One of the most pressing issues facing policymakers is how to staff classrooms with a stable teaching force responsive to complex student needs and the growing demands of the knowledge economy. Recurrent teacher shortages are a function of both declines in entrants to teaching and high rates of teacher attrition, especially in low-income schools.…

Case studies of six school districts point to ineffective, even detrimental teacher selection practices (recruitment limitations, screening criteria biases, hiring irregularities, and traumatic teacher orientations) and suggest ways for policymakers to help districts attract, employ, and retain talented teachers. Includes eight references. (MLH)

Substitutes might never be as good as regular teachers, but they still can provide high-quality instruction. Suggestions include meeting with them as a group twice a year, principal and peer support, and development workshops specifically for substitutes. (TE)

The major purposes of this literature review were to locate and describe existing programs that assist beginning teachers, and to describe the evaluation of these programs. Of particular interest was literature in which the problems of beginning teachers were described. Literature covering the following topics is reviewed: (1) why extended teacher…

The lists presented in this volume include individuals and institutions that may serve as resources to educators developing or modifying programs to assist beginning teachers. These lists were generated by contracts made in the course of the study of induction programs for beginning teachers. The first list is of locations and directors of the…

Attempting to address the unique situation of beginning teachers and respond to increasing interest in teacher training, certification, support systems, and teacher empowerment, the Select Seminar for Beginning Teachers drew together 11 new teachers, 4 returning teachers, and 5 administrators from 16 school districts in upstate New York. This…

This study attempted to elicit and organize the experience of 164 teachers who had served as mentors of novice teachers in the third year of the New York State Mentor Teacher-Internship Program. The three basic aspects of the mentoring experience investigated were: (1) the characteristics of individual mentors; (2) the activities of mentoring; and…

Participants in the "Beyond the Looking Glass" Conference established a set of objectives for each of the three teacher education constituencies: practice, policy, and research. The teacher education continuum of preservice, induction, and inservice served as one dimension of a framework for structuring dialogue, discussion, and…

The Digest of Helping Programs presented in this volume describes exemplary support programs for beginning teachers in the United States. Twenty-four programs are included, of which four are described in considerable detail. Comprehensive descriptions are given of the following programs: (1) The Stanford University Intern Program; (2) The Resident…

The purpose of this book is to help practitioners and policy makers understand how important it is to assist beginning teachers, and what it involves in terms of policy, procedures, pitfalls, personnel, price in time and money, and prospects. The book is divided into the following chapters: (1) "Beginning Teacher Assistance Programs: An…

Four suggestions are offered for making teachers' first year on the job more than just a test of endurance: provide adequate supplies, make assignments carefully, do not overload them, and provide a support system. (TE)

This monograph reflects the perspective that programs for beginning teachers should include some broader goal of enhancing the status and image of the entire profession. This approach links goals and activities for beginning teachers with goals and activities for other individuals, organizations, and institutions. Chapter 1 discusses interactions…

A synthesis is presented of the outcomes of the "Beyond the Looking Glass" Conference which brought together educational practitioners, policy makers, and researchers to make concrete suggestions for what should be done to improve the conditions, processes, and effects of teacher education. Three major points of agreement formed the…

The potentialities of the beginning teacher can best be realized by a high level of interaction and collaboration with experienced teachers and understanding administrators. When new teachers start their work, the procedural aspects should be minimized and the pedagogical responsibilities emphasized, with immediate support being provided from the…

This summary report on the Study of Induction Programs for Beginning Teachers offers insights on the findings of the study. Two kinds of programs were studied: preservice internship programs, and induction programs. A discussion is given on what the study revealed about the experiences of beginning teachers in the transition period from students…