurately represented for the success of
everyone.
In the current economic landscape, employers are working harder than ever before
to recruit and maintain valuable talent to their organizations. Schools and BWSD are no
exception. Employees are leaving their current positions en masse in search of something
better or even altogether new. Employers and organizations must focus on supporting
their current employees through onboarding and socialization strategies. NTIPs in
schools is the built-in way to ensure the needs of newly hired teachers are being met.
The induction program in BWSD satisfies the PDE mandate but further
examination and scrutiny of the effectiveness of the program will provide insight on
creating a more meaningful induction program that will help support and retain new
teachers to BWSD. The support and retention of these teachers will ultimately have a
positive influence on student achievement in the classroom which supports the reason for
work in education each and every day. By examining the perceptions of the new teachers
and their mentors who have participated in the NTIP, this research project hopes to
support creating a more meaningful induction program through not only research-based
strategies, but through exploring the needs of the teachers.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

50

Financial Impact
While most of the financial implications of this research project are indirect, there
are still fiscal factors that must be considered in the long term. Google Forms and BWSD
Gmail, both cost-free platforms, were used to disseminate and collect the responses from
all participants. There is a minimal cost associated with the time of the participants to
complete the survey and for the researcher to conduct the survey.
Long-term fiscal implications could be seen once a more meaningful NTIP is
developed and implemented for all BWSD newly hired teachers and professional staff.
As the research suggests, when a meaningful professional development program is
implemented, the retention rate of new hires increases. While this is again an indirect
financial impact, the time that is invested by administrators during the hiring process has
a noteworthy impact.
Teachers hired in BWSD are hired at a suppressed starting salary of $35,000.00.
This suppressed rate is for all levels of education and experience for the first 45-days of
work in the district. During the first 45 days, the new teacher must be observed and
receive a satisfactory evaluation to move off of the suppressed salary step. At that time,
new teachers are placed on the appropriate step that matches their years of experience.
The district recognizes no more than five years of public-school experience. In addition
to the experience movement, new teachers will also be credited with their education
experience. These column movements on the salary scale include Bachelors, Bachelors
+15 credits, Masters, Masters +15 credits, Masters +30 credits, and Doctorate. For a firstyear teacher with a Bachelor’s degree, they will see a jump from $35,000.00 to
$45,920.00 on their 46th day of work.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

51

In BWSD, the average new teacher will move from the suppressed salary rate to
the Step 3 Masters salary scale. That salary is $51,920.00. The all-inclusive cost of a
teacher in BWSD at this step and level for the 2021-2022 school year totals $96,379.48.
This cost represents salary, taxes, health insurance, and Pennsylvania State Educators
Retirement System (PSERS). During this first year of employment, all new teachers are
required to participate in the NTIP, even if they have completed a NTIP in another
district.
If that teacher leaves after one year, the district has not only incurred the costs of
salary, taxes, benefits, and PSERS, but the hidden costs associated with the time and
attention new teachers receive in the district. These hidden costs include but are not
limited to:
•

Professional Development

•

Stipend for the Mentor Teacher

•

Administrative Costs of the NTIP

•

Presenter/Administrator costs during the NTIP

This all-inclusive cost is well over $100,000 per new teacher each year. The
importance of creating a meaningful and effective NTIP can help avoid the costs
associated with teacher turnover after their first year. In a district like BWSD that is
hiring more than 10 new teachers a year for the past three years, the cost savings is
significant.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

52

Research Design, Methods & Data Collection
The development and design of this research project is a mixed methods study
that is collecting both qualitative and quantitative data in a parallel convergent design.
Surveys that collect quantitative data (demographic, content area, and years of service)
and qualitative data were disseminated to both NTIP participants and mentor teachers.
The qualitative data on both surveys include Likert-scale questions about specific aspects
of the NTIP as well as open-ended questions allowing the survey participants to offer
more specific feedback about the program from their perspectives and needs.
Many trends were recognized based on the collection of quantitative data
compared with qualitative answers of both NTIP participants and mentors. The trends
from the survey results of the mixed-methods surveys allowed for the perceptions and
perspectives of the participants to be realized as they relate to creating a more meaningful
NTIP.
An initial request to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) detailing the data
collection and research plan was submitted on September 10, 2022. A request was made
for clarification on how survey participants will be identified and how the survey will be
administered. Additionally, the reviewer requested a letter from BWSD giving
permission for the research project to be conducted. All of the additional information was
provided to the IRB on September 23, 2021 (Appendix E). Final IRB approval was
received on October 5, 2021 (Appendix F).
Using Google Forms, two separate surveys were created using the content
approved by the IRB. Since the survey participants are all current employees of BWSD,

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

53

the Google platform is one that employees are very familiar and comfortable using. One
survey was created for former participants in the NTIP and a second survey was created
for those who served in the capacity of the mentor teacher. These surveys were created
and edited in November 2021. Both surveys included the information about the research
project and how to opt-out should a participant wish to discontinue participation. The
informed consent statement was also included in the header of the survey.
Simultaneous to the creation of the surveys, BWSD School Board minutes were
reviewed to develop a comprehensive list of teachers who participated in the NTIP as a
participant or as a mentor from August 2016 through January 2021. The research was
specific in not including anyone who is currently enrolled in the NTIP as a participant.
Mentors who are currently serving in this capacity were included only if they were a
mentor between August 2016 and January 2021.
The two surveys (Appendices B and D) were distributed through BWSD email
using a contact group. The initial email with the survey was sent to both groups on
December 11, 2021. Reminder emails were sent on December 22, 2021 and December
30, 2022. Both surveys were closed on Monday, January 17, 2022. The former NTIP
participant survey yielded a 38.6% return rate and the mentor teacher survey yielded a
52.3% return rate. While the response rates were lower than anticipated, they were
significant enough to provide enough data that trends and comparisons can be
extrapolated.
The window in which the surveys were open was purposefully scheduled to occur
over the winter break during the school year in hopes that teachers would not feel so
overwhelmed and would be willing to spend a few minutes to answer the survey. This

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

54

philosophy also could have negatively impacted the return rate of survey responses.
Although there is not much evidence, the possibility exists that many teachers did not
consult their BWSD email over the winter break, resulting in many of them forgetting
about the survey. In retrospect, one additional reminder email would have been helpful in
the days before the surveys closed.
Validity
The participants in the research study spanned a period of five school years. Not
all of the NTIP participants and mentors participated during the same school year.
Because the participants were spread out over the five years, the data gathered from the
surveys specific to NTIP activities and perspectives show that the results can be
replicated for any year of the NTIP. While most of the responses from former NTIP
participants were from August 2017 through June 2021, the responses are consistent from
year to year. The Likert-scale and open-ended questions were collected through an
anonymous survey and designed to directly relate to the three research questions designed
to guide this project. The same study could be conducted for former NTIP participants
and mentor teachers for the years prior to August 2016 and after January 2021 in the
BWSD. In addition, administrators in other school districts with a fairly robust teacher
induction program could conduct the same research to determine what the needs are
within their program.
Triangulation of Data
The data was triangulated through examination of former NTIP participant
responses, former mentor teacher responses, and the actual events of the NTIP over the

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

55

years of the research cohort. Through the data provided, the research can determine the
points of the NTIP that participants found beneficial or can build out a framework to
support the areas that both participants and mentors would find more meaningful and
beneficial to integrate into the BWSD NTIP.
This convergent parallel mixed-methods research design allowed both
quantitative data and qualitative data to be collected at the same time and analyzed
independently of one another. The independent analysis allows for the quantitative and
qualitative data to come together in a more meaningful way and provide support for the
overall interpretation of all the data combined.
Summary
The BWSD NTIP in its current implementation meets the requirements of the
PDE induction mandates and on the surface is meeting the needs of the new teachers
hired into the district. The current “one-size-fits all” program does not meet the needs of
every new teacher hired. Research has shown that socialization and onboarding of newly
hired employees is critical to enhanced productivity and retention of new teachers. The
NTIP in BWSD meets the qualifications of onboarding and socialization, as well as
incorporating key components established to be the most effective, but more research is
needed to determine if the professional development is meaningful to all of the
participants.
The research questions were developed to closely examine the current practices of
the NTIP and gain the perspectives of former participants in the program and the mentor
teachers that supported participants during the same time period. The surveys that were

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

56

administered will examine each component of the NTIP and determine how meaningful
the current practices and sessions are to the participants. The open-ended questions will
allow for participants in the research to share their feedback on the program and what
adjustments they feel would be beneficial to future NTIP.
Chapter IV will analyze the data collected from the survey results and draw
conclusions to the three research questions. Suggestions on how to make the BWSD
NTIP more meaningful for all participants will be included. Additionally, extensions for
how the research findings can be applied in more than just the realm of the NTIP will
also be considered.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

57

CHAPTER IV
Data Analysis and Results
This research project was designed for BWSD to create a more effective New
Teacher Induction Program (NTIP). The research utilizes survey data from two sources to
determine what aspects of the current NTIP are effective and influential, and also looks
for feedback from both sources to determine what the NTIP may be lacking in its current
format. Key to the analysis are the results of the surveys indicating the perceptions of
both the new teachers and the mentor teachers who supported them.
To determine the effectiveness of the current NTIP, surveys were administered to
collect qualitative and quantitative data on different aspects of the program. Survey
responses were received and analyzed from current teachers in BWSD who have recently
completed the NTIP and from current teachers who have recently served in the capacity
of a mentor to a new teacher completing the NTIP.
This research project will provide valuable data for BWSD to support new
teachers as they start their career in the district. The results of the survey and trends in the
feedback will be presented in this chapter. The contents of this chapter will be organized
into the following sections: Data Analysis, Results, Discussion, and Summary.
Data Analysis
Surveys were developed and administered to collect qualitative and quantitative
data from NTIP participants and supporting mentor teachers. Surveys were sent to those
associated with the NTIP from August 2016 through January 2021. Demographic data
from each group was analyzed to further classify and understand the responses from the
participants. This data will be instrumental in examining trends among not only grade

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

58

level and subject matter teachers, but also in examining the experiences from one year to
the next within the NTIP. Survey responses were collected using Google Forms and the
charts and graphs generated from the responses are shown in the Results section.
Both surveys included demographic, Likert-scale, and open-ended questions to
collect details on both specific aspects of the current NTIP, and on areas that could be
improved upon. Statistical analysis of each question was utilized to determine the
significance of the results and will further support future implementation or change
relative to that aspect of the NTIP. Open-ended questions were examined for common
themes and key words to determine similar trends in responses among the participants.
Not only were trends between participants identified, but patterns among individual
survey participants will be highlighted, especially in the event of overly neutral or
negative responses. Finally, commonalities between responses from the NTIP
participants and the mentor teachers will be examined to further develop and enhance the
NTIP experience.
Triangulation of Data
The data in this convergent parallel mixed methods design, is used to support the
validity of the data and triangulate the quantitative and qualitative data over a series of
five different cohorts. The five cohorts were all represented by different years,
participants in the NTIP, and in some cases, programming. Through environmental
triangulation, the factors of different participants over different years of the NTIP support
the validity of the data that was collected.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

59

Results
The survey questions were developed to answer the research questions for this
study. The three research questions were specifically targeted toward either the NTIP
participants or toward the mentor teachers who supported the program. This section will
identify the survey results that support the specific research questions.
NTIP Participant Survey Results
The NTIP participant survey was sent to 57 current BWSD teachers who
completed the BWSD NTIP from August 2016 through January 2021. Of the 57 teachers
who received the survey, 22 participants completed the online Google Forms survey.
Each school building in the district was equally represented through the survey responses.
The results of the NTIP participant survey will be used to address the following
research questions:
•

What aspects of the BWSD NTIP have been beneficial to new teachers with the
district?

•

What aspects of the current NTIP were of least value in supporting teachers?
Each survey participant was asked to share demographic data. This data allowed

the participants to remain anonymous, but gave context to the perceptions they shared.
All survey respondents who participated in the NTIP from August 2016 through January
2021 reported that they were assigned a mentor teacher and all but two reported that they
were a Board approved, contracted teacher while participating in the NTIP.
All cohorts from August 2016 through January 2021 were represented in the
survey results, but not evenly. The most participants were from the most recent cohort of
NTIP, participants in the NTIP of 2020-2021. Figure 1 shows there were eight

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

60

respondents (36.4%) from the 2020-2021 cohort, four respondents (18.2%) from the
2019-2020 cohort, five respondents (22.7%) from 2018-2019, four respondents (18.2%)
from the 2017-2018 cohort, and only one respondent (4.5%) from the 2016-2017 NTIP
cohort.
Those respondents who participated during the 2020-2021 did not receive the
same, in-person experience compared to the other cohorts. The COVID-19 pandemic
required many sessions of the NTIP to be revised, revamped or altogether eliminated.
This needs to be understood when evaluating the data for each NTIP session and
perspective during the 2020-2021 cohort year.
Figure 1
Year of NTIP Participation

The survey participants indicated the educational area or grade level bands in
which they were working while completing the NTIP (Figure 2). Most respondents,
31.8% (7 respondents), were actively working in elementary education during their NTIP.
Based on responses from the survey, 22.7% (5 respondents) were assigned to middle
level learners, 27.3% (6 respondents) were at the high school level, 13.6% of respondents

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

61

(3 individuals) were working in the area of English as a Second Language (ESL) or
intervention specialist, and one (1) respondent indicated the option of other.
Based on triangulation of other data, it is assumed that this respondent was
assigned to more than one grade level band and could not simply select one area for their
time during NTIP. Upon further examination of this respondent’s data, it should be
cautioned that the responses do not fall within the statistical significance of the other
respondents ultimately skewing the data. Each individual response from this respondent,
especially on the Likert-scale questions, should be more closely scrutinized for overall
application to the research question findings.
Figure 2
Educational Area During the NTIP

Figure 3 shows the level of education attained by the respondents to the NTIP
participant survey. Seventeen of the 22 respondents attained educational levels beyond a
bachelor’s degree.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

62

Figure 3
Highest Level of Education During the NTIP

Figure 4 shows teaching experience acquired by the respondents prior to
completing the NTIP at BWSD. The results show nearly 70% of NTIP participants had
four or more years of teaching experience before completing the BWSD NTIP, but only
18.2% (4 respondents) acquired tenure prior to being hired by BWSD shown below in
Figure 5.
Figure 4
Years of Teaching Experience Prior to BWSD NTIP

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

63

Figure 5
Tenure Acquired Before BWSD Employment

Figure 6, also below, shows that 16 of the 22 respondents (72.7%) completed an
Induction program in another school district before being hired by BWSD and
completing the BWSD NTIP.
Figure 6
Prior Completion of an Induction Program

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

64

Figure 7 shows an overall feeling from the NTIP participants relative to their
experiences. Nearly all respondents, 95.5%, are willing to serve as a mentor teacher for
another newly hired BWSD teacher.
Figure 7
Willing to Serve as a Mentor Teacher in the Future

Figure 8 shows that all new teachers feel that the NTIP is valuable for new
teachers and would recommend it to another new teacher, but 52.9% of respondents feel
that there is room for improvement.
Figure 8
Recommend the Program to a New Teacher

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

65

There were two categories of Likert-scale type statements that survey respondents
were asked to complete. They are categorized as Agreement and Satisfaction Statements.
The first set of Likert-scale Agreement Statements collected quantitative data in terms of
agreement or disagreement for overall aspects of the NTIP. Respondents had the option
to select a number ranging from one to five with the number one representing Strongly
Disagree and the number five representing Strongly Agree. Respondents who selected the
number three on the scale were assumed to have a neutral stance.
The first Agreement Statement, “I got what I expected from the NTIP,” found that
86.4% of NTIP participants either agreed or strongly agreed that their expectations were
met while participating in the NTIP (Figure 9). Three participants selected a neutral
answer of three on the scale. Middle school teachers had the highest level of agreement
with the statement and high school teacher responses had the most variation.
Figure 9
Agreement Statement #1 – I Got What I Expected.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

66

Survey respondents were asked if they agreed that sufficient time was dedicated
to the NTIP. There was overall agreement with this statement from all grade-level bands
of teachers (Figure 10). While 59.1% of NTIP participants strongly agreed with this
statement, most of this strong agreement came from high school and elementary school
teachers. On average, middle school teachers agreed with the statement. Again, three
respondents selected the neutral option and two of those same three respondents selected
the neutral option for the previous question.
Figure 10
Agreement Statement #2 – Sufficient Time Dedicated.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

There is overwhelming agreement from all NTIP participants that the staff
members presenting topics in the NTIP sessions were knowledgeable in the subjects they
addressed (Figure 11). All respondents strongly agreed with this statement with the
exception of two. One Elementary level teacher agreed with the statement and the only
other respondent to agree is the same respondent who selected neutral options for the
other two questions.
In addition to the majority of participants strongly agreeing on the staff
knowledge, they also overwhelmingly strongly agreed (95.5%) with the Agreement

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

67

Statement #3 that the staff participating in the NTIP were professional in their approach.
One Middle School teacher only agreed with the statement that staff members involved
with the NTIP were professional.
Figure 11
Agreement Statement #3 – Knowledgeable NTIP Staff

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

There was some disagreement with the next statement: “The information covered
in the NTIP helped me to feel confident as a new teacher in BWSD” (Figure 12).
However, a majority of the respondents 81.8% either agreed or strongly agreed with the
statement. The single respondent who expressed disagreement with this statement was an
Elementary level teacher. As with the previous three statements, there were three
respondents that selected the neutral option. Again, we see the same respondent who has
consistently selected a neutral option for previous statements selecting the neutral option
for this statement.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

68

Figure 12
Agreement Statement #4 – Helped Me Feel Confident

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

Over 45% of respondents selected the neutral response relative to sufficient time
being spent on building topics (Figure 13). These 10 respondents represented all gradelevel bands. Five Middle and High School teacher respondents (22.7%) agreed that
sufficient time was spent on building level topics, while four respondents (18.2%) from
all grade-level bands strongly agreed with the statement.
Figure 13
Agreement Statement #5 – Sufficient Time Dedicated to Building Topics

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

69

Figure 14 shows that 63.6% of respondents representative of all grade-level bands
either agree or strongly agree that sufficient time was dedicated to their individual
concerns as a new teacher in BWSD. The single respondent who disagreed with this
statement is the same individual that selected “Other” as their certification level and a
neutral response to many of the previous statements. Three Elementary level teachers,
two Middle School teachers, one ESL teacher, and one High School teacher selected the
neutral response for this statement, accounting for 31.8% of all respondents to this Likertscale statement.
Figure 14
Agreement Statement # 6 – Sufficient Time Dedicated to My Concerns

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

Agreement Statement #7, “The NTIP allowed me to form relationships with coworkers and other staff members,” yielded an overall agreement level of 68.1%;
however, seven respondents (31.8%) chose the neutral response. Of those that either
agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, 30.7% were high school teachers, 23.1%
were middle school teachers, 30.7% were elementary level teachers, 7.7% were ESL
teachers, and 7.7% classified themselves in the “Other” grade level category. Figure 15

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

70

shows 9.1% of respondents, one elementary level teacher and one high school teacher,
disagreed with the statement.
Figure 15
Agreement Statement #7 – NTIP Allowed Me to Form Relationships

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

Figure 16 shows an evenly distributed response pattern from the respondents. The
statement, “I would make changes to the topics presented in the NTIP,” like the previous
two statements, garnered a 31.8% neutral response rate from the NTIP participants.
While these three statements are not related in anyway, it is important to note that there is
not a pattern or a trend associated with the respondents of these three Agreement
Statements.
Of the seven elementary level teachers who responded to this statement, 57.1%
would agree to make changes or were neutral on the subject, compared to 60% of high
school level teachers who would not make changes to the presented topics. Only 13.6%
of the respondents, represented by elementary level, ESL, and middle school teachers,
have a strong opinion regarding Agreement Statement #8.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

71

Figure 16
Agreement Statement #8 – I Would Make Changes to NTIP

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

One elementary level teacher (4.5%) disagreed with the statement, “I gained a lot
from my relationship with my assigned mentor teacher” (Figure 17). Exactly 50% of the
respondents strongly agreed to gaining a lot through their mentor teacher relationship. Of
those who strongly agreed with Agreement Statement #9, 45.4% were elementary level
teachers. Five additional respondents (22.7%) agreed with the statement. While this time
not as high, the neural response was chosen by 5 (22.7%) of the NTIP participants.
Figure 17
Agreement Statement #9 – I Gained from My Mentor Teacher Relationship

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

72

The second set of Likert-scale questions addressed specific topics that were
presented to the participants in the NTIP from August 2016 through January 2021. These
11 Satisfaction Statements collected quantitative data in terms of satisfaction or
dissatisfaction for the specific topics addressed through the NTIP. Respondents had the
option to select a number ranging from one to five with the number one representing
Very Dissatisfied and the number five representing Strongly Satisfied. Respondents who
selected the number three on the scale were assumed to have a neutral stance.
This first Satisfaction Statement, “Introduction to the Administrative Staff and
Other New Teachers,” garnered an overall satisfaction rating from 72.7% of the
respondents (Figure 18). Four, or 18.1%, remained neutral on the topic. All four of these
respondents were from the middle and high school level teacher categories and all of the
neutral respondents had seven or more years of teaching experience prior to completing
the BWSD NTIP.
Figure 18
Satisfaction Statement #1 – Intro to Administrative Staff and New Teachers

Very Dissatisfied

Strongly Satisfied

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

73

Figure 19 represents the satisfaction level with the NTIP Explanation of district
Policies and Procedures. As seen in the Agreement Statements previously outlined, the
single respondent who identified as “Other” for their educational area is the single
dissatisfied outlier for Satisfaction Statement #2. Overall, 19 of the 22 respondents
(86.3%) expressed satisfaction with the topic. One hundred percent of all elementary and
high school teachers indicated they were satisfied or very satisfied with explanation of
district policies and procedures.
Figure 19
Satisfaction Statement #2 – Explanation of District Policies and Procedures

Very Dissatisfied

Strongly Satisfied

When examining the data surrounding the topic of the district Tour, there is a
wide variety of responses across all educational area teachers. Figure 20 shows the
distribution of responses. Five respondents (22.7%) indicated they were very satisfied,
seven respondents, or 31.8%, selected satisfied, eight respondents (36.4%) selected a
neutral response, and two respondents (9.1%) expressed dissatisfaction with the district
Tour.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

74

While many of the topics have remained consistent from one NTIP year to the
next, the district tour is the component that has changed the most. This variation from
year to year could easily explain the wide variety of responses seen in Figure 20.
Figure 20
Satisfaction Statement #3 - District Tour

Very Dissatisfied

Strongly Satisfied

Satisfaction Statement #4 asks respondents for feedback surrounding their
introduction to district technology programs and tools (Figure 21). Just over 40% (nine)
of respondents remained neutral on the topic. Two NTIP participants indicated they were
dissatisfied with this topic. These two participants are self-reported as having educational
areas of middle school teacher and Other. The remaining 11 participants represent 50% of
all NTIP participants who are either satisfied or very satisfied with the programming
relative to technology.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

75

Figure 21
Satisfaction Statement #4 – Introduction to Technology

Very Dissatisfied

Strongly Satisfied

Two NTIP participants with 10 or more years of experience reported being
dissatisfied with the overview of the evaluation process, DSAP, PA-ETEP, and Educator
Effectiveness practices (Figure 22). Out of the six respondents who indicated a neutral
rating on this statement, 66% of them have four or more years of teaching experience
prior to completing the NTIP. The data shows that those teachers with little to no prior
teaching experience gained the most satisfaction on this NTIP topic.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

76

Figure 22
Satisfaction Statement #5 – Overview of Eval Process, DSAP, etc.

Very Dissatisfied

Strongly Satisfied

Figure 23 represents responses relative to the Topic: Explanation of Instructional I
vs. Instructional II; Tenure. For this Satisfaction Statement, 27.3% (6 respondents)
expressed they were very satisfied, 36.4% (8 respondents) stated they were satisfied,
31.8% (7 respondents) were neutral, and one respondent representing 4.5% of the
responding population of NTIP participants stated they were dissatisfied. The single
respondent who expressed dissatisfaction is best described as an elementary level teacher
with 10+ years of experience.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

77

Figure 23
Satisfaction Statement #6 – Explanation of Instructional I vs. II; Tenure

Very Dissatisfied

Strongly Satisfied

Topics in Special Education (Figure 24) has a dissatisfaction rating from 9.1% of
the NTIP participants. Over half, 54.5%, of NTIP participants reported being satisfied or
very satisfied with topics relating to Special Education, while 36.4% of the respondents
selected a neutral rating for the topic. Overall, high school teachers reported being the
most satisfied with the Special Education topics presented in the NTIP.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

78

Figure 24
Satisfaction Statement #7 – Topics in Special Education

Very Dissatisfied

Strongly Satisfied

The NTIP allows for all participants to observe their peers by providing release
time to conduct classroom observations. Figure 25 shows that 63.6% of NTIP participants
were satisfied or very satisfied with this opportunity. One Middle School teacher was
dissatisfied with this topic and seven respondents (31.8%) reported neutral satisfaction to
the classroom teacher observation opportunity.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

79

Figure 25
Satisfaction Statement #8 – Classroom Observations

Very Dissatisfied

Strongly Satisfied

Figure 26 represents NTIP participant satisfaction relative to the topics of
Educator Misconduct and others in the Human Resource field. Sixteen of the 22
respondents were either satisfied or very satisfied. One middle school level teacher was
dissatisfied with this topic while 22.7% of respondents were neutral with their response.
Figure 26
Satisfaction Statement #9 – HR Related Topics

Very Dissatisfied

Strongly Satisfied

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

80

ALICE Training is a hands-on NTIP session that allows participants to role play
an active intruder scenario in the classroom. Nine respondents (40.9%) indicated they
were very satisfied, 36.4% were satisfied, and five respondents (22.7%) were neutral as
related to their satisfaction of the ALICE Safety Training and Satisfaction Statement #10
in Figure 27.
Figure 27
Satisfaction Statement #10 – ALICE Training

Very Dissatisfied

Strongly Satisfied

The final Satisfaction Statement addressed the NTIP sessions that introduced the
Mobile Fab Lab. The Mobile Fab Lab is a collection of STEAM related tools and
machines housed in a trailer that can be moved to various locations throughout the
district. Teachers can request the use of the Mobile Fab Lab for their classroom to
incorporate within their lessons. Things like laser engravers, 3-D printers, and computergenerated vinyl cutters were highlighted in the NTIP for teacher use in their classrooms.
Figure 28 shows a wide distribution of responses. Further examination does not
find any trends or patterns among the groups indicating satisfaction or dissatisfaction, but
does show some significance for those who selected the neutral response.
Four respondents (18.2%) expressed that they were very satisfied with the Mobile
Fab Lab session; however, 9.1% of the respondents indicated they were very dissatisfied.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

81

Eight respondents (36.4%) were satisfied, while conversely, only 4.5% indicated
dissatisfaction. Finally, 31.8% of the respondents expressed neutral satisfaction, but it is
important to note that of these seven respondents, five (71.4%) completed the NTIP
during the 2020-2021 school year and were impacted by the changes to the NTIP due to
the pandemic.
Figure 28
Satisfaction Statement #11 – Mobile Fab Lab or Other Technologies

Very Dissatisfied

Strongly Satisfied

The final section of the NTIP participant Google Survey included five open-ended
questions that were not mandatory for survey completion. The open-ended questions
provided an opportunity for participants to share qualitative, perceptive data relative to
their NTIP experience. The open-ended question responses were analyzed for common
keyword themes and trends. All NTIP participants open-ended responses can be found in
Appendix G.
The first two open-ended questions were not intended to have overlap when
asked, but the answers provided by the survey respondents ultimately yielded results of
similar themes. The first open-ended question was, “Are there any topics that would be
beneficial to present to new teachers prior to the first day of school that were not

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

82

covered in the three initial days of Induction? If, yes please give the suggested topics.”
The second open-ended question was: “What topics/activities would you suggest be
added to aid new teachers in their first few years within BWSD?”
Of the 22 participants who completed the qualitative portions of the survey, only
13 provided feedback to the first open-ended question with only 11 responses being
related to the actual open-ended question posed, and 18 participants provided feedback
to the second open-ended question.
Among the applicable answers, six themes emerged. NTIP participants were
looking for:
•

More specific instruction using Skyward including entering comments,
sending Skylerts, manipulating grades, and attendance

•

Dedicated time with their building level administrator to ask questions
relative to discipline procedures and other building expectations

•

Information about the community and the community involvement
opportunities within the district, including sessions with South Hills
Interfaith Movement (SHIM) and the Allegheny Health Network CHILL
project for supporting mental health in schools

•

More time to understand how PA-ETEP works for evaluations and the
SLO; more clear directions on developing and implementing the SLO

•

Peer time to discuss curriculum, the first days of school, and short
presentations on strategies that work in their classrooms

•

Social and Emotional Learning for students, self-care, and work/life
balance for professionals

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

83

The third open-ended question asked, “In what ways did the NTIP provide the
support that you needed to make the transition to BWSD? Please describe some
highlights.” There were 15 responses to this question with commonality among
relationships with other new teachers, mentor relationships, peer observations,
learning district expectations, and getting to see other parts of the district. A
majority of the responses focused on relationships with new teachers and the mentor
relationship. Comments included:
•

I was provided with a group of professionals that understood how I felt
each day. The group of new teachers in my building were able to form a
strong bond and help support each other throughout our first year in the
building. I felt like the monthly meetings were a nice way to check-in with
each other and see how the school year was going.

•

The mentor aspect of the program is great, as well as the required peer
observations. I really enjoyed observing some of my colleagues and I still
have wonderful working relationships with both of them.

•

I think it helps give you connections with other new teachers. You get to
form relationships with people going through the same process as you.

•

The NTIP gave me the opportunity to get to know my mentor teacher very
well. Those meetings with her really helped give me the confidence to be
successful. She gave me the insight into ways to improve my teaching
strategies and techniques.

NTIP participants were asked to reflect upon the mentor/mentee relationship by
responding to the following open-ended question, “What feedback can you provide

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

84

about the mentor/mentee aspect of the NTIP from the viewpoint of a new teacher?”
Responses were received from 19 participants. Of the 19 responses, 57.9% of them
specifically mentioned the positive relationship with their mentor teacher. Only one
response detailed a negative experience. Within the comments, the following
suggestions emerged:
•

Having a mentor teacher that is the same grade level or content area as you
are

•

Having more structured time with the mentor teacher as opposed to when
things can be fit in to the schedule during the work day

•

Pairing current new teachers with teachers who have recently completed
the NTIP for another layer of support

The following comments are significant in supporting the themes and feedback
that emerged from the fourth open-ended question:
•

I think just building in more time that is formally dedicated to
mentor/mentee training rather than having to try to squeeze things in at the
end of the day or during prep period. During that first year it felt like there
was never enough time with my mentor even though she was wonderful
about making time when I needed her.

•

I had an absolutely fabulous mentor, but she was not in my content area.
Because of this, I had to default to another co-worker on a lot of content
specific questions. My mentor herself was absolutely fabulous and so
helpful to me throughout the process, and I was able to learn a lot from
her, but there were times that she didn't have an answer for me because her

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

85

position was different than mine. I did love that we had to have meetings
often so that we could discuss where I was at and where I could from
there.
•

It would have been more helpful to have a mentor who is in the same
position as me, even if she/he wasn't in the same school.

•

I did not go to my mentor that often. I found that I had an easier time
getting together with other teachers who taught the same subject as I did
and were able to help with my questions.

•

This was my favorite part of the whole NTIP! I think it was most helpful
because it gave me the opportunity to discuss things that I needed to learn
about. My whole entire team was and still is incredible. I love being able
to learn and grow beside my colleagues.

•

I did not go to my mentor that often. I found that I had an easier time
getting together with other teachers who taught the same subject as I did
and were able to help with my questions.

The final open-ended question allowed freedom for more qualitative data to be
collected that was not narrowly focused by the researcher. The prompt read, “Please use
the area below to provide feedback on any aspect of the NTIP that was not addressed or
suggestions that you have to improve the NTIP for future BWSD new hires.” There were
11 total responses to this prompt, but only five of the responses were applicable to the
prompt.
NTIP participants who completed an Induction program with another district prior
to being hired by BWSD made a point to share that the current NTIP in BWSD is one of

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

86

the most organized and helpful NTIPs they participated in. The other emergent theme
from the final open-ended question described that participants would also benefit from
break-out sessions during the monthly induction meetings. Moving away from the whole
group instruction notion towards specialized, small group sessions will allow the sessions
to be more effective for all participants.
Mentor Teacher Survey Results
The Mentor Teacher survey was sent to 65 current BWSD teachers who served in
the capacity of a mentor teacher for the BWSD NTIP from August 2016 through January
2021. Of the 65 teachers who received the survey, 34 participants completed the online
Google Forms Survey.
The results of the NTIP mentor teacher survey will be used to address the
following research question:
•

What are the perceptions of mentor teachers as indirect participants
in the New Teacher Induction Program?

Each mentor teacher was asked for demographic data. This data allowed the
participants to remain anonymous, but gave context to the perceptions they shared.
Thirty-three of the 35 (97.1%) survey respondents who participated in the NTIP as a
mentor teacher from August 2016 through January 2021 reported that they have worked
in BWSD for 10+ years. One mentor teacher (2.9%) worked in the district for a period of
7-9 years. Of the 34 mentor teachers who responded to the survey, 12.1% of the mentors
completed the NTIP in BWSD prior to 2012.
The wealth of work experience is also highlighted by the highest level of
education attained by the mentor teachers who completed the survey. Figure 29 shows

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

87

that 97.1% of all mentor teachers have education beyond a bachelor’s degree. Seven
mentor teachers have a bachelor’s degree +15 credits. Of the 26 mentor teachers with a
master’s degree, 23.5% (8 mentors) have a master’s degree +15 or more credits.
Figure 29
Mentor Teacher Highest Level of Education

Figure 30 depicts the best representation of the educational area that the mentor
teacher worked in while serving in the capacity of a mentor for the NTIP. Mentors in the
elementary level comprise 38.2% of all mentors. Nine mentors (26.5%) represent the
middle school level and seven mentors (20.6%) are represented from the high school
level. Mentors in the area of Special Education are 11.8% of the survey respondents and
one School Counselor is represented in the survey results.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

88

Figure 30
Mentor Teacher Educational Area

Mentor teachers were asked about their perceptions of the current BWSD NTIP.
Thirty-one, or 91.2%, of the Mentor teachers overwhelmingly feel the NTIP provides a
support network for new teacher (Figure 31); however, 52.9% feel that the NTIP as a
whole is helpful, but there is room for improvements (Figure 32).
Figure 31
Mentor Perspective-NTIP provides a support network

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

89

Figure 32
Mentor Perspective – Recommendation of the NTIP

Mentor teachers who completed the survey were asked to respond to six Likertscale statements relative to the NTIP in BWSD. These Likert-scale Agreement
Statements collected quantitative data in terms of agreement or disagreement with aspects
of the NTIP. Mentors had the option to select a number ranging from one to five with the
number one representing Strongly Disagree and the number five representing Strongly
Agree. Mentor teachers who selected the number three on the scale were assumed to have
a neutral stance.
Mentor teachers were asked to respond to this statement: “The NTIP provides a
variety of experiences to help new teachers feel confident in their practice” (Figure 33).
Overall, 73.5% of mentor teachers agree or strongly agree with this statement. Seven
(20.6%) of the mentor teachers selected the neutral response to this statement, while
two mentor teachers (5.9%) disagree with the statement. Of the two mentors who
disagreed with this statement, only the Special Education mentor teacher also answered
that the NTIP does not prepare new teachers for a career in BWSD.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

90

Figure 33
Mentor Agreement Statement #1 – Experiences to Feel Confident

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

Mentors were asked to report their level of agreement to the following statement:
The mentor program embedded within the NTIP was a beneficial experience for me as a
mentor teacher. All of the high school level mentor teachers who participated in the
survey (20.5%) indicated that they agree or strongly agree that they had a beneficial
experience being a mentor teacher. Over half (55.5%) of the middle school mentor
teachers reported a neutral stance on this topic. Overall, Figure 34 shows the following:
23.5% of mentor teachers strongly agree with the statement, 38.2% agree with the
statement, 35.3% of mentor teachers are neutral on the statement, and one mentor teacher
(2.9%) disagrees with the statement.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

91

Figure 34
Mentor Agreement Statement #2 – NTIP Program Beneficial to Mentors

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The third statement presented to mentor teachers shows a varied distribution of
responses without any trends or patterns based on other categories within the mentor
teacher responses. Figure 35 shows mentor teacher responses to the statement: “New
teachers in the NTIP need more structure and guidelines regarding the expectations as
related to the mentor/mentee relationship.”

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

92

Figure 35
Mentor Agreement Statement #3 – NTIP Needs Structure for Mentor/Mentee

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

A majority of the mentor teachers, 67.6%, agree that they are prepared to support
new teachers in the BWSD NTIP. Two mentor teachers (5.9%) representative of
Elementary level mentor teachers disagree with the statement and feel unprepared to be
supportive as a mentor teacher (Figure 36).
Figure 36
Mentor Agreement Statement #4 – Mentors are Appropriately Prepared

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

93

While Figure 37 depicts a majority of mentor teachers in agreement, the statement
“The compensation a mentor teacher receives is commensurate with the expectations of
the program,” shows nine mentor teachers (26.4%) that cannot commit to agreeing with
the statement. The single elementary level mentor teacher that strongly disagrees with
this statement also feels that mentor teachers are not appropriately prepared to be
supportive to a new teacher. Five mentor teachers (14.7%) responded with a neutral
rating.
Figure 37
Mentor Agreement Statement #5 – Compensation is Commensurate

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The final Likert-scale question looked for feedback on the statement: “As a
mentor teacher, I feel appreciated for my work in the NTIP.” Figure 38 shows that four
mentor teachers disagree with this statement, representing 11.8% of mentor teachers
feeling underappreciated. Conversely, 24 mentor teachers (70.5%) agree or strongly
agree that they feel appreciated for their work. Again, mentor teachers selected the
neutral position on this statement, representative of 17.6% of mentor teachers surveyed.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

94

Figure 38
Mentor Agreement Statement #6 – Mentors Feel Appreciated

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

Just like the NTIP participant survey, the final section of the mentor teacher
survey included open-ended questions that were not mandatory for survey completion.
The four open-ended questions provided an opportunity for participants to share
qualitative, perceptive data relative to their experience as a mentor in the NTIP. The
open-ended question responses were analyzed for common keyword themes and trends.
All mentor teacher open-ended responses can be found in Appendix H.
Again, showing similarities to the NTIP participant survey, the first two openended question were not intended to have overlap when asked, but the answers provided
by the survey respondents ultimately yielded results of similar themes all surrounding
topics that were not covered during the first days of Induction or throughout the year.
The first open-ended question asked mentor teachers: “Are there any topics that
would be beneficial to present to new teachers prior to the first days of school that were
not covered in the initial three days of Induction? If yes, please give the suggested
topics.” Of the 23 responses collected for this question, four of the responses were not

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

95

applicable to the question. The included answers like “no,” “NA,” or “I don’t think so.”
There were 19 responses that helped shape the themes that emerged for this open-ended
question. Common themes included: communication, day-to-day expectations, building
procedures (including safety procedures), and technology tools.
It is important to note that mentor teachers do not participate in all of the NTIP
meetings at the start of the school year, so it is fair to assume that they may not have a
full understanding of the events of the first three days with new teachers. The following
comments best articulate mentor teacher thoughts around these topics:
•

The need for positive communication and how to achieve this needs to
be emphasized. Some new teachers may need guidelines for how to
interact with and how to communicate effectively and respectfully
with their colleagues.

•

Job Required tasks; new employees seem to think that if they do not
feel like doing tasks, that they are optional and just set them off to the
side. They need to learn to balance their workload and complete all
tasks even if this means that they must work some extra hours.

•

Building level procedures for their particular school, Canvas and
Skyward (may be new to them), DSAP what it is and expectations

•

Truly, I feel some more 1:1 time sitting down and working with
Skyward and now Canvas with an experienced teacher in their content
area is important. Every new teacher I’ve met and talked with really
struggled with the inner workings of that program which is really very

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

96

important. A contact list by building of issues and who to contact on
one paper would be beneficial that can be updated.
•

ALICE/fire drills per building should be discussed in more detail those
first days. We’ve had fire alarms pulled in the first week of school, and
shelter in places occur certain years where there was hardly any
conversation. A quick document of what all of the terms mean and the
mentor teacher going into their space and showing them should be
required within the first week of school.

Due to the unintended overlap, the second open-ended question elicited similar
responses from the mentor teachers. There were 26 responses to this question; however,
five of those were answers that did not provide any information relative to the question.
Again, general themes emerged from the responses that included: time with curriculum,
peer observations, communication, support with marginalized learners and additional
one-on-one time with colleagues.
Below are a few of the mentor teacher responses:
•

I think there should be an opportunity for new teachers to participate in
observations of other faculty within their own department and across the
school.

•

Canvas training – observations – time with mentor teacher on day to day
items – communicating with difficult parents and children – building
expectations.

•

In my opinion, they should observe willing teachers and discuss best
practices, while training them on the curriculum. We continue to throw

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

97

new teachers "to the wolves" without any curriculum training and expect
them to feel successful on top of the many new tasks they must learn. I
feel they need to have opportunities to plan together with team members
that teach the same topics (that may not be their mentor). Teachers could
observe them and provide feedback. New teachers should have manuals
and textbooks available to them prior to school starting.
•

Truthfully, their needs to be an emphasis on interpersonal relationships.
COVID set relationships back, but even before that, I noticed a change in
the relationships among teachers. Teachers definitely need one another.
We have to be open to both help and receive help.

•

More training for how to support ESL families with the educational
process. Clearly identified roles of paraprofessionals in the classroom.

The third open-ended question asked mentor teachers for positive feedback about
the mentor/mentee aspect of the NTIP. Responses spanned a variety of topics including
the notion that the NTIP was a waste of time for new teachers to overwhelming praise
and support for the program in regards to supporting new teachers.
There were a few comments that aligned to identify trends in the responses.
Multiple mentor teachers agreed that mentors should be paired with new teachers in their
same grade level or department. Even more important than this is making sure the mentor
and the mentee actually work in the same building. Working in the same building, in the
mentors’ opinions, allows for the mentors and the mentees to spend more, much needed,
time together.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

98

Mentors also felt that they would benefit from a short, mentor centered
professional development at the beginning of the year. Mentors felt that this would be
helpful in understanding the expectations for the mentor/mentee relationship and give
mentors a better understanding of what was required of new teachers throughout the year.
The final open-ended question allowed mentor teachers to provide feedback on
any aspect of the NTIP. It also elicited suggestions on improving the NTIP for future
BWSD new hires. Many of the comments shared the importance of supporting new
teachers in any way possible. Four of the 15 commenters shared that they feel the NTIP
as it stands is good. “Overall it is a great program that is well run,” and “I would just like
to say that I think this program is very important and helpful! I am always happy to
volunteer!” are two examples of this type of feedback.
Other suggestions included ways to help new teachers feel comfortable and
supported within the first few weeks of school:
•

I’d highly suggest a Google form within the first month of topics
teachers really need help on for some of their meetings. I know having
a schedule ahead of time is great but possibly their first meeting a
month after school has started having it be a bigger deal, principal
from each building, someone from it, someone from admin around to
really answer questions would be useful.

•

I think it would help to better prepare new teachers on the expectations
for ESL students - not so much the teaching in the classroom, but how
to communicate with families and which programs are available to
help with this.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

•

99

Any supports we can offer new teachers are so important. Each school
might find new ways to make new teachers feel welcome. Even a
bulletin board in the office reminding veteran teachers who is new. In
a building as large as the high school it’s easy to not even know who is
new and who might need some words of encouragement.

Discussion
This research project was established to create a more meaningful induction
program for new teacher participants and their mentors. The project was designed to
collect qualitative and quantitative survey data from teachers who participated in the
BWSD NTIP from August 2016 through January 2021 and teachers who served in the
capacity of a mentor teacher during that same time. Both surveys captured perceptions of
satisfaction among mentor teachers and NTIP participants relative to the topics included
in the program. Parallel questions pertaining to the overall satisfaction with the NTIP as
well as the mentor/mentee aspect of the program were asked on both surveys in an effort
to determine similarities among the NTIP participants and their mentor teachers.
Members of the 2020-2021 Induction year represent more of the survey
respondents than any other NTIP year. Of the survey respondents, 36.4%, or eight
individuals, participated in the NTIP during the 2020-2021 school year. It is important to
note that during the 2020-2021 induction year, many of the sessions highlighting the
topics listed previously were presented in an abbreviated or virtual setting due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. Over a third of the responding participants did not receive the
same or similar programming that their colleagues received in the years prior to or
following their experiences.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

100

Responses from former NTIP participant survey addressed the first two research
questions. The research questions are:
•

What aspects of the BWSD NTIP have been beneficial to new teachers with the
district?

•

What aspects of the current NTIP were of least value in supporting teachers?
In general, participants in the NTIP felt the program was beneficial, but 12 of the

21 respondents indicated that there is room for improvement in the program. With 54.5%
of all survey respondents indicating the need for program improvements, the research
project seems to be justified in the goals established in creating an effective NTIP in
BWSD. When considering the survey question “I would make changes to the topics
presented in the NTIP,” nearly 64% of the NTIP participants indicated that changes
needed to be made. Further examination of the specific aspects of the NTIP helps to
determine overall respondent satisfaction and ultimately, the effectiveness of the topics in
the NTIP.
As a response to the first research question, the following two aspects of the NTIP
resulted in over 80% of the respondents being satisfied. This satisfaction indicates
respondents found benefit in the topic as it was addressed.
•

Explanation of District Policies and Procedures – 86.4%

•

Introduction to Administrative Staff and other New Teachers – 81.8%

The following aspects of the NTIP showed that 60% to 79.9% of the respondents
indicated a satisfactory evaluation. Although these results reveal a majority of the
respondents as satisfied in their experience, only 60% to 79.9% of the respondents

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

101

indicating satisfaction relative to a topic does not equate to an effective or beneficial
experience in the NTIP. If a respondent is not satisfied with their experience, the topic is
not beneficial to their learning or growth as a professional. Most of the topics listed
below are significant aspects of a new teacher’s learning and responsibilities in a new
district. Therefore, the following topics should be considered as answers to the second
research question:
•

ALICE Safety Training – 77.2%

•

Educator Misconduct and other HR Related Topics – 72.7%

•

Relationship with Assigned Mentor Teacher – 72.7%

•

Explanation of Instructional I vs. Instructional II; Tenure – 68.2%

•

Classroom Observation of Peer Teachers – 63.6%

•

Overview of the Evaluation Process, PA-ETEP, Educator Effectiveness and
DSAP – 63.6%

In the open-ended responses, NTIP participants specifically addressed the mentor
program and their relationship with their assigned mentor teacher. Those who chose to
comment on the program either had very positive events to highlight or provided critical
feedback of the program. Of those that provided critical feedback, the emergent theme
surrounded the need to be partnered with a teacher who worked in the same building and,
more specifically, in the same subject area or grade level as the new teacher.
NTIP participants responded that they were not satisfied with topics surrounding
technology and Special Education aspects as a whole, indicating that the sessions were
not beneficial to new teachers. The following three topics received satisfactory ratings

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

102

from less than 60% of the NTIP participants, subsequently being responses to the second
research question posed:
•

District Tour – 54.5%

•

Topics in Special Education – 54.5%

•

Introduction to Technology (Hardware/Skyward/Google/Printing/Canvas,
etc.) – 50%

•

Mobile Fab Lab or other Technologies utilized in the district – 50%

As previously mentioned, the participants in the 2020-2021 NTIP did not have a
regular exposure to the introduced topics compared to their counterparts participating in
other years of the program. During the 2020-2021 year, participants did not experience a
district tour, nor did they have the typical experience with the Mobile Fab Lab due to
pandemic related health and safety procedures implemented in the district. This factor
alone has a significant impact on the NTIP participant perceptions of the program,
correlating to the overall effectiveness and benefit during that time.
The teaching and learning model for the 2020-2021 school year was also a factor
for the cohort of NTIP participants that year. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,
teachers were forced to teach differently than any other cohort of new teachers. Hybrid
and remote learning, along with the introduction of the Canvas learning platform, became
the primary focus for delivering instruction to students during the 2020-2021 school year.
Fifty percent (50%) of the teachers in this year of the NTIP indicated that they were not
satisfied with the sessions that addressed the district’s technology programs like Canvas,
Google, and Skyward (the student information system). While these topics were stressed

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

103

more than any other year of the NTIP, participants in the 2020-2021 were obviously
feeling ill-prepared in these areas.
The final research question was addressed through the survey responses from
teachers who acted in the capacity as a mentor teacher in conjunction with the NTIP from
August 2016 through January 2021. The research question, “What are the perceptions of
mentor teachers as indirect participants in the New Teacher Induction Program” is
addressed through the quantitative and qualitative data collected via the survey that
was issued.
Of the 34 mentor teachers who responded to the survey, all would recommend the
NTIP to a new teacher; however, 52.9% of them feel that while the program is helpful,
there is room for improvements. This perception is consistent with the new teachers who
responded to the same question. Parallel to this, only 88.2% of the mentor teachers feel
that the NTIP prepares new teachers for a career in BWSD.
All of the mentor teachers participating in the survey have seven or more years of
experience teaching in BWSD. Ninety-seven percent of these teachers have 10 or more
years of experience in the district. The collective experience of the mentor teacher survey
responses represents an immense amount of institutional knowledge that can be used to
better understand the NTIP from the perspective of experience.
The majority of mentor teachers (67.6%) feel prepared to support a new teacher.
Addressing the remaining 32.4% of the mentors who do not feel prepared will be
imperative for the success of the program. Some mentors commented on implementing a
mentor teacher session at the start of the year that would set the expectations for the

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

104

mentor and new teacher relationship. This session may also help the mentors feel more
prepared to take on such an important task. Aside from feeling prepared, 30 of the 34
mentor teachers (88.2%) feel they are appropriately compensated for the work that they
perform within the program and the same number feel appreciated.
Many of the suggestions for improvements to the NTIP, from the mentor
perspective, came through the open-ended questions. While many mentor teachers
provided valuable feedback on how to make the program better, there were a few mentors
that do not a full understanding of the topics addressed in the NTIP. Three of the openended responses suggested adding topics like a district tour and peer observations to help
improve the program. Although these two topics have been a part of the NTIP for at least
five years, these comments highlight the importance and value mentor teachers place on
those aspects and agree they will enhance a new teachers’ experience.
A significant number of mentor teachers feel that new teachers need support and
training with skills related to communication with families and colleagues. Mentors feel
that new teachers should be trained on the expectations the district has for responding to
families and the tools that are available to communicate with families that do not speak
English as their home language. Additionally, two mentors commented that new teachers
need training on how to communicate with their colleagues and be collegial in the
buildings.
Much like the new teachers, mentor teachers felt that the NTIP should include
more professional development on technology-based systems like Canvas and Skyward,
especially in recent years. Due to the shift in the way in which instruction is delivered,

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

105

mentors felt that new teachers would benefit from more direct, structured time embedded
within the NTIP.
Peer observations was another theme that arose from the open-ended questions
completed by mentor teachers. Many mentors commented that while the current
requirement for new teachers to observe peers is valuable, they would recommend two
more aspects of this requirement. Mentors feel that new teachers should have a variety of
observational experiences on a more regular basis. Getting the new teachers out to see
more experienced teachers will help them in their developing practices. Mentors also
suggested that they, as a mentor teacher, should go into the new teacher’s classroom and
perform observations to provide feedback on topics like classroom management and
lesson delivery.
Mentor teachers were asked to comment on the mentor/mentee aspect of the
NTIP. As a group, the mentor teachers feel that this is a very beneficial aspect of the
NTIP. They agree that more dedicated time is needed for the mentor and the new teacher
to meet, especially at the start of the school year. Mentors felt that this time could be best
utilized to help the new teachers work through issues and questions related to classroom
management, curriculum, and the daily realities of being a new teacher.
Finally, consistent with the comments from the NTIP participants, most mentor
teacher stressed the importance of having a connection with a new teacher. This
connection could be that they teach the same grade-level and/or subject area; however,
most mentors who commented on this theme stressed the importance of the mentor and
the new teacher working in the same building.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

106

Summary
Survey data was collected from the two critical groups of participants in the
BWSD NTIP–new teacher participants and their mentor teachers. The quantitative and
qualitative survey data from the NTIP participants revealed a wide variety of responses
that resulted in nearly all of the results to be labeled as statistically insignificant. While
from a statistical perspective the results were deemed insignificant, the data speaks to the
need of a more personalized or individualized NTIP.
Both mentor teachers and NTIP participants agree that the program is valuable,
but could stand to be modified to meet the needs of the new professionals within BWSD.
The information and the data collected through this study provided the feedback and
guidance that the BWSD administration will use to evaluate and enhance the current
NTIP. The proposed adjustments to the program will be further detailed to assist in
creating a more meaningful new teacher induction program in the BWSD.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

107

CHAPTER V
Conclusions and Recommendations
Across the country, the education field is seeing a dramatic decline in individuals
enrolled in teacher preparation programs. Nationally, the numbers have decreased by
35% between 2009 and 2014. In Pennsylvania, enrollment in traditional preparation
programs has decreased by 67% since 2010 (Pennsylvania Department of Education
[PDE], 2022). This should be considered a crisis in education. School districts must find
ways to support the new teachers being hired in an effort to retain their talents.
As discussed previously, the field of education is one of the only employment
fields that require new hires to perform at 100% on their first day. Other fields have the
luxury of extensive on the job training and shadowing experiences before new hires are
expected to perform at the highest levels. NTIPs were developed to support new teachers
to the profession of teaching. They were also designed to acclimate and socialize new
teachers to the culture of their new school district.
The current BWSD NTIP exceeds the requirements of the Pennsylvania
Department of Education for an Induction program. The current plan addresses all of the
PDE requirements in addition to providing procedural and cultural professional
development for teachers with the BWSD system through an intense, one-year program.
The purpose of this research project was to analyze the current practices of the BWSD
NTIP and determine the aspects that are beneficial to the newly hired teachers and those
areas that could use improvement. In light of the national teacher shortage, it is of
extreme importance and value for BWSD to properly prepare and retain newly hired

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

108

teachers. The data collected in this research will be referenced when recommendations
are proposed to create a more effective NTIP.
This study not only examined the perceptions of new teachers involved in the
NTIP, but also examined feedback from mentor teachers who helped support new
teachers in their first year with BWSD. Examining the strengths of the current program
along with highlighting areas of needed improvement were the focus of the research
questions. The provided feedback from the mentors and the NTIP participants, along with
research on best practices related to onboarding and orientation from other fields of
employment, are considered when proposing recommendations and next steps.
The goal of this research project was to create a more meaningful induction
program in the BWSD. Through efforts toward satisfying this goal, BWSD should see
immediate and long-lasting effects in terms of acclimating new employees, building the
employee culture within the district, and long-term financial gains through the retention
of new employees.
Conclusions
NTIPs gained traction in the late-1980s, within PDE implementing NTIP
requirements in 1987. BWSD has continuously offered a one-year induction program that
addressed district procedures, provided professional development, and the support of a
mentor teacher. While the research found all of these items to be valuable, the survey
participants overwhelmingly agreed that there needs to be changes to addressing the
evolving needs of the NTIP participants and the students they serve.
Many onboarding, orientation, and induction programs use the framework
established by Bauer (2010) to maintain effectiveness. The aspects and activities of the

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

109

current BWSD NTIP can be categorized under one of the 4 C’s of Bauer’s framework.
The 4 C’s are defined as: compliance, clarification, culture, and connection.
Recommendations for creating a more effective BWSD NTIP will be categorized under
one of these four pillars of proven effectiveness.
Now more than ever, it is critical to support new teachers in the areas of
compliance, clarification, culture, and connection in an effort to retain them to not only
BWSD, but to the profession. The conclusions and recommendations below have been
made based on the research conducted in this study in order to create a more meaningful
and effective BWSD NTIP.
The Process of Induction
The current BWSD NTIP is a yearlong program that starts with three intensive
days of onboarding and professional development and continues with monthly meetings
for the rest of the school year. As a result of the research, the BWSD NTIP will now be
extended to include year two of the new hire’s career within the district. Wong (2004)
also suggested NTIPs to be two to three years in length; therefore, this recommendation
not only aligns with the research data, but with published research as well.
Often, new teachers do not know what they don’t know. The first year of teaching
is a challenging and tumultuous year. During the second year of a new hire’s tenure, they
have the opportunity to reflect on their first year and make necessary adjustments and
corrections that were not possible or even noticed during their first year of teaching. This
period of reflection, revision, and implementation requires support and collaboration. By
extending the NTIP into a second year, new teachers can maintain and grow their
relationships with a mentor teacher and other new teachers as a cohort and have an

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

110

opportunity to grow through those connections. Additional professional development
embedded in the second year of the program will also enhance their teaching practices.
The term “sticky” is meant to describe a situation that is created to ensure new
hires are connected in ways beyond being paid. When individuals make more
connections and relationships, they are positively connected or vested to the organization
regardless of the changes occurring. By increasing an employee’s “stickiness” relative to
the district, you are decreasing the likelihood of them looking to start a career in another
district or field altogether.
Throughout this second year, BWSD can monopolize on the time to more
formally expose new teachers to the culture of the district. Through exposures to
community events, building relationships with colleagues, and making them feel a part of
the BWSD community, new hires remain “sticky” to the district, further supporting the
likelihood of retaining the new teacher for many years to come.
In addition to more community exposure, Year 2 NTIP participants will be
required to complete three peer observations. One of these three observations will be of
their mentor teacher, the second will be of a grade-level or subject peer, and the final
observation will be of someone outside of their grade-level and subject area.
Observations will be emphasized as a way to make connections with other
teachers and to provide some clarity and guidance on best practices related to teaching
and curriculum. It will be stressed to all participants that observations are designed to be
non-evaluative and will not be shared with their supervising administrators. These
exercises are designed solely for the purpose of professional growth and learning.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

111

Additionally, in year two, mentor teachers will be required to observe their
assigned new teacher. As with other observations, this will be a non-evaluative
observation meant to provide feedback from the mentor teacher on a topic that was
previously agreed upon by both the mentor and the new teacher. This will provide an
opportunity for the new teacher to express an area of growth and allow the mentor
teacher to provide observations and feedback relative to the agreed upon topic.
Lastly, participants in year two of the NTIP will be partnered with a new teacher
in the first phase of the NTIP. This partnership will offer another layer of support and
collegial relationship for not only teachers involved in the second phase of the NTIP, but
also for those starting their first year in the program.
The first year of the NTIP is developed to be a more immersive, intensive
experience for the participant. The second year is not meant or designed to be the same.
The second year of the program is designed to keep new hires “sticky” through a
purposeful set of professional development strategies. Year two of the program will see
bi-monthly meetings, resulting in half of the required time of the Year one participants.
During the bi-monthly meetings, focus will be placed on the clarification pillar of
Bauer’s (2010) framework. Clarification is fitting because the teachers have already had
exposure to the expectations and demands of their first year of teaching. The workshops
during these bi-monthly meetings will be developed to provide clarification on best
practices and classroom management, and highlight the educational technologies
available to teachers that were not able to be realized in the first year of the NTIP.
It is important to note that on April 23, 2022, PDE released a PA Bulletin
outlining changes to Chapter 49 of the Public School Code. PA Bulletin document

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

112

number 22-624 was released to school districts on May 20, 2022. Chapter 49 addresses
requirements for educator preparation, certification, induction and ongoing professional
education. In this most recent update, PDE is now requiring all NTIP across the
Commonwealth to be two-year programs. In addition to this change, districts are now
required to provide professional development in the areas of mental wellness, traumainformed instruction, cultural awareness, and technological and virtual engagement (PDE
2022).
While the recommendations for revision of the BWSD NTIP as a part of the
research project were developed well before the release of this final rule on Chapter 49, it
is affirming that the recommendations in this PA Bulletin support the findings and
recommendations of this research project and further enhance the validity of the subject
matter and approach to creating a more meaningful NTIP.
Year one of the NTIP will remain relatively close to the current structure that
exists, but will see enhancements in the areas that NTIP participants and mentor teachers
identified as not being satisfactory in the current capacity. The first three intensive days
of BWSD NTIP will aim to address all four of Bauer’s 4 C’s (2010). During this time, the
NTIP will receive introductions to the aspects of compliance, clarification, connection,
and culture embedded throughout the first year of the NTIP.
Based on the survey results, the activities that addressed compliance topics
seemed to be meaningful for a large majority of participants. Activities that addressed
district policies and procedures (including safety procedures) as well as the introduction
of building administrators and other new teachers received high ratings from a majority

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

113

of the survey participants. These activities will remain the same and will be addressed
within the first three days of the start of the new school year.
Connections will also be addressed during those first three days of in-service with
new teachers. During this time, new teachers will be introduced to their mentor teacher
and meet their NTIP Year 2 counterpart. Small group sessions will be established with all
building administrators and the new teachers to begin to establish professional
connections with their supervisors. It will be during those small group connections that
principals will be able to review building expectations and provide an opportunity for the
new teachers to ask questions specific to their building assignment.
The district tour will remain part of the first three days of in-service. This activity
is an attempt to build an understanding of the culture and the background that makes up
BWSD. The district tour has recently morphed into a scavenger hunt that teams up new
teachers with district-level administrators in search of points of interest within the district
buildings and the community at large. The 2021-2022 Induction class were the first to
experience the district tour in this format and provided overwhelmingly positive
feedback. The attempt is to satisfy a culture pillar, but indirectly allows new teachers to
make connections with those on their scavenger hunt team.
The monthly meetings expected as part of the first year of the NTIP will continue.
Mentor teachers will be invited to participate in these meetings one time each semester.
This will allow for valuable, scheduled meeting time with mentor teachers. These
sessions will be structured based on the needs of the participants to avoid a one-size-fitsall approach. The remaining meetings will focus on small group sessions that address best

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

114

practices in teaching and learning, curriculum, marginalized learners, and communicating
with families and colleagues.
The small group approach to these sessions will be new. Previous to these
recommendations, NTIP participants all received the same general training. When topics
like special education were addressed, those teachers who were Special Education
teachers had different needs than those teachers who were regular education teachers
accommodating learners with special needs in their classroom. While this time was not a
complete waste for the Special Education teachers, their time could be better served in a
small group setting that specifically addresses concerns special education teachers are
facing. Groups can be developed based on teaching assignment, grade-level, subject
level, or even years of teaching experience outside of BWSD.
A very important topic that will be addressed in these small group sessions will
address the educational technologies that are required and available for all new teachers.
Learning Skyward, Canvas, and Google are skills that a new teacher needs to have early
in the school year in order to appropriately meet expectations of lesson plans and daily
instruction. Relying on the mentor teachers and other teachers who are leaders in these
topics to lead these sessions and provide support for the new teachers will be essential in
the first month of the school year.
Layered on top of the meetings will be the requirement to complete at least two
peer observations. Scheduling a peer observation in each semester will help the new
teacher strengthen their practice, provide opportunities to ask questions, and build
relationships with other teachers. Each peer observation in year two will have a specific
focus. Topics like classroom management, technology integration, curriculum tools and

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

115

resources, or other grade-level and department appropriate topics will be the focus. This
will also provide the new teacher another opportunity for growth in new initiatives that
are being focused on for that school year.
Over two years, new teachers in BWSD will experience a NTIP that will focus on
the 4C’s highlighted by Bauer (2010). Sessions and systems embedded within the
framework of compliance, clarification, connection, and culture will support new
teachers in the early stages of their career, provide opportunities to form meaningful
relationships with colleagues, give exposure to the fabric of the BWSD community, and
meet the requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Education. By focusing on all
of these aspects BWSD will be able to create a more meaningful NTIP for all
participants.
The Role of the Mentor Teacher
Mentorship is arguably one of the most non-negotiable aspects of a NTIP.
Researchers like Ingersoll (2012), Bland et al, (2014), and Wong (2004) all cite that
assigning mentors to new employees is an integral part to the success of any onboarding
or orientation program. This research project was purposefully designed to assess the
voices of the mentor teachers involved with the BWSD NTIP because their role is so
valuable to the success of the NTIP.
Through the research, it was learned that not unlike the NTIP participants, mentor
teachers found the current NTIP to be valuable but also felt that the program has the
potential for growth. As a majority, mentor teachers felt appreciated for their work in the
program. However, over 30% of the mentor teachers felt unprepared to take on their role
as a mentor teacher.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

116

Mentor teachers are a valuable, integral component to the BWSD NTIP. Their
involvement up until this point was more of an afterthought than a carefully crafted
component of the NTIP. Starting with the selection of mentors through communicating
the expectations of their role, mentor teachers do not have any formal training for the
responsibilities that ultimately come along with being selected as a mentor teacher. The
research highlighted the importance of not overlooking this group of educators in the
success of the NTIP.
Bey and Holmes (1992) discussed that the mentor teacher will have the most
profound and lasting impact of the new teacher’s developing opinion of the district. As
such, mentor teachers will be asked to participate in a half-day Mentor Teacher Boot
Camp (MTBC) prior to the start of the new teacher in-service days. This MTBC will be
attended by only mentor teachers and will review the NTIP goals and expectations.
Mentors will be given a handbook and will be led through a review of the components all
new teachers will be exposed to through their participation in the program. Bauer’s
(2010) 4C’s framework will also be a focus of MTBC so the mentor teacher can see the
importance of all the aspects purposefully embedded into the NTIP.
During MTBC, mentor teachers will be instructed on the requirements of being a
mentor, including holding monthly meetings with their assigned new teacher. During this
time, mentor teachers will be trained on how to appropriately conduct a non-evaluative
observation of their new teacher and constructive means to providing feedback through
the observation process. MTBC will also provide the forum for mentors to ask questions
they have about the program in a safe, non-judgmental setting.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

117

Finally, mentor teachers will be presented with the importance of their role in the
success of the NTIP. Mentors will be given the calendar of meetings for the year and will
be directed to the monthly meetings that they will be required to attend as part of the
dedicated meeting time with their new teacher. Additionally, mentors will be given the
opportunity to have more direct involvement in the NTIP by volunteering to lead small
group sessions throughout the year.
By adding a training component to the mentor teacher aspect of the NTIP, the
district will be recognizing the importance of the mentorship relationship in creating a
more effective NTIP. Mentors and their role in the development of new teachers within
the district can have a profound impact on the “stickiness” and retention of the new hires
to not only the district, but the teaching profession as a whole. The district placing
priority on the appropriate training is the missing piece of the NTIP as it currently stands.
Financial Implications
The current BWSD NTIP operates on a minimal budget. Funds are allocated for
the payment of mentor teachers and meals that are provided during the in-service days
and monthly meetings. With the addition of a year two to the induction process comes
additional fiscal responsibilities that must be incurred by BWSD.
In the current BWSD teacher contract, mentor teachers are paid $487 per semester
for a yearly total of $974 per mentor teacher. Obviously, the grand total expense of
paying mentor teachers varies from year to year and depends on the number of
participants in the NTIP. With the addition of year two of the NTIP, mentors will also
need to be compensated for their time dedicated to the new teacher they support during
this phase of the induction program.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

118

New fiscal considerations must be given to compensate mentor teachers
congruent to the tasks that are required during year two. A Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) will need to be developed with the Baldwin-Whitehall Education
Association (BWEA) to address this compensation schedule. The MOU developed will
pay teachers $250 per semester ($500 per school year) during the time they serve as a
mentor teacher for a new teacher in year two of the BWSD NTIP. This number was
determined because the expectations of mentors will be significantly less in year two of
the program than in year one of the NTIP. The expectation is that new teachers will be
able to navigate the expectations of the school year more independently in year two and
will not need as much support as they did in the first year of the BWSD career. Again, the
total financial burden to the district cannot be fully realized from year to year because it
is inherently based upon the number of teachers in the NTIP from year to year.
Along with the additional costs of mentor teacher compensation for the program,
an increase in expenses will be seen in meal costs. All NTIP meetings are held after the
school day is over from 4:30 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. During these meetings, the district
supplies small meals or refreshments. While this cost is not a necessity, it is another small
way to show that the new teachers are appreciated and valued. With the proposed
addition to the year two of the NTIP and now including mentor teachers in some of the
monthly meetings, the cost will be increased. It will be important to set and stay within an
allotted budget for these meals to keep costs as low as possible.
Unseen and unknown will be the cost savings realized by the district for the
improvements made to the NTIP. Based on the information secured through this research
project, enhancements to the NTIP will create an environment that will address

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

119

compliance, clarification, connections, and culture within BWSD. By focusing on this
framework, BWSD will increase the likelihood of supporting new teachers and retaining
them to the district for an extended period of their career. Through this retention, the
district would experience a cost savings in the areas associated with hiring, supporting,
and training a new teacher.
In addition to the tangible cost savings, the intangibles cannot be ignored. The
value of the consistency a teacher brings to a classroom and curriculum from year to year
is immeasurable. When the institutional knowledge of a district is built and harnessed by
teachers committed to the district and profession, not only are careers developed, but
student achievement and growth is fostered. This is the bottom line in all of education.
Limitations
When considering the recommendations associated with this study, a few limiting
factors should be acknowledged. First, while satisfactory participation from NTIP
participants and mentor teachers related to the survey questions were recorded, a larger
response rate would have given greater insight to the perceptions of these groups.
Determining what may have deterred teachers from responding to the survey questions
would be helpful when designing future research projects of this kind.
Both survey groups included a cohort of new teachers and mentor teachers that
experienced the BWSD NTIP during a global pandemic. The teachers involved in the
2020-2021 cohort did not receive the same experience in the NTIP as those who
participated in the years preceding and following 2020-2021. Because some of the
aspects of the NTIP were altered or altogether eliminated based on the health and safety
guidelines of BWSD, perceptions of this group may be skewed.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

120

Thirdly, the Likert-scale questions could have been developed to include less
vague language. By only assigning a descriptor to the highest (five) and the lowest (one)
identifiers on the Likert-scale, it is left to interpretation and assumption for values
selected at the levels of four, three, and two. Although it is a safe assumption that
selections of the four and two value are graded one level lower than strongly agree and
strongly disagree respectively, there is ambiguity that is inserted as a result of the middle
value of three.
Lastly, invitations to participate in the NTIP participant and the mentor teacher
surveys were only administered to currently employed teachers in BWSD. The
perceptions and values associated with those teachers who have already departed from
the district, especially of those who resigned after only spending a short period of time in
BWSD, could prove to be invaluable in determining what is missing from the NTIP an
effort to retain new teachers to the district.
Recommendations for Future Research
Through the analysis of the findings of this research project, BWSD has received
overall satisfaction ratings with the current NTIP structure and framework. Not only did
it exceed the requirements of the PDE recommended induction program prior to 2022,
but the perceptions of the participants in the program found their experience to be
valuable. The recommendations for future implementation as a result of this research
project must be seriously considered in an effort to support new teachers and meet the
new requirements of induction established by PDE in May of 2022.
While this research focused solely on the professional teaching staff in BWSD, a
recommendation for future research would involve the development of orientation and

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

121

induction programs for other employee groups throughout the district. Currently, new
employees hired to perform jobs such as administrators, paraprofessionals, noon-time
aides, bus drivers, and custodians do not receive any onboarding or orientation to the
district, nor do they benefit from a shadowing experience. None of these employee
groups are assigned mentors. All of these employee groups are left on their own to figure
out the culture of BWSD and the expectations of their role. If these employees have a
strong manager or supervisor, they may receive some basic training on policies and
procedures within their working group. This is a gap in the hiring process of the district
and could provide structures to retain groups of employees in light of a national worker
shortage.
Through the research process, a few mentor teachers shared comments on new
teachers’ inabilities to communicate effectively. These comments highlight the changing
workforce and workforce expectations. A research study could focus on the needs and
expectations of workers new to the workforce and how their strengths can be harnessed in
the current work environment. Aligned with this study could be a component that
examines the weaknesses of this generation of workers and how employers need to be
equipped to compensate or provide more training for these areas.
Summary
Teachers have the ability to influence student achievement, having a profound
impact on a learner’s life-long experiences. School districts invest a lot of time and
resources to recruiting and hiring the perfect teachers for their students. In light of the
nationwide teacher shortage and the lack of candidates entering teacher certification

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

122

programs, school districts need to place more emphasis and resources on retaining quality
talent that they attract.
Since the 1960s, school districts across the country have implemented new
teacher induction programs to supplement the skill set of newly hired teachers. These
NTIPs have evolved in the last few decades to embody strategies to support and
indoctrinate new hires into the culture of the school district. The BWSD currently
supports a NTIP that could serve as a model to other school districts; however, there are
aspects of the program that can be adjusted to better support and retain new teachers,
especially in the light of the changing expectations in education.
BWSD is poised to capitalize on the findings of this research study to better
utilize the resources in the district and provide maximum levels of support to all newly
hired teachers for the first two years of their career in the district. Through these
adjustments and enhancements, the BWSD will create a more meaningful induction
program.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

123

References
Abrams, J. (2018). What matters to millennial teachers? Educational Leadership, 75(8), 74-78.
Arends, R. I. (1998). Teacher induction: Research and examples of contemporary practice.
Suncoast Academy for Teacher Induction, Pinellas County Schools.
Baldwin-Whitehall School District. (2021). Teacher induction program handbook. Google
Docs.
Bauer, T. N. (2010). Onboarding new employees: Maximizing success. Society for Human
Resource Management.
Bauer, T. N., & Erdogan, B. (2011). Organizational socialization: The effective onboarding of
new employees. In S. Zedeck (Ed.), APA handbook of industrial and organizational
psychology, Vol. 3. Maintaining, expanding, and contracting the organization (pp. 51–
64). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/12171-002
Beeson, E., & Strange, M. (2003). Why rural matters, 2003: The continuing need for every state
to take action on rural education. Journal of Research in Rural Education, 18(1), 3-16.
Behrstock-Sherratt, E., Bassett, K., Olson, D., & Jacques, C. (2014). From good to great:
Exemplary teachers share perspectives on increasing teacher effectiveness across the
career continuum. American Institute for Research.
Bercu, A. M. (2017). Impact of employees’ training programmes on job satisfaction. Current
Science, 112(7), 1340-1344.
Bey, T. M., & Holmes, C. T. (1992). Mentoring: Contemporary principles and issues.
Association of Teacher Educators.
Bland, P., Church, E., & Luo, M. (2014). Strategies for attracting and retaining teachers.
Administrative Issues Journal: Education, Practice, and Research, 4(1), 9-18.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

Brock, B. L., & Grady, M. L. (1998). Beginning teacher induction programs: The role of the
principal. The Clearing House, 71(3), 179-183.
Bullough, R. V., Jr. (2005). Being and becoming a mentor: School-based teacher educators
and teacher educator identity. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21(2), 143-155.
Clarke, A., Triggs, V., & Nielsen, W. (2014). Cooperating teacher participation in teacher
education: A review of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 84(2), 163202.
Coffey, H., Putman, S. M., Handler, L. K., & Leach, W. (2019). Growing them early:
Recruiting and preparing future urban teachers through an early college
collaboration between a college of education and an urban school district. Teacher
Education Quarterly, 46(1), 35–54.
Conant, J. B. (1964). The education of American teachers. McGraw Hill Book Company,
Inc.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2002). Access to quality teaching: An analysis of inequality in
California's public schools. Santa Clara Law Review, 43(1) 1045-1047.
Davis, A., & Shannon, J. (2011). The definitive guide to HR communication: Engaging
employees in benefits, pay, and performance. FT Press Delivers.
DePaul, A. (2000). Survival guide for new teachers: How new teachers can work effectively
with veteran teachers, parents, principals, and teacher educators. US Department of
Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement.
Dobie, S., Smith, S., & Robins, L. (2010). How assigned faculty mentors view their
mentoring relationships: An interview study of mentors in medical
education. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 18(4), 337-359.

124

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

125

Durbin, D. (1991). Review of pre-1980 and post-1980 induction programs. Induction
Program Review.
Eaton, E., & Sisson, W. (2008). Why are new teachers leaving? The case for beginningTeacher Induction and Mentoring. Presidential Transition. ICF International (NJ1).
www.icfi.com/transition
Eckert, S. A. (2011). The national teacher corps: A study of shifting goals and changing
assumptions. Urban Education, 46(5), 932-952.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085911400340
Elias, P. (1980). Helping beginning teachers through the first year: A review of the
literature. Study of Induction Programs for Beginning Teachers (ED257780). ERIC.
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED257780.pdf
Feiman-Nemser, S. (1996). Teacher mentoring: A critical review. ERIC Clearinghouse.
Furtwengler, C. B. (1995). Beginning teachers programs: Analysis of state actions during
the reform era. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 3(3), 1-20
Ganser, T. (2002). Supporting new teacher mentor programs: Strategies for principals. paper
presented at the annual meeting of the International Mentoring Association, Fort Worth,
TX.
Gong, B., Ramkissoon, A., Greenwood, R. A., & Hoyte, D. S. (2018). The generation for
change: Millennials, their career orientation, and role innovation. Journal of Managerial
Issues, 30(1), 82-86.
Gray, L., & Taie, S. (2015). Public school teacher attrition and mobility in the first five years:
Results from the first through fifth waves of the 2007-08 beginning teacher longitudinal
study. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED556348.pdf

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

126

Hargreaves, A. (2008). The emotional geographies of educational leadership. Passionate
Leadership in Education. Sage Publications.
Hobson, A. J., Ashby, P., Malderez, A., & Tomlinson, P. D. (2009). Mentoring beginning
teachers: What we know and what we don't. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(1),
207-216.
Huling-Austin, L. (1990). Teacher induction programs and internships. In W.R. Houston (Ed.),
Handbook of research on teacher education. Macmillan (pp. 535-548).
Huling-Austin, L. (1992). Research on learning to teach: Implications for teacher induction and
mentoring programs. Journal of Teacher Education, 43(3), 173-180.
Ingersoll, R. (2012) Beginning teacher induction: What the data tell us. Phi Delta Kappan, 93(8),
47-51.
Ingersoll, R., & Kralik, J. M. (2004). The impact of mentoring on teacher retention: What the
research says. Research Review. Education Commission of the States.
Ingersoll, R. M., Merrill, E., Stuckey, D., & Collins, G. (2018). Seven trends: The transformation
of the teaching force (ED 593467). ERIC. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED593467.pdf
Israel, M., Kamman, M. L., McCray, E. D., & Sindelar, P. T. (2014). Mentoring in action: The
interplay among professional assistance, emotional support, and evaluation.
Exceptional Children, 81(1), 45-63.
Jones, G. (1986). Socialization tactics, self-efficacy, and newcomers’ adjustments to
organizations. Academy of Management Journal, 29, 262–279.
Kearney, S. (2014). Understanding beginning teacher induction: A contextualized examination
of best practice. Cogent Education, 1(1), 1-15.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

127

Klein, H. J., Polin, B., & Sutton, K. L. (2015). Specific onboarding practices for the
socialization of new employees. International Journal of Selection and Assessment,
23(3).
Kelchtermans, G., Ballet, K., & Piot, L. (2009). Surviving diversity in times of
performativity: Understanding teachers’ emotional experience of change.
In Advances in teacher emotion research (pp. 215-232). edited by P. A. Schutz and
M. Zymbylas, 215_232. Dordrecht: Springer.
Kling, R. E., & Brookhart, D. A. (1991). Mentoring: A review of related literature
(ED346095). ERIC. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED346095
Krasnoff, B. (2014). Teacher recruitment, induction, and retention. Education Northwest, 1-13.
Lassila, E. T., Timonen, V., Uitto, M., & Estola, E. (2017). Storied emotional distances in the
relationships between beginning teachers and school principals. British Educational
Research Journal, 43(3), 486-504.
Lawson, H. A. (1992). Beyond the new conception of teacher induction. Journal of Teacher
Education, 43(3), 163-172.
Lock, R. H., Lee, S.-H., Theoharis, R., Fitzpatrick, M., Kim, K.-H., Liss, J. M., NixWilliams, T., Griswold, D. E., & Walther-Thomas, C. (2006). Create effective
mentoring relationships: Strategies for mentor and mentee Success. Intervention in
School and Clinic, 41(4), 233–240. https://doi.org/10.1177/10534512060410040601
Lopez‐Real, F., & Kwan, T. (2005). Mentors' perceptions of their own professional development
during mentoring. Journal of Education for Teaching, 31(1), 15-24.
McCann, T. M., & Johannessen, L. R. (2004). Why do new teachers cry? The Clearing House: A
Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 77(4), 138-145.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

128

Mertler, C. (2019). Introduction to educational research. (2nd ed.). Sage Publications, Inc.
Moir, E. (2009). Accelerating teacher effectiveness: Lessons learning from two decades of new
teacher induction. Kappan, 91(2), 14-21.
Mongeau, L. (2015). Teachers wanted: Passion a must, patience required, pay negligible. The
Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/09/teachers-wantedpassion-a-must- patience-required-pay-negligible/404371
Norman, D. M., & Ganser, T. (2004). A humanistic approach to new teacher mentoring: A
counseling perspective. The Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and
Development, 43(2), 129-140.
Pennsylvania Department of Education. (2019). Educator induction plan guidelines.
https://www.education.pa.gov/Documents/Teachers-Administrators/Act%2048PERMS/Educator%20Induction%20Plan%20Guidelines.pdf
Pennsylvania Department of Education. (2022, April 23). PA-Bulletin, Doc. No. 22-624.
http://pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pabull?file=/secure/pabulletin/data/vol52/5217/624.html&search=1&searchunitkeywords=22-624
Peske, H. G., Liu, E., Johnson, S. M., Kauffman, D., & Kardos, S. M. (2001). The next
generation of teachers: Changing conceptions of a career in teaching. Phi Delta
Kappan, 83(4), 304-311.
Podolsky, A., Kini, T., Darling-Hammond, L., & Bishop, J. (2019). Strategies for attracting and
retaining educators: What does the evidence say? Education Policy Analysis Archives, 27
p. 38. http://dx.doi.org/10.14507/epaa.27.3722

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

129

Prose, J.D. (2022, January 20). Pennsylvania's substitute teacher shortage is now a crisis as the
pandemic drags on. York Daily Record. https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2022/01/20/pas-substitute-teacher-shortage-now-crisis-pandemic-drags/6596092001/
Qualee. (2021, June 9). The four c’s of great onboarding. https://www.qualee.com/blog/the-fourc-s-of-great-onboarding-2021
Roberson, S., & Roberson, R. (2009). The role and practice of the principal in developing novice
first-year teachers. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and
Ideas, 82(3), 113-118.
Roberts, A. (2000). Mentoring revisited: A phenomenological reading of the
literature. Mentoring and Tutoring, 8(2), 145-170.
Robinson, G. W. (1998). New teacher induction: A study of selected new teacher induction
models and common practices (ED 424219). ERIC. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/
ED424219.pdf
Roehrig, A. D., Bohn, C. M., Turner, J. E., & Pressley, M. (2008). Mentoring beginning primary
teachers for exemplary teaching practices. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24(3), 684702.
Rollag, K., Parise, S., & Cross, R. (2005). Getting new hires up to speed quickly. MIT Sloan
Management Review, 46, 35-41.
Sanders, W. (1996). Cumulative and residual effects of teachers on future student academic
achievement. University of Tennessee Value-Added Research & Assessment Center.
Sclan, E., & Darling-Hammond, L. (1992). Beginning teacher performance evaluation: An
overview of state policies. (ED 341689). ERIC. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/
ED341689.pdf

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

130

Serpell, Z. (2000). Beginning teacher induction: A review of the literature. American
Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.
Simpson, T., Hastings, W., & Hill, B. (2007). ‘I knew that she was watching me’: The
professional benefits of mentoring. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 13(5),
481-498.
Suggs, G. (2014). Onboarding: Maximize the success of new employees. Black
Freighter Productions.
Taie, S., & Goldring, R. (2017). Characteristics of public elementary and secondary school
teachers in the United States: Results from the 2015-16 national teacher and principal
survey (ED 575193). ERIC. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED575193.pdf
Tonna, M. A., Bjerkholt, E., & Holland, E. (2017). Teacher mentoring and the reflective
practitioner approach. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education,
6(3), 210-227.
Van Maanen, J., & Schein, E. H. (1979). Toward a theory of organizational
socialization. Research in Organizational Behavior, 1, 209–264.
Wang, J., & Odell, S. J. (2002). Mentored learning to teach according to standards-based reform:
A critical review. Review of Educational Research, 72(3), 481-546.
https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543072003481
Wang, J., Odell, S.J., & Clift, R.T. (2010). Past, present, and future research on teacher
induction: An anthology for researchers, policy makers, and practitioners. R&L
Education.
Wong, H. K. (2004). Induction programs that keep new teachers teaching and improving. NASSP
Bulletin, 88, 41–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/019263650408863804

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

131

Wong, H. K., Britton, T., & Ganser, T. (2005). What the world can teach us about new teacher
induction. Phi Delta Kappan, 86(5), 379-384.
Zaharis, M. (2019). High-quality teacher induction and multi-year mentoring are the new
teachers in your school thriving or merely surviving. Lutheran Education, 155(4), 1-6.
Zeichner, K. M. (1979). Teacher induction practices in the United States and Great Britain.
Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research
Association, San Francisco, CA.
Zembytska, M. (2016). Mentoring as the core element of new teacher induction in the USA:
Policies and practices. Comparative Professional Pedagogy, 6(2), 67-73.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

Appendices

132

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

133

APPENDIX A
Survey Disclosure Letter and Consent to NTIP participants
Greetings,
You have been invited to participate in a research study that will examine the
effectiveness and perceptions of the Baldwin-Whitehall School District (BWSD) New
Teacher Induction Program (NTIP). You were selected to receive an invitation to
participate because you have completed the NTIP in the BWSD anytime from August
2016 through January 2021. Rachel Sprouse will be conducting the research in an effort
to improve the current NTIP in addition to satisfying requirements for
the Doctoral Program at California University of Pennsylvania.

Should you choose to accept this invitation and participate in the research study, you will
be asked to complete an electronic survey that will take less than 20 minutes to
complete. Participation is completely voluntary and all information collected from the
electronic survey will be kept confidential. As a participant, you may withdraw from the
research at any time, without penalty, and you will not be asked why. This survey will
remain open until January 17, 2022.

There are minimal risks to this study. The questions asked in the survey will ask for your
perception and experience in completing the NTIP. Some participants may feel
uncomfortable providing information that could be viewed as critical, negative, or
complaining. Please know that you are not required to answer any questions that you do
not feel comfortable responding to. You are also able to stop participation at any time

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

134

without question.

If you elect to be a part of this study, you will assist the researcher in better understanding
the current perceptions of the NTIP within the BWSD. The data will be utilized to
improve the NTIP starting with the 2022-2023 school year.

All survey responses will be kept confidential and only the researcher will have access to
it. Survey responses will be anonymous and will be stored on a secure server and will be
password-protected.

If you have any questions about this study, please contact Rachel Sprouse,
at spr1545@calu.edu or at 717-712-6572. If you would like to speak with someone other
than the researcher about this project, please contact Dr. Kevin Lordon, Associate
Professor at California University of Pennsylvania, at lordon@calu.edu.

By participating in any part of the electronic survey, you are agreeing to participate in
this study. By doing so, you are indicating that you have read the form and had any
questions answered. You understand that it is your choice to participate and you can stop
at any time, without repercussions. You agree that your participation in the study is
strictly voluntary and you do not have to participate if you do not wish to do so.

This study has been approved by the California University of Pennsylvania Institutional
Review Board. This approval is effective 10/05/2021 and expires 10/04/2022. In

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

addition, Dr. Lutz has approved the distribution of the survey and the subsequent
work. This approval is attached for your review.

To access the electronic survey: Former NTIP Participant Survey

I appreciate your willingness to participate in this research!

Rachel Sprouse

135

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

136

APPENDIX B
NTIP Participant Survey Questions
1.

What year did you complete the New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP)?
a. 2020-2021
b. 2019-2020
c. 2018-2019
d. 2017-2018
e. 2016-2017

2. What best describes the educational area that you were working within during the
year you completed the NTIP?
a. Elementary Education (K-5)
b. Middle School (6-8)
c. High School (9-12)
d. Special Education (K-12)
e. School Counselor
f. ESL or Intervention Specialist
g. Other
3. When you completed the BWSD NTIP, were you:
a. A long-term substitute
b. A Board approved, contracted employee with the BWSD

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

137

4. When you completed the BWSD NTIP, what was your highest level of education
attained?
a. Bachelor’s Degree
b. Bachelor’s +15 or more
c. Master’s Degree
d. Master’s +15 or more
e. Doctoral Degree
5. How many years of teaching experience did you have prior to being hired by the
Baldwin-Whitehall School District?
a. 0
b. 1-3
c. 4-6
d. 7-9
e. 10+
6. Prior to completing the BWSD NTIP, did you complete an Induction Program in
any other public-school district?
a. Yes
b. No
7. Prior to being hired by the Baldwin-Whitehall School District, did you acquire
tenure in Pennsylvania?
a. Yes
b. No

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

138

8. Through the BWSD NTIP, were you assigned a mentor?
a. Yes
b. No
9. In reflecting on your time in the NTIP, would you overall recommend the
program to a new teacher?
a. Absolutely!
b. It was helpful, but there is room for improvements.
c. No, it was a waste of time.
10. After completing the NTIP, would you consider being a mentor teacher for a new
teacher starting their career with BWSD?
a. Yes
b. No
Please respond to the following statements (11 – 20) using the scale outlined below.
1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Somewhat Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Somewhat Agree, 5 =
Strongly Agree
11. I got what I expected from the NTIP.
12. Sufficient time was dedicated to the NTIP.
13. The Staff conducting the NTIP sessions were knowledgeable in their subject area.
14. The Staff involved with the NTIP were professional.
15. The information covered in the NTIP helped me feel confident as a new teacher in
the BWSD.
16. Sufficient time was dedicated to individual building topics throughout the NTIP.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

139

17. Sufficient time was dedicated to my concerns and needs as a new teacher in the
BWSD.
18. The NTIP allowed me to form relationships with co-workers and other staff
members.
19. I would make changes to the topics presented in the NTIP.
20. I gained a lot from my relationship with my assigned mentor teacher.
Rate the following NTIP experiences (21 – 31) using the scale outlined below.
1 = Very Dissatisfied, 2 = Somewhat Dissatisfied, 3 = Neutral/Did not Experience, 4 =
Somewhat Satisfied, 5 = Very Satisfied
21. Introduction to Administrative Staff and other New Teachers
22. Explanation of District Policies and Procedures
23. District Tour
24. Introduction to Technology (Hardware/Skyward/Google/Printing/Canvas, etc.)
25. Overview the Evaluation Process, PA-ETEP, Educator Effectiveness, and DSAP
26. Explanation of Instructional I vs. Instructional II and Tenure
27. Topics in Special Education
28. Classroom Observations of Peer Teachers
29. Educator Misconduct and other HR related topics
30. ALICE Safety Training
31. Mobile Fab Lab or other Technology utilized in the District

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

140

32. Are there any topics that would be beneficial to present to new teachers prior to
the first day of school that were not covered in the three initial days of Induction?
If yes, please give the suggested topics.
33. What topics/activities would you suggest be added to aid new teachers in their
first few years within the BWSD?
34. In what ways did the NTIP provide the support that you needed to make the
transition to the BWSD? Please describe some of the highlights.
35. What feedback can you provide about the mentor/mentee aspect of the NTIP?
36. Please use the area below to provide feedback on any aspect of the NTIP that was
not addressed or suggestions that you have to improve the NTIP for future BWSD
new hires.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

141

APPENDIX C
Survey Disclosure Letter and Consent to Mentor Teachers
Greetings,
You have been invited to participate in a research study that will examine the
effectiveness and perceptions of the Baldwin-Whitehall School District (BWSD) New
Teacher Induction Program (NTIP). You were selected to receive an invitation to
participate because you served in the capacity of a mentor teacher for the NTIP in the
BWSD anytime from August 2016 through January 2021. Rachel Sprouse will be
conducting the research in an effort to improve the current NTIP in addition to satisfying
requirements for the Doctoral Program at California University of Pennsylvania.

Should you choose to accept this invitation and participate in the research study, you will
be asked to complete an electronic survey that will take less than 20 minutes to
complete. Participation is completely voluntary and all information collected from the
electronic survey will be kept confidential. As a participant, you may withdraw from the
research at any time, without penalty, and you will not be asked why. This survey will
remain open until January 17, 2022.

There are minimal risks to this study. The questions asked in the survey will ask for your
perception and experience as a mentor in the NTIP. Some participants may feel
uncomfortable providing information that could be viewed as critical, negative, or
complaining. Please know that you are not required to answer any questions that you do
not feel comfortable responding to. You are also able to stop participation at any time

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

142

without question.

If you elect to be a part of this study, you will assist the researcher in better understanding
the current perceptions of the NTIP within the BWSD. The data will be utilized to
improve the NTIP starting with the 2022-2023 school year.

All survey responses will be kept confidential and only the researcher will have access to
it. Survey responses will be anonymous and will be stored on a secure server and will be
password-protected.

If you have any questions about this study, please contact Rachel Sprouse,
at spr1545@calu.edu or at 717-712-6572. If you would like to speak with someone other
than the researcher about this project, please contact Dr. Kevin Lordon, Associate
Professor at California University of Pennsylvania, at lordon@calu.edu.

By participating in any part of the electronic survey, you are agreeing to participate in
this study. By doing so, you are indicating that you have read the form and had any
questions answered. You understand that it is your choice to participate and you can stop
at any time, without repercussions. You agree that your participation in the study is
strictly voluntary and you do not have to participate if you do not wish to do so.

This study has been approved by the California University of Pennsylvania Institutional
Review Board. This approval is effective 10/05/2021 and expires 10/04/2022. In

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

addition, Dr. Lutz has approved the distribution of the survey and the subsequent
work. This approval is attached for your review.

To access the electronic survey: Mentor Teacher NTIP Survey

I appreciate your willingness to participate in this research!

Rachel Sprouse

143

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

144

APPENDIX D
Mentor Teacher Survey Questions

1.

What best describes the educational area that you were working within during the
year(s) you served as a mentor for the New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP)?
a. Elementary Education (K-5)
b. Middle School (6-8)
c. High School (9-12)
d. Special Education (K-12)
e. School Counselor
f. ESL or Intervention Specialist
g. Other

2. What is your highest level of education attained?
a. Bachelor’s Degree
b. Bachelor’s +15 or more
c. Master’s Degree
d. Master’s +15 or more
e. Doctoral Degree
3. How many years of teaching experience do you have teaching in the BaldwinWhitehall School District?
a. 0
b. 1-3
c. 4-6

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

145

d. 7-9
e. 10+
4. Did you yourself complete the NTIP through BWSD, as a new teacher, within the
last 10 years (2011 or later)?
a. Yes
b. No
5. Do you feel the NTIP prepares teachers for a career in the BWSD?
a. Yes
b. No
6. Based on your experience as a mentor teacher, do you feel the NTIP provides a
support network for new teachers?
a. Yes
b. No
7. In reflecting on the NTIP, would you overall recommend the program to a new
teacher?
a. Absolutely!
b. It is helpful, but there is room for improvements.
c. No, it is a waste of time.
Please respond to the following statements (8-13) using the scale outlined below.
1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Somewhat Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Somewhat Agree, 5 =
Strongly Agree
8.

The NTIP provides a variety of experiences to help new teachers feel confident in
the practice.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

146

9. The mentor program embedded within the NTIP was a beneficial experience for
me as a mentor teacher.
10. New Teachers in the NTIP need more structure and guidelines regarding the
expectations as related to the mentor/mentee relationship.
11. Mentor teachers in the NTIP are appropriately prepared to support a new teacher
in the BWSD.
12. The compensation a new mentor receives is commensurate with the expectations
of the program.
13. As a mentor teacher, I feel appreciated for my work in the NTIP.
14. Are there any topics that would be beneficial to present to new teachers prior to
the first day of school that were not covered in the three initial days of Induction?
If yes, please give the suggested topics.
15. What topics/activities would you suggest be added to aid new teachers in their
first few years within the BWSD?
16. What feedback can you provide about the mentor/mentee aspect of the NTIP?
Please be honest regarding potential areas of growth and areas of strength within
the program.
17. Please use the area below to provide feedback on any aspect of the NTIP that was
not addressed or suggestions that you have to improve the NTIP for future BWSD
new hires.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

APPENDIX E
District Approval Letter

147

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

148

APPENDIX F
IRB Approval Letter

Institutional Review Board
California University of Pennsylvania
Morgan Hall, 310
250 University Avenue
California, PA 15419
instreviewboard@calu.edu
Melissa Sovak, Ph.D.
Dear Rachel,
Please consider this email as official notification that your proposal
titled “Creating a Meaningful New Teacher Induction Program in the
Baldwin-Whitehall School District” (Proposal #21-003) has been
approved by the California University of Pennsylvania Institutional
Review Board as submitted.
The effective date of approval is 10/5/21 and the expiration date is
10/4/22. These dates must appear on the consent form.
Please note that Federal Policy requires that you notify the IRB
promptly regarding any of the following:
(1) Any additions or changes in procedures you might wish for your
study (additions or changes must be approved by the IRB before they
are implemented)

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

149

(2) Any events that affect the safety or well-being of subjects
(3) Any modifications of your study or other responses that are
necessitated by any events reported in (2).
(4) To continue your research beyond the approval expiration date of
10/4/2022 you must file additional information to be considered for
continuing review. Please contact instreviewboard@calu.edu
Please notify the Board when data collection is complete.
Regards,
Melissa Sovak, PhD.
Chair, Institutional Review Board

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

150

APPENDIX G
NTIP Participant Open-Ended Question Responses
NTIP Participant Open Ended Question #1:

Are there any topics that would be
beneficial to present to new
teachers prior to the first day of
school that were not covered in the
13 Responses
three initial days of Induction? If,
yes please give the suggested
topics
Maybe discipline procedures? I have often been confused about this one.
When I completed the program Skyward was not touched on much. A more thorough session on Skyward
and its multiple uses (attendance, sending SkyBlasts, adjusting grades, leaving comments, finding
student information, etc) would be beneficial. This may have changed since I completed the program
though!
I think that more training on Skyward would be beneficial. As a new teacher, I understood the day to day
basics but never received any formal training on special functions like entering I grades, how to change
failing students to a 50%, etc.
A lot more on the significance of DSAP and hours. How to respond to PA-ETEP
I may suggest having breakout sessions with their mentor teacher to explore the essentials to the LMS or
online platform they are using. When I went through the program, we were just using Google Classroom.
Now, in the new wave of education, this could be beneficial.
I believe it would be very helpful to have had more explanation / practice with creating and implementing
an SLO.
I felt that some things were assumed knowledge among staff, things I found out by day to day talking to
coworkers in the building, that could have been helpful to know. Examples: submitting weekly lesson
plans, sending weekly Skyalerts, expected balance between formal/informal assignments
I would have liked to have learned more about the community.
Have other teachers come in and explain what they do on their first days of school to give new teachers
an idea of what a first day might look like.
Time to meet with your direct supervisor and get a feel for your building/year, as well as some time to
look at your content's curriculum
More information about DSAP (this was not something I encountered in my previous districts)
I was not in attendance of these meetings before school started.
I think that everything we discussed was appropriate. I know that my induction year was a little different
because of the pandemic. We were very focused on Canvas in the beginning. I felt very prepared
beginning the school year! I appreciated that time that was given to complete work on my own with my
mentor and team members.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

151

NTIP Participant Open Ended Question #2:

What topics/activities would you
suggest be added to aid new
teachers in their first few years
within the BWSD?

18 responses

Now, obviously, guidance on how to use Canvas and the Google Suite to provide both in-person
synchronous instruction and virtual asynchronous instruction at the same time will be needed.
More activities related to the assigned school - things are different in each building and knowing how
various things work (signing up for labs/spaces, how to request a day off, how IEP meetings run, etc)
would be helpful to know based on the building expectations.
More Skyward training. Definitely add explicit, in person training on Canvas for new hires.
Counselors meeting: 1. Find out which counselor has what class. 2. When to contact them 3. What to
look for with each student at the beginning of year. 4. When to send students down at the beginning or
year and midyear.
Skyward: 1. How to change grades after submission. 2. When is the deadline to change in-complete
grades. 3. How to look up additional students not in classes. 4. How to find previous class grades
Administration meeting: 1. Identify what each administrators role is during the school year. 2. How to write
referrals. 3. Monthly lunch with the administration team (Guidance, security, or tech department) to talk
about help or concerns ... developing relationships with them.
3. Department Heads
I was very satisfied with what we had put in place.
It would be great to have new teachers have hands on practice with using technology at each of the
schools (since some tech varies throughout each of the buildings) For example, how to screen share to
the promethean boards, etc.
Would like to get to see other buildings more (like when the whole staff traveled to other schools and did
walking tours)
I would have liked to have learned more about the Baldwin Whitehall community and maybe have some
of our after school meetings reflect that by being involved in community events (BW cookie exchange,
Multicultural Potluck, a trip to SHIM, etc.) rather than meetings.
Bring in more teachers who could share what they are doing in their classrooms to give the new teachers
an idea of strategies that would work or technologies that the district subscribes to that can be useful
(Edpuzzle, Nearpod, etc).
More on Skyward and the DSAP process, more time to actually test out the technology available (ex.
Promethean board training, how to set up doc cams, whatever will be available to that teacher)
A better understanding of how the district works. Who to go to with certain questions. Possible create a
flow chart. More meet and greets with building administration and teachers.
Classroom management, work-life balance, how to avoid burnout
More team/grade level/department planning time
I would definitely provide additional clerical time. As a teacher who has participated in 3 new teacher
hires (with other districts), I desperately wanted and needed time to sit in my room and prepare for the
first week of school. I think it would be helpful to have a set time to review district curriculum and
materials with mentor teachers and/or department chairs so new teachers understand what they have
available to them at the start of the school year.
A workshop or session devoted to improving education of ESL students.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

152

I think that the topics covered hit all necessary topics for a successful year and career in the BWSD.
Additional information or resource guides related to previously teaching out of state and transitioning to
PA requirements.
Discussions about common challenges faced by new teachers and strategies to overcome those
challenges

NTIP Participant Open Ended Question #3:

In what ways did the NTIP provide
the support that you needed to make
15 responses
the transition to BWSD? Please
describe some highlights.
I enjoyed meeting other new staff members, learning about the technology and procedures (Skyward,
PA-ETEP, etc.) of the district, and the union provided lunch. Mine was so long ago (2016-17) that I am
struggling to remember the events in detail...
The mentor aspect of the program is great, as well as the required peer observations. I really enjoyed
observing some of my colleagues, and I still have wonderful working relationships with both of them!
I learned a lot about how the day to day of teaching responsibilities, expectations, and the appropriate
channels to follow in the building.
I think it helps give you connects with other new teachers. You get to form relationships with people going
through the same process as you.
I absolutely loved working with my mentor and connecting with her. Having a mentor really provides you
with extra support and a comforting face. The hands on activities were also super helpful. It was neat
touring the other buildings, as well. I also loved having the opportunity being able to observe other
teachers in my building between grade level and subject. I really learned a lot seeing different
styles/techniques. It also really helped seeing how classroom management is conducted in various
rooms.
Helped with understanding how to set up and use Skyward for grades, especially when we did it right
before report cards; found it very beneficial to do a peer observation and write up
It was a great way to learn about the expectations and happenings within the district.
I learned about specific policies within the district.
I enjoy seeing the different parts of the district and highlighting some of the things that makes BWSD
unique (eg. The Fab Lab).
Having a group of people who are all starting out new.
The NTIP connected me with other new teachers and helped me develop a great relationship with my
mentor.
It really helped to see faces of the people that would help.
I was provided with a group of professionals that understood how I felt each day. It group of new teachers
in my building were able to form a strong bond and help support each other throughout our first year in
the building. I felt like the monthly meetings were a nice way to check in with each other and see how the
school year was going. I did appreciate the small treat bags during Halloween and St. Patrick's Day.
Small gestures like that helped me feel welcomed into the district.
Providing a mentor/mentor meetings, encouraging peer observation
The NTIP gave me the opportunity to get to know my mentor teacher very well. Those meetings with her
really helped give me the confidence to be successful. She gave me insight into ways to improve my
teaching strategies and techniques. The meeting about transitioning from level I-level ll was very helpful
as well because I do not have my level II certification yet. I enjoyed the time to get to know the other new
teachers as well. It helped ease the nerves in the beginning!

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

153

NTIP Participant Open Ended Question #4:
What feedback can you provide
about the mentor/mentee aspect of
19 responses
the NTIP from the viewpoint of a new
teacher?
It mainly felt like my mentor was there to answer questions or provide help when I requested. She also
checked in every once in a while to ask how things were going. It wasn't very structured--Not that it
should be. I was fine with how she mentored me--just trying to provide specific feedback.
My mentor teacher was/is the BEST! Assigning mentor teachers that have a similar position to you is
super helpful. Keeping track of the topics we discussed during our meetings was helpful, but I think it
would also be nice to
I think just building in more time that is formally dedicated to mentor/mentee training rather than having to
try to squeeze things in at the end of the day or during prep period. During that first year it felt like there
was never enough time with my mentor even though she was wonderful about making time when I
needed her.
Thank goodness for Maria. Although I came in with 26 years of experience, she was able to fill in the
blanks of all of the above and more. The DSAP concept especially and how/why the hours.
I relied heavily on my other coworkers for support. The mentor teacher that I had was not very helpful. I
provided feedback at the end of the year, but I noticed that my mentor teacher was chosen to be a
mentor teacher again. Her mentee also had the same feedback.
My mentor was incredible, and we still have a great relationship. It is nice to have someone you can
constantly rely on.
This was one of my favorite aspects of the new teacher program. My mentor truly became a friend and
role model. She really helped guide me throughout the school year. I was not afraid to ask questions and
seek advice. It was really helpful to have guidance. I think it would be also really helpful to have one if you
are a new teacher (contracted) after the NTIP. I was a LTS when I had a mentor. It also would have been
super helpful to have one as a new contracted teacher. (For things like SLO and DSAP!)
Very helpful to have a go-to person
It was so nice to have someone within my building who I felt comfortable enough to turn to when I had
questions.
I did not go to my mentor that often. I found that I had an easier time getting together with other teachers
who taught the same subject as I did and were able to help with my questions.
I had an absolutely fabulous mentor, but she was not in my content area. Because of this, I had to default
to another co-worker on a lot of content specific questions. My mentor herself was absolutely fabulous
and so helpful to me throughout the process, and I was able to learn a lot from her, but there were times
that she didn't have an answer for me because her position was different than mine. I did love that we
had to have meetings often so that we could discuss where I was at and where I could from there.
Offer more time for the mentor/mentee to work together
The mentor/mentee experience was my favorite part of the NTIP. My mentor and I work closely together
everyday (still) and collaborate often. It was an essential part of the experience for me. I would not have
gotten through my first year without her.
It would have been more helpful to have a mentor who is in the same position as me, even if she/he
wasn't in the same school.
My mentor and I got along really well. I think it would/ could be useful for the mentor/ mentee to fill out a
personality survey so that the mentee is matched with someone that would work well together and be
able to grow professionally with during the school year. I tried not to bother my mentor a ton because we
were in different grade levels, so I tended to lean towards my grade level team with more school based
questions, and utilized my mentor with more general questions related to the NTIP.
A bit more direction on possible topics to be discussed between the mentor and their mentee

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

154

This was my favorite part of the whole NTIP! I think it was most helpful because it gave me the
opportunity to discuss things that I needed to learn about. My whole entire team was and still is
incredible. I love being able to learn and grow beside my colleagues.
There were some things that my mentor was very helpful with, but other things that I would seek help or
information elsewhere. I think it would be beneficial to also pair new teachers with another "new" teacher-someone who has been in the district for less than 3 years and recently went through the NTIP.
Sometimes, it is helpful to have a fresh perspective in addition to the well-seasoned, veteran mentors.
I benefit from a more structured environment. I feel there should be a specific agenda for all
mentor/mentee meetings.

NTIP Participant Open Ended Question #5:

Please use the area below to provide
feedback on any aspect of the NTIP
that was not addressed or
suggestions that you have to
improve the NTIP for future BWSD
new hires.

11 responses

1) Clear expectation of procedures for student discipline
2) Maybe training from the District in providing the types of lessons/instruction that it wants?
When I was completing the NTIP, a district tour was not given, but I know that is something that has
recently been added! I think that's a great idea! :)
BWSD NTIP was the most thorough, well organized, and helpful induction program that I have
participated in. Andrea, Janeen, and really everyone involved were awesome and always willing to help
and answer any questions that came up.
Please read the above.
I think ensuring that new teachers have a good understanding of technology upon the start of the school
year is a great way to make them feel comfortable and prepared in a new role.
I believe the NTIP is a wonderful program! It really helped me grow as a new teacher. I learned so much
valuable information that continues to help me! :)
For my year, the timeline would be my suggestion. For example, we covered Skyward in the meeting that
came after interims were due for the first time. It would have been more beneficial to have the Skyward
discussion sooner. I was able to ask my mentor teacher for help, but covering it in the meeting would
have been helpful as well.
The idea of the peer observations is good, but we never have enough subs for it to truly be effective. It
would have been really nice to see other buildings, and network with other co-workers in the district to do
those observations. Instead I was squeezing it in on my prep time to make it easier for everyone and get
it done.
Provide frequent reminders about meetings. I missed a few simply due to being overwhelmed and
swamped with emails.
As previously stated, the BWSD NTIP was my third onboarding process. Therefore, I already had some
prior exposure to some of the topics covered in the process. I think it would be nice to have some of the
meetings differentiated by grade level/, subject area, or building. For example, some of the special
education questions that 2nd grade teachers have is different from the secondary level. I did appreciate
that all of my questions were answered very promptly through email anytime I had a question before or
after a meeting.
I think in the future it would be nice to split into groups either based off of the building you are assigned or
grade level. This could provide more meaningful conversations and relationship building.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

155

APPENDIX H
Mentor Teacher Open-Ended Question Responses
Mentor Teacher Open Ended Question #1:

Are there any topics that would be
beneficial to present to new
teachers prior to the first day of
school that were not covered in the
three initial days of Induction? If,
yes please give the suggested
topics.

23 responses

The need for positive communication and how to achieve this needs to be emphasized. Some new
teachers may need guidelines for how to interact with and how to communicate effectively and
respectfully with their colleagues.
*Committee Topics for them to volunteer so they feel included *Curriculum Meetings set up to preview
manuals/resources that are available*Training on technology tools *A meet and greet with team members
*A tour of the school and background information on community
I think a bus tour of the district would be beneficial.
General day to day requirements
Reality and day to day
My mentee did not begin at the start of the school year and I therefore do not know what was covered in
these 3 initial days.
Truly, I feel some more 1:1 time sitting down and working with skyward and now canvas with an
experienced teacher in their content area is important. Every new teacher I’ve met and talked with really
struggled with the inner workings of that program which is really very important.
A contact list by building of issues and who to contact on one paper would be beneficial that can be
updated. Ie skyward is helpdesk then Cathy Jones, medical leave or benefits Rachel Sprouse. How to
actually put in helpdesk tickets (that may be discussed now)
I was not asked to be a mentor teacher prior to the training before school. My mentee was an art teacher
and I am a physical education teacher, I feel that this was beneficial in many “general” way, but I was no
able to provide her with the “full” experience.
I think that a FAQ would be helpful.
Classroom management strategies and the process to send upward if it is unresolved at classroom level
Building "culture" - procedures for entering attendance, grade reports, what clubs/activities offered, what
principal does what tasks, etc.
N/A
I don't remember the topics that were covered prior to the first day, but safety would be important. District
expectations and priorities would also be helpful for new teachers. I would also suggest time set aside
with the building principal, as well, in order for the new hires to understand their administrator's teaching
philosophy and expectations for their teachers.
no
I'm having trouble remembering the three initial days of induction since it was several years ago, but I
think classroom management would be a good topic to cover.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

156

Classroom Management
Discipline with Dignity
Tips on working with students with special needs for regular ed teachers - Differentiated Instruction
I feel that the teachers that I have worked with were prepared with the right information for the beginning
of the year. If he/she was unclear of something, the right questions were asked.
Maybe some additional time allotted during the initial PD days for working with their mentor/department
and curriculum specifically. I think it would help to alleviate mentees first month questions and anxiety if
more time was given to prepare with others and work in their classroom.
NA
Building level procedures for their particular school, Canvas & skyward (may be new to them), DSAP
what it is and expectations
Job Required tasks; new employees seem to think that if they do not feel like doing tasks, that they are
optional and just set them off to the side. They need to learn to balance their workload and complete all
tasks even if this means that they must work some extra hours.
No; it is nearly impossible to present everything to new teachers within the first 3 days. Some things have
to be explained as they happen in teaching the very first time around.
I can not think of anything at this time.
Not that I can think of. I was in the unique situation that my new teacher was not a brand new teacher.
She had been teaching for many years in another district, so she didn't need as much help/guidance as a
typical new teacher. I will say that I have been a mentor teacher before and I have been in the induction
program (over 10 years ago), and I think this program is EXTREMELY beneficial.

Mentor Teacher Open Ended Question #2:
What topics/activities would you
suggest be added to aid new
teachers in their first few years
within the BWSD?

26 responses

Truthfully, their needs to be an emphasis on interpersonal relationships. COVID set relationships back,
but even before that, I noticed a change in the relationships among teachers. Teachers definitely need
one another. We have to be open to both help and receive help.
In my opinion, they should observe willing teachers and discuss best practices, while training them on the
curriculum. We continue to throw new teachers "to the wolves" without any curriculum training and expect
them to feel successful on top of the many new tasks they must learn. I feel they need to have
opportunities to plan together with team members that teach the same topics (that may not be their
mentor). Teachers could observe them and provide feedback. New teachers should have manuals and
textbooks available to them prior to school starting. Over the past years it has caused more stress trying
to locate these materials/resources. If we are interviewing for new positions, then it is not a surprise we
need more resources for the new teacher and students. If they are board approved in July, I feel they
should be allowed to decorate their room earlier(which they would want to do) since they need to attend
the mandatory new teacher meetings on clerical time.
It is a good idea to participate in extracurricular activities. The kids enjoy seeing their teachers at events.
I think there should be an opportunity for new teachers to participate in observations of other faculty
within their own department and across the school.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

157

Canvas training- observations - time with mentor teacher day to day - working with difficult
parents/children expectations
I think the program should go more than the first year if a mentee is a brand new teacher. Newer teachers
often need support for longer than their first year. Furthermore, I think topics should be added that can be
specific to certain areas of certification. For instance, secondary Science teachers may find it helpful to go
through lab set up with their mentors and safety expectations regarding the labs. Physical Education
teachers may find it helpful to learn about the usual set up of their classes and how they are organized
with so many students. I also think that a lesson plan study could be beneficial to new teachers - to have
some feedback from a mentors.
This has improved but there’s so much info that first bit. So an outline of reaching tenure and what all
needs to be done with timelines really needs to be written out and hit harder. With switching principals
and there never ending list I’ve seen that get messed up numerous times before. Would just be helpful.
Alice/fire drills per building should be discussed in more detail those first days. We’ve had fire alarms
pulled in the first week of school, and shelter in places occur certain years where there was hardly any
conversation. A quick document of what all of the terms mean and the mentor teacher going into their
space and showing them should be required within the first week of school.
I think my mentee needed help with just general everyday housekeeping items (roll sheets, class size
tallies, fire drill procedures, ect.).
Canvas / Skyward / Etc
unknown
N/A
It's been several years since I participated in the new teacher program, but having been a mentor to both
new teachers and student teachers, I see student discipline and time management as the biggest
obstacles for new teachers at the elementary level. Fortunately, the teachers and student teachers that I
have mentored have all been wonderful at the teaching part. It's always these two areas that they
struggle with the most.
none
When I was a new teacher, we shared our "best practices" in the classroom. I found this helpful.
I think there should be more time built into the school day for observations within the classrooms - and
not just for the new teachers - but for all members of the department.
Administrators like Jill Salopek and currently, Shaun, have tried to make this work, but just logistically it is
difficult because of a shortage of teachers and substitutes.
It is so important though, that we are in each other's classrooms learning from each other and improving
our practice.
I think that new teachers need more encouragement to take part in extra curricular activities and school
wide events. I also think that new teachers need to be encouraged to bring new ideas to the table.
A comprehensive explanation of the PSER’s program is desperately needed. This should include the
importance and value is the 403B program
Classroom management strategies, work/life balance
Responding to parents appropriately - phone calls/emails. Interacting with staff - most new hires
completely ignore staff and walk right past them without saying hello or even making any
acknowledgment.
I think each building should create a "to do" list for setting up for the start of the school year: just a
comprehensive checklist of items that need completed within the first coupld weeks of school. For
example, locker lists, seating charts turned into office, building health information card to nurse, login for
various programs, room set-up, etc.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

158

Canvas and Skyward
Maybe the opportunity to observe other members within a department or other teachers within the school
if coverage permits it to happen.
More training for how to support ESL families with the educational process
Clearly identified roles of paraprofessionals in the classroom
I think that it would be beneficial for teachers to have time to observe other teachers to continue to learn
best strategies in teaching as well as classroom management. This really benefits all teachers regardless
of experience, however, I think it helps support newer teachers also.
Nothing at this time.
I can't think of any.

Mentor Teacher Open Ended Question #3:

What feedback can you provide
about the mentor/mentee aspect of
the NTIP? Please be honest
regarding potential areas of growth
and areas of strength within the
program.

29 responses

Mentor teachers need a short course on how to be an effective mentor...without the mentees present.
Things have changed a lot in the last few years. Expectations and guidelines need to be clear to the
mentor teacher so that information is passed to the mentee correctly.
Although I understand the accountability piece, but the paperwork involved should be lessened and
provide meaningful tasks such as planning together, reviewing curriculum and resource materials. I also
feel anyone, regardless of years to the district, should have a mentor teacher if they switch grade levels
or any academic area.
Time for mentor/mentees to work together. This could also provide time to focus on the
content/department related expectations.
From my experience, the chart with suggested topics need to be modified. Some of the topics were
unclear as to what was to be covered. When I participated in the NTIP, the program was not very
structured and I would have liked more guidance for both me and the new teacher.
It would be helpful to create a school based criteria for mentor teachers to address with mentees
A lot of the paperwork is not necessary. The in-service opportunities and time to work with the mentor
teacher is what is valuable time spent.
I think it is beneficial to pair up mentees with a mentor in their subject area. I do believe that most of the
time this is the case, however, I think it should be required.
I think having a contact person is important and honestly is a godsend. Attempting to match new people
with a content area and often someone in their building is beneficial. I was a mentor teacher unofficially to
a staff member because she was paired poorly and their mentor teacher didn’t work in her content area
and really couldn’t help with a lot of the tasks that happen in the first year because it was so different.
I felt much of the time that it was more of a burden on the mentee, than a positive experience. Many
times I felt my mentee was so overwhelmed and completing work for the NTIP was just another task.
Need more opportunities to meet and work thru issues that the new teacher may be having.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

159

Built in common time or blocked time for mentor/mentees to meet. Often times in my experience we
would meet in whatever quick time we could find, between classes, before school, text messages, etc.
Often times one topic could take 2 days (or more) to fully answer or explain (we met in 2-3 minute
increments in other words). Maybe more time in beginning of year vs end of year, but for new teachers
with several preps and lots of questions, even with a dedicated mentor, it is hard to find the time!
Understanding the demographics in Baldwin-Whitehall better allows new teachers to educate students in
a more appropriate way.
This was not my personal experience with my mentee, but I have heard from other newly hired teachers
that they feel the program is a waste of time. They feel they don't need to have a mentor or go through a
new teacher program. However, I did hear from one new hire this year that they appreciated the team
building activities and camaraderie that was developed from the crew this year. This person also found
the topics that were covered to be helpful. As with anything, you get out of it what you put into it.
I was a mentor teacher long ago and it has already improved a lot since then. At the time, I feel like we
didn't have enough time to meet.
This seemed very helpful. It's important for a new teacher to feel he/she can go talk to a specific person
for help without feeling like they are being a bother.
I think that we need more time to collaborate as teachers, and the only ways I can figure out that this
could happen is if we really look at the school day and building in more flexibility.
I was hopeful that Highlander Wednesdays would be used again, but in a different form.
Why couldn't we look at making Wednesdays - maybe even twice a month - as a flexible learning day?
We could have students moving around the building, working on their PBL projects with different
teachers, getting one on one help from certain teachers or learning remotely when applicable?
This would give teachers and students time to collaborate and learn from each other or work in areas that
interest them.
The schedule as it is now is rushed and fragmented, and I really think students would learn more if they
were able to choose a learning project, incorporate different skills from different classes, and have time to
work independently or with smaller groups.
I believe that the program is thorough, however, some of the extra meetings and materials could be
modified to elevate the workload.
I think the program works well and within the past few years I have seen significant change regarding the
topics/PD covered during the monthly meetings to meet the needs of the entering classes of new
teachers. I think the program does well to provide the new teachers with all they need to have a
comprehensive knowledge of the BW ways and operations.
A monthly open forum for new teachers to openly express their thought on teaching. This should include
a chance for new teachers to honestly vent the many hard parts of becoming a new teacher and the offer
overwhelming amount of work required.
It is very beneficial when the mentor/mentee teach the same content area - not only can you work
together on building level things but can also work closely on curriculum
I need to read the manual more often to review what is covered and what I must do as a mentor. It is up
to me to keep abreast of everything that is required.
The mentor and mentee have a great relationship and work with one another closely.
I thought it was a positive experience for both individuals. Some aspects could be handled now with
Google Meet (almost like a hybrid approach) with our advancements in technology.
I think it is a strong and comprehensive program. I think it is so helpful to the mentee to meet weekly with
the mentor teacher. The difficult part is finding time/running out of time with limited planning time.

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

160

I realize that there are certain situations that are unique. But, I do not feel like I am being as helpful to my
current mentee as I possibly could if we were in the same building.
I think that having the mentee write down questions or concerns weekly and meet with the mentor for
guidance is important as well as the mentor meeting regularly with the mentee.
If a teacher already has many years of experience coming to our district, an adapted program would be
beneficial.
I felt like the topics covered were appropriate and helped prepare the new teachers, but yet opened the
door for further conversation with their mentors.
I would say that it would be helpful for the mentor and new teacher to be in the same grade level with
common planning times. I understand why I was chosen (and I was happy to do it), but it was just difficult
because we really only got to talk during scheduled times.

Mentor Teacher Open Ended Question #4:
Please use the area below to provide
feedback on any aspect of the NTIP
that was not addressed or
15 responses
suggestions that you have to
improve the NTIP for future BWSD
new hires.
Any teacher new to the district, a subject, grade level, building, etc. truly needs a mentor. Maybe there
could be different levels of mentoring. I believe that most teachers are willing to help another teacher.
However, many times the "new" teacher is need of a great deal of time from a veteran teacher. Teachers
willing to do this should be compensated, not expected, not "voluntold" to help. This sets up an unfair
situation.
Time with mentor teacher perhaps some more opportunities for observations
Find a way to add some social activities! Not all mentees will get out of their own classrooms or building
areas, but if social activities were part of the program, mentees will have a direct route to making collegial
connections, which is so important.
I’d highly suggest a google form within the first month of topics teachers really need help on for some of
their meetings. I know having a schedule ahead of time is great but possibly their first meeting a month
after school has started having it be a bigger deal, principal from each building, someone from it,
someone from admin around to really answer questions would be useful.
I wish the mentee did not have as much to complete and the mentor could control “supervising” or the
paperwork side.
We need to include the current technology and programs that teachers use everyday.
Overall it is a great program that is well run!
N/A
Perhaps have them do more classroom observations of different teachers. I've always found it helpful to
get new ideas by observing others.
None.
Any supports we can offer new teachers are so important. Each school might find new ways to make new
teachers feel welcome. Even a bulletin board in the office reminding veteran teachers who is new. In a
building as large as the high school it’s easy to not even know who is new and who might need some
words of encouragement

CREATING A MEANINGFUL INDUCTION PROGRAM

161

Have a checklist to review that everything is complete prior to the start of a new hire's first day(added to
our email so they receive all information given to staff/access to Canvas/parking spot/chromebook set
up/id badge/phone updated/Skyward changes). It has been embarrassing when a new hire arrives to our
department and these essential items are not in place.
N/A
I think it would help to better prepare new teachers on the expectations for ESL students - not so much
the teaching in the classroom, but how to communicate with families and which programs are available to
help with this.
I would just like to say that I think this program is very important and helpful! I am always happy to
volunteer!