Darren's+Lit+Reviews

Linda Molner Kelly (2004) from the University of Colorado at Boulder published results of a study that looked at the long-term retention of novice teachers who participated in an induction partnership between the University of Colorado and six school districts. She hypothesized that providing new teachers with quality induction programs may mitigate significant teacher attrition and thus will have an impact on staffing issues being faced by U.S. schools. She tracked ten cohorts of teacher inductees into their fifth year of teacher researching the components of their program that may have impacted retention. The primary induction program that Kelly focuses on is the Partnership in Education (PIE) program. Components of this program are: The findings of Kelly’s research show that such programs are effective in raising teacher competence and retention rates. Kelly’s research extends Ingersoll’s (2001) findings that indicate that more than a third of beginning teachers leave the profession during the first three years, and almost half leave after five years. Although our study will not specifically look at retention rates of teachers, the detailed description of these components will be useful when compared to other teacher induction program elements from our study. The experiences expressed by our subjects can be used as an indicator to infer Kelly’s finding onto local contexts.
 * Kelly, L. M. (2004). Why induction matters. //Journal of Teacher Education,// 55(5), 438-448. **
 * reflective teaching practices
 * individual mentoring from an expert teacher each week
 * frequent networking with other novice teachers
 * inquiry-based graduate study tailored to each teacher’s professional needs and classroom situation

Associate Professor Jian Wang (2008) and Professor and Chair Sandra J. Odell, of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Dr. Sharon A. Schwille a senior academic specialist from Michigan State University, East Lansing perform a critical review of the literature that dates back to 1997 on the effects of teacher induction on beginning teachers’ conceptions and practice of teaching. The literature is analyzed from three approaches: The cumulative nature of this study by Wang et al. provides our study with a large background of work based upon teacher induction programs: Their work summarizes and comments upon aspects of teacher induction that we will be able to compare and contrast to our findings. This study shows that the effects on actual teacher practice and student achievement resulting from teacher induction programs is one that has not effectively been looked upon. They suggest possible direction for future research which we will be able to use to provide perspective to our findings.
 * Wang, J., Odell, S. J., Schwille, S. A. (2008). Effects of teacher induction on beginning teachers' teaching: A critical review of the literature. //Journal of Teacher Education,// 59(2), 132-152. **
 * effects of teacher induction components on beginning teachers’ teaching
 * effects through teacher’ self-reports
 * effects of using multiple data sources
 * various teacher mentoring models
 * lesson-based observation and conversations
 * workshops and ongoing supports
 * collaboration of beginning teachers
 * content-focused induction

Peter Youngs (2007) from Michigan State University used case studies from 2000-2001 based upon two urban high-poverty Connecticut districts to explore how variations in teacher induction delivery affected the experience of beginning teachers. Furthermore, the focus of the study was to look at how the understanding of teaching induction by mentors, principals, and other educators mediates the effects of such programs. Their findings show that difference in induction experience were related to district policy involving mentor selection, mentor assignment, and professional development. The relevance of these results suggest that teacher induction design by districts should look beyond the components of any particular program and examine the role of district leadership, district size, local teacher unions, and teacher mobility on induction policies and practices. Youngs' research gives our study another perspective to look at in examining our experience in the local context.
 * Youngs, P. (2007). District induction policy and new teachers' experiences: An examination of local policy implementation in **** Connecticut **** . //Teachers College Record//, 109(4), 797-836. **


 * Smith, T.M., & Ingersoll, R. M . (2004). What are the effects of induction and mentoring on beginning teacher turnover? //American Educational Research Journal,// ** **41(3), 681-714.**

Thomas M. Smith (2004) from Vanderbilt University and Richard M. Ingersoll from the University of Pennsylvania look at data from the 1999-2000 Schools and Staffing Survey, which involves all beginning teachers in the United States, to study whether teacher induction has a positive effect on retention of beginning teachers. They hypothesized that there is a direct relationship between teacher induction, beginning teacher retention/turnover, school staffing problems, and school performance. The findings also draw a connection between the financial cost to not only beginning teacher loss, but also poor school performance. Their findings show that beginning teachers who were provided with mentors form the same subject field and who participated in collective induction activities, such as planning and collaboration with other teachers, were less likely to move to other schools and less likely to leave the teaching occupation after their first year of teaching. These findings are congruent with those of Youngs, Wang, and Kelly. These particular components will be looked into in detail with our study. Additionally a look at the financial consideration of delivery and result of teacher induction will be an interesting angle to take in looking at our local context.

Gillian H. Roehrig (2006) and Julie A. Luft from the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Michigan and Arizona State University respectively used a qualitative study to understand the induction experience of sixteen beginning science teachers. The study’s intent was to see if there is a difference in science teachers' induction experiences due to different teacher preparation training received by the subjects in the study. The teacher induction program used in the study was the Alternative Support for Induction Science Teachers (ASIST). The findings indicated that the pre-service training of a science teacher influenced the type of support the teacher derived from their induction program. Although the varied pre-service experience in the United States is not the same practice here in B.C., comparisons to specific groups in the study most in-line with our policies would likely be helpful in our study.
 * Roehrig, G. H., & Luft, J. A. (2006). Does one size fit all? The induction experience of beginning science teachers from different teacher-preparation programs. //Journal of Research in Science Teaching//, 43(9), 963-985. **

Richard M. Ingersoll (2003) and Thomas M. Smith from the University of Pennsylvania and Vanderbilt University report on their findings using data from the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) and the Teacher Followup Survey (TFS). They focus specifically on beginning teachers and the reasons for their attrition. The researchers assert that the teacher shortage is not primarily caused by increase in student enrolment and retirement, but teacher attrition plays a significant role. Looking deeper into the research they found that working conditions within schools and districts is the root of the teacher attrition. This research is a precursor to looking further into addressing the problem of teacher attrition and suggests mentoring as an area of exploration, which is supported by Tillman (2000) and Gilles (2009). Our research will look at the mentoring experience as well as other forms in the teacher induction process.
 * Ingersoll, R. M., & Smith, T. M. (2003, May). The wrong solution to the teacher shortage. //Educational Leadership,// 30-33. **


 * Ingersoll, R. M. (2001). A //different approach to solving the teacher shortage problem.// (Teaching Quality Brief No. 3). Seattle, WA: Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy, University of Washington. **

Same stuff as previous article…