Consistent with educational reform efforts and the premise of teacher involvement, a collaborative state-wide effort was initiated by the New Hampshire State Department of Education to provide opportunities for skilled, experienced teachers to mentor new teachers during a 1-year induction period. This paper details the Mascoma Valley Regional…

A strategy was developed at Montana State University to ensure future employment for their preservice teacher education students. The emphasis is upon a full utilization of networking and mentoring for the students beginning as freshmen in college. The college suggests a seven-step approach to finding future employment which involves both…

This study investigates beginning teacher induction programs; what is known about experienced teachers acting as mentors; what mentors do and how they think about their work; and what novices learn from their interactions with them. This case study describes how one support teacher, Pete Frazer, a 30-year veteran, defines and enacts his role with…

Development and implementation processes of the Beginning Educator Support and Training (BEST) program, a teacher evaluation and support system in Connecticut, are described. Purposes of the BEST teacher induction program include facilitating the acquisition of effective teaching behaviors, supporting new teachers, and developing veteran teachers'…

The following articles are included in this publication on beginning teacher induction: (1) "The Teacher Induction Process: Preserving the Old and Welcoming the New. An Introduction" (Judy Reinhartz); (2) "A Synthesis of Research on Teacher Induction Programs and Practices" (Leslie Huling-Austin); (3)…

To what extent and in what ways do issues about content and the teaching and learning of content figure in the conversations between novices and their mentors? This paper explores that question by means of four cases drawn from a large data set about two different first-year teacher programs, an induction program sponsored by a university and a…

This study examines one outcome of the Professional Development School (PDS) model - the preparation of beginning teachers - documenting the relationship between participation in a PDS teacher preparation program and subsequent teaching practices. Five graduates of one PDS program who had taught for 3-6 years in non-PDS K-12 schools completed four…

This paper describes types of university supports available for mentoring in one school district. The district created a unique mentoring program to aid first- through third-year teachers in developing pedagogy, professional skills, and characteristics that would enable them to succeed in teaching. The program was developed for preservice teachers…

This practicum was designed to assist 13 newly hired special education teachers to function more effectively. Data indicated that newly hired teachers, who were non-certified teachers, teachers who were certified but working out of their area of certification, and first year teachers, did not know how to work with children with special needs,…

In a study of school-based support services given to beginning teachers, three major categories of support were explored: (1) formal support, including school, school district, and teacher center related activities; (2) informal support, including professional books and articles; and (3) job-embedded support, entailing workload modifications and…

Presents the reflections of beginning music teachers taken from 20 interviews. Focuses on the biggest challenges they faced, successful teaching strategies and methods, mentor programs and social support systems, effective professional growth experiences, important aspects of teacher preparation, and their views of the future. (CMK)

Reviews the literature on mentoring teachers, focusing on bilingual and bicultural education and emphasizing issues relevant in urban settings. An interactive model of mentoring is proposed in which bilingual teachers, whether mentors or new teachers, can share perspectives sorely needed in this age of increasing cultural diversity. (SLD)

Teaching portfolios are becoming the most effective tool to improve new and seasoned teachers' instruction via a supportive, convincing evaluation method. In taking a concentrated three days to write a creditable portfolio, a new teacher feels more competent to think about teaching. The portfolio's process of written reflection invokes the power…

Describes four community college peer mentoring programs implemented at Niagara County Community College (New York) to update faculty members' skills, promote cross-discipline cooperation, improve new/adjunct faculty teaching, and improve teaching skills through interdisciplinary mentor teams. Analyzes results of the peer mentor projects. (MAB)

The University of Maine redesigned its teacher preparation program to emphasize field experiences, occurring every semester, that gradually socialize students into the teacher role, provide a support system for preservice teachers, and lessen the transitional shock often suffered by beginning teachers. Student comments are included. (SV)