Agata's+Lit+Reviews


 * Wong, Harry K. (2004). Induction Programs That Keep New Teachers Teaching and Improving. // NASSP Bulletin //, 88(638), 41-58. **

Harry K. Wong (2004), a former high school science teacher, conducts an investigation of various American schools and school districts implementing successful induction programs. Research confirms that teacher qualification and acculturation lead to greater student success. Wong also maintains that teacher induction is a comprehensive and sustained process which enables teachers to become aware of their school and district missions and goals, as well as become guided and supported in their teaching practice and in their collaboration with other teachers. Furthermore, induction programs powered by principals are well-supported systems that should encourage lifelong, sustained professional development among teachers. While mentoring remains a large part of induction, Wong is clear about the difference between induction and mentoring, stating that comprehensive and successful induction programs involve a more extensive support system for beginning teachers, rather than only assigning a veteran teacher to a beginning teacher.

Wong’s findings implicate student achievement, not unlike the findings in the study conducted by Gonzalez and Sosa (1993). As much of our research alludes to, over 50% of new teachers will leave within their first five years. Our study will incorporate Wong’s findings in the implications of teacher retention and attrition.


 * Wong, Harry K. (2001, August 8). Mentoring Can’t Do It All: New Teachers Learn Best From Systematic Induction Programs. // Education Week //, 20(43), 46-50. **

Harry K. Wong (2001), a former high school science teacher, once again focuses on the differences between mentoring and induction as he investigates and evaluates several induction programs offered across American schools and school districts. He maintains that strong induction programs are systematic and longitudinal in their efforts, as opposed to the brief and ineffective contact a beginning teacher may have with a mentor. His research shows that teachers matched up solely with mentors improved minimally, as the mentor merely aided in reflection practices. On the other hand, Wong claims that training, support, and retention are the three major components in establishing systematic induction programs, and when done well, this kind of induction can strengthen and even positively change schools and teachers. In his research, the cooperative, structured, and sustained programs were most successful in terms of novice teacher success.

Wong’s findings are helpful to our study in that we can compare and contrast the many types of induction programs being implemented across America, especially with the programs mentioned in Holloway’s (2001) and Doerger’s (2003) work.


 * Tillman, B.A. (2000). Quiet leadership: Informal mentoring of beginning teachers. // Momentum //, (31)1, 24-26. **

Beverly A. Tillman (2000), an associate professor of teacher education at the University of Dayton in Ohio, contends that there is a need for informal, or secondary, mentoring in beginning teachers’ formative years, especially when combined with formal, systematic programs that are already in place. Her research shows that engaging with a secondary mentor who works off campus can extend the support, communication, and trust necessary for proper mentorship and beginning teacher development. In her studies, beginning teachers admit to feeling utterly overwhelmed within the first week of school, largely due to the fact that novice teachers are faced with many of the same challenges as twenty-year veteran teachers, only without the skills and experience that they have. The beginning teachers studied gladly welcomed the additional support, as informal mentoring can provide a lifeline based on dialogue and sharing as opposed to the anxiety-induced observations and evaluations that formal mentors often partake in; the multiple forms of mentoring helped teachers feel more confident and reassured in their teaching.

Tillman’s findings are beneficial to our study, as we hypothesize that informal mentoring will play a large role in our subjects’ mentoring experiences; her studies have helped us gain an understanding of the unofficial mentoring available to beginning teachers. Unlike Wong’s (2001, 2004) work, which focuses on systematic, structured mentoring, Tillman offers a new perspective for our study.


 * Gonzales, F. & Sosa, A. S. (1993, March). How Do We Keep Teachers In Our Classrooms? The TNT Response. // IDRA Newsletter //, 1, 6-9. **

Frank Gonzales, Ph.D., and Alicia Salinas Sosa, Ph.D., (1993) performed an evaluative study of a project entitled Teachers Need Teachers (TNT), developed by the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA). Their study was inspired by the Texas State Board of Education rule 149.22, which calls for all beginning teachers to be assigned a mentor. In their study, the beginning, bilingual education classroom teachers in five Texan school districts, were assigned a mentor with whom they would meet regularly, and recording each meeting in a mentoring log. Two semesters’ worth of log entries were tabulated, from 1991-1992, and the findings showed that particular mentoring topics were emphasized based on school calendar year occurrences. For instance, mentoring based on lesson planning and classroom management was critical in the fall, whereas assistance with report cards and parent communication was critical in the springtime. Furthermore, Gonzales and Sosa found that the mentoring process was valuable and beneficial to beginning teachers. They conclude with several recommendations for future induction programs, reiterating that providing the best instruction possible will make a difference in students’ lives, and will help teachers enjoy the profession, prolonging many teaching careers.

This study helps us understand the various phases which beginning teachers undergo in their first year of teaching. Gonzales and Sosa refer to Moir’s (1990) Phases of First Year Teaching, including Anticipation, Survival, Disillusionment, Rejuvenation, Reflection, and Anticipation. Not unlike Scott’s (2000) findings, which state that beginning teachers’ needs shift as the school year progresses, Gonzales and Sosa highlight the many challenges beginning teachers must overcome.


 * Holloway, John H. (2001). The Benefits of Mentoring. // Educational Leadership //, 58(8), 85-86. **

John H. Holloway (2001), Project Director for Educational Testing Services in Princeton, New Jersey, conducted a study of several mentoring programs across America. His research shows that both mentors and their protégés respond favourably to the mentoring process; however, to be effective, mentors need a support system themselves. Holloway’s studies show that not only do prospective mentors benefit from learning about their expectations and duties, but also their protégés become more successful as a result. Moreover, upon evaluation of the several mentoring programs in review, those with a clear framework and structure had the most positive influence on the mentors and their protégés.

Similar to Wong’s (2001, 2004) findings that indicate that structured and systematic induction programs are most successful, Holloway’s research indicates the same conclusions. Holloway’s research is critical to our study, as it sheds light onto the mentor’s expectations, obligations, and needs, rather than focusing solely on the beginning teachers’ experiences.


 * Odell, S. J & Ferraro, D. P. (1992). Teacher Mentoring and Teacher Retention. // Journal of Teacher Education //, (43), 3, 200-204. **

Sandra J. Odell and Douglas P. Ferraro (1992), an associate professor from the Department of Education and Professional Development, and the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, respectively, at Western Michigan University, published results of a study that examined two cohorts of K-5 beginning teachers four years after their initial, mentored teaching year. Findings included that approximately 96% of teachers located were still teaching. Furthermore, of all the types of support received, such as instructional, resources, or management, the teachers most valued the emotional support provided by their mentors. Their research shows that, although mentoring alone cannot retain beginning teachers, as there are a host of other factors including environmental, psychological, and demographic considerations, teacher mentoring may help reduce the early attrition of beginning teachers.

Although our study does not aim to look at beginning teacher attrition rates, the knowledge this study provides about the emotional support necessitated by new teachers is valuable. Similar to the ideas that Gonzales and Sosa (1993) and Scott (2000) focus on, teachers’ needs shift throughout the year, but a most concerted effort must be made in terms of their emotional and personal development.


 * Doerger, Daniel (2003). The Importance of Beginning Teacher Induction in Your School. // International Electronic Journal for Leadership in Learning //, // 7 // . Retrieved from http://www.ucalgary.ca/iejll/+Daniel+W.+Doerger **

Daniel Doerger (2003), an assistant professor at Indiana University East, has conducted a review of literature surrounding the issues of induction. His main focus encompasses the notion that as more induction programs are being mandated by state and nation, it is important to review the content of these programs. His research shows that some programs simply attempt to fulfill mandated requirements instead of actually trying to help new teachers in their beginning years.

Furthermore, although the benefits to mentoring often outweigh the drawbacks, Doerger finds several weaknesses in many programs. Weaknesses include: · a one-size-fits-all mentality · a lack of time to implement these programs effectively · a surplus of induction activities that leave teachers burnt out · a fostering of competition among beginning teachers · a neglect to acknowledge teachers’ real needs · a neglect to accommodate teachers’ personal development · a lack of funding

Doerger explores several important issues for our study, as our hypothesis focuses on the value of induction programs, and Doerger’s study sheds light on the areas that are lacking within induction. This contrast will be valuable for our work.


 * Scott, Neil H. (2000). Four Years Later: Issues in Teacher Induction. **

Neil H. Scott (2000), from the University of New Brunswick, published results of a 4-year study of the New Brunswick Beginning Teacher Induction Program (BTIP) from 1995-1999. Findings show that beginning teachers benefit most from induction programs in the first two years of teaching. Furthermore, similar to Doerger’s (2003) findings, a single induction program cannot meet every teacher’s needs. In addition, his research found that there are often issues in matching up mentors with beginning teachers, as the teachers who are available to mentor may not have a classroom in close proximity to the beginning teacher, or may not have a similar course load assignment, leaving the teachers only the most general educational issues to discuss, and no common place to discuss them. Moreover, as Gonzalez and Sosa (1993) comment, the needs of the beginning teacher change as the year evolves; technical and information concerns dominate the early agenda, whereas emotional support and professional assistance increase later on.

Scott’s work is valuable to our study, as it is placed in a Canadian context, and is therefore relevant. Furthermore, the study extends Kilcher’s (1999) work, which outlines the four stages of induction programs: Orientation, Initiation, Consolidation, and Collegial Collaboration, showing, once again, the transformation that new teachers undergo in their formative years. Scott’s work also provides a look ahead, as he comments on the development of administrator induction programs for future educational leaders.