Teacher Induction -

To structure our program for teachers, Supporting Beginning Teachers (Boogren, 2022) and Coaching for Educator Wellness (Boogren, 2021) provide the foundation to prepare our candidates and mentors.  The components guiding our work and the process design are site based, and implementation of our model is ongoing.  The researched-based seminar topics gleaned from these resources guide both our process design and implementation, for both candidates and mentors.  Our vision is consistent with preparing educators for California public schools and the effective implementation of California’s adopted standards and curricular frameworks.

Beginning with an intake meeting with induction leadership prior to the beginning of the school year, candidates are provided with a basic program description and share their induction development plan from their credentialing program.  That plan provides introductory information necessary for mentor pairing and developing professional learning opportunities that meet the needs of new teachers. 

Teacher candidates are provided a handbook and an overview of activities and submission timelines at the initial meeting at the beginning of the school year.  They are apprised of the process of earning a clear credential.  The grievance process and other program-specific processes are also included.  Candidates, their mentors, and their site administrators are provided regular updates on program completion to help ensure that progress towards the clear credential is maintained.

The California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP) provide the foundation for all reflection and activities in which the teacher candidates are engaged.  From an initial self-reflection utilizing the Continuum of Teaching Practice to the development of Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) goals, teacher candidates identify their strengths and areas for focus.  ILP goals are reviewed throughout their time in induction and are revised or changed as needed.  Participation in a symposium at the end of each school year allows teacher candidates to share their growth and areas of focus with other teacher candidates, mentors, and administrators.

Administrator Induction -

To structure our program for administrators, Dare to Lead (Brown, 2018) provides the foundation for coach training and support. The skills that the coaches learn in a safe environment are then shared with the candidates. This provides supporting to beginning administrators as they move into a leadership role including honing their skills in empathy and supporting their growth in resilience. Learning to both give and receive feedback is developed through guided practice. As stated on p. 241, "We have to teach people how to land before they jump. When you go skydiving, you spend a lot of upfront time jumping off a ladder and learning to hit the ground without hurting yourself... The same is true in leadership - we can't expect people to be brave and risk failure if they're not prepped for hard landings."

Beginning with an intake meeting with induction leadership prior to the beginning of the school year, candidates are provided with a basic program description. The Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources also meets with each new administrator and uses knowledge of the pool of coaches as well as the experiences and personality of the new administrator to pair them with a coach.

Administrator candidates are provided a handbook and an overview of activities and submission timelines at the initial meeting at the beginning of the school year.  They are apprised of the process of earning a clear credential.  The grievance process and other program-specific processes are also included.  Candidates, their coaches, and their site administrators are provided regular updates on program completion to help ensure that progress towards the clear credential is maintained.

The California Professional Standards for Education Leaders (CPSEL) provide the foundation for all reflection and activities in which the administrator candidates are engaged.  From an initial self-reflection utilizing the Descriptions of Practice to the development of Individualized Induction Plan (IIP) goals, administrator candidates identify their strengths and areas for focus.  IIP goals are reviewed throughout their time in induction and are revised or changed as needed.  Participation in a benchmark assessment at the end of year 1 allows administrator candidates to share their growth and areas of focus with other candidates, coaches, and administrators. Participating in the summative assessment at the end of year 2 provides the final demonstration of mastery of the CPSEL.