Mentoring and Induction Standards

The teacher induction and mentoring program is designed and implemented to specifically meet local and state standards for teaching and learning.

The Teacher Induction and Mentoring Program:

• Provides a clearly stated vision, mission, and set of purposes and goals;
• Articulates selection criteria and a support process for mentor teachers;
• Connects the teacher induction and mentoring program, as adopted by a locally agreed upon representative group of stakeholders, with identified local context reflected in the school setting;
• Identifies the roles and responsibilities of participants and stakeholders;
• Focuses on assistance and support of the new teacher; Articulates a program that is a multi-year effort and part of a continuum of learning;
• Builds on a vision and philosophy of teacher growth and development that addresses unique teacher needs and learning styles; and
• Focuses on the teaching and learning standards as reflected in Michigan’s documents.

Professional development opportunities for new teachers and mentors meet quality professional development standards.

The Teacher Induction and Mentoring Program:

• Focuses teacher's learning toward and supports student learning;
• Offers a variety of effective professional development strategies used to meet a teacher's continuous learning cycle;
• Demonstrates a connection to the best teaching and learning practice and research on effective teacher induction, including a developmental approach to the coaching and support of teachers; and
• Provides an Individual Professional Development Plan through a coordinated record-keeping and accountability system.

Administrative policy is explicit in providing time, equity of responsibility, and personnel to design, implement, and maintain the local teacher induction and mentoring program.

The Teacher Induction and Mentoring Program:

• Implements essential and effective policy and practice at the building and district level to support mentoring and induction programs;
• Provides oversight of adequate time, equitable responsibility, and experienced personnel at the building level to ensure the success of the mentoring program; and
• Assures all policies recognize and respect the confidentiality essential to the mentor/mentee relationship.

The teacher induction and mentoring program is comprised of, and functions through, a well-informed community of learners.

The Teacher Induction and Mentoring Program:

• Identifies roles, responsibilities, and expectations of all stakeholders; Articulates and promotes the benefits of teacher induction and mentoring support to all stakeholders;
• Describes a plan for continuous learning, reflection, and dialogue that occurs throughout the learning community; and
• Provides assurance that all interaction between mentor and new teacher is held in confidence.

Cultural proficiency, which means esteeming cultures, knowing how to learn about individual and organizational culture, and interacting effectively in a variety of cultural environments, is a program component.

The Teacher Induction and Mentoring Program:

• Encourages the adaptation of an individual's values and behaviors and the organization's policies and practices to acknowledge, accept, and respect differences;
• Assesses one's own and the organization's (district, school, classroom) culture; and
• Attends to and manages the dynamics of difference.

Initial and ongoing evaluation of the teacher induction and mentoring process is a program component.

The Teacher Induction and Mentoring Program:

• Presents a well-defined evaluation plan inclusive of multiple data types;
• Provides a timeline for preparation and presentation of evaluation reports; and
• Describes the process for gathering, reviewing, and analyzing evaluation data and providing timely program adjustments.