BTIP Manual
The Beginning Teacher Internship Program was established by the legislature in 1987. The program was implemented the following year. Since then, thousands of teachers have been inducted into the teaching profession working collegially with mentors dedicated to helping them succeed. Numerous studies have indicated that the program is succeeding in meeting its goals -- producing better teachers, reducing teacher attrition rates and aiding in school reform in Indiana.
TWO IMPORTANT PROGRAM DEFINITIONS
BEGINNING TEACHER - A beginning teacher meets the following requirements: He/She possesses an Indiana Standard teaching license, or a reciprocal license (Reciprocal licenses are acquired because of training in another state). This license must have been acquired after March 31, 1988. The internship teaching assignment must be for at least one half day (three clock hours).
LOCAL PLAN - Each school corporation or accredited private school Local Plan describes specific details of the Internship Program as applied to the particular needs of the local school corporation. This plan, officially adopted by the governing body, is reviewed during the accreditation process.
The Local Plan must include:
Each beginning teacher, mentor and principal must have access to the corporation's Local Plan. Each beginning teacher is required by law to receive a copy of the Local Plan. The state's laws, rules and recommendations provide a framework for the internship experience, but it is the Local Plan which provides specific details, dates and procedures.
As mentioned, the roles of each participant in the program must be listed in the Local Plan. However, each person's role may go well beyond what can be written in a plan. In many Indiana programs:
| The Principal is: | The Mentor is: | The Beginning Teacher is: |
| The Legal Agent (summative evaluative) | A Coach | Fully Licensed |
| Mentor Selector (usually) | A School Culture Expert | A Teacher/Learner |
| A Formative Support Resource | Accessible | Responsible for learning school culture |
| An Orientor | A Confidant | A Documentor |
| Periodic Evaluator (formal) | A Teacher/Learner | Fully legally entitled |
| Coordinator of Beginning Teacher/Mentor Relationship | A Documentor | |
| A Social Intermediary | ||
| A Peer |
The Division of Teacher Induction welcomes your inquiries and requests; you may contact us at:
Beginning Teacher Internship Program
Indiana Professional Standards Board
101 W. Ohio St. Suite 300
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-1953
(317) 232-9010
Fax: 317-232-9023
ADMINISTERING A BEGINNING TEACHER/MENTOR PROGRAM
The Internship Program fosters strong relationships among faculty, makes formative evaluation easier for the administrator, and improves staff morale. The program establishes a very distinct format for the induction of the beginning teacher and makes the sometimes difficult task of summative evaluation (the principal's responsibility) much simpler.
Who Must Be Enrolled In an Internship Program?
New teachers with standard licenses issued after March 1988 must complete an internship. Reciprocal license holders also generally qualify. Limited license holders do not. HOWEVER, a possessor of a standard AND limited license must be enrolled in the program. For further clarification, the following information may be helpful.
People Who Are In Internships --
Media Specialists do hold standard teaching licenses and, therefore, do serve internships. Those who hold School Services Licenses such as speech clinicians or guidance counselors do NOTserve internships.
Under current rules, only one internship is served. If a person changes teaching subjects, there is no second internship requirement. Those who hold only Limited Teaching Licenses do not meet the qualifications for internships. Further, teaching experience under a limited license does not waive the internship requirement. Those who hold a limited and a standard license must serve an internship. Those with Occupational Specialist Licenses (vocational education) are not enrolled in the Internship Program.
If a teacher meets all the eligibility requirements for an Indiana license, the license will be mailed soon after the arrival of application materials at the Professional Standards Board's office. If a candidate does not possess a license by August 1 and is a May graduate, hiring officials should be concerned. The beginning teacher, the principal and the central office of the school corporation should all be actively involved in discovering why the teacher has no license and begin addressing the situation before October 1, the deadline date for the principal to submit the internship form.
Teachers who have graduated from an Indiana college but who have not begun the application process by October 1 may encounter problems which will jeopardize timely licensure.
It is very common for persons who graduated from an institution out-of-state to have difficulty getting all requirements satisfied quickly. Funding is not provided and internships will not count for those who do not hold Indiana licenses. If there is any doubt whatsoever as to a beginning teacher's eligibility for the Internship Program, administrators should contact the Professional Standards Board's Division of Teacher Licensing.
SUGGESTIONS FOR PRINCIPALS AFTER ENROLLING A BEGINNING TEACHER
Research into Indiana's Internship Program reveals that success stems from the following:
| Conduct orientation conferences before the teacher's first day of class. | |
| Be sure the mentor and beginning teacher are familiar with programs. Give the beginning teacher a class schedule, work environment, extra-curricular load, and other working conditions which will allow a novice a reasonable chance for success. | |
| Hold the principal's first observation and conference early in the teacher's employment period. | |
| Match teaching styles of the mentor and beginning teacher and try to choose a mentor in close physical proximity to the beginning teacher. If the choice is between subject area and proximity, choose proximity. | |
| Provide participants with copies of the internship Local Plan. | |
| Early in the fall make specific plans for the year for classroom observations for mentors and beginning teachers. | |
| Provide improvement ideas as well as praise for beginning teachers who are doing very well. | |
| Give specific suggestions for new teachers with problems rather than stating generalities like "poor discipline." | |
| Be sure to follow Sec.5 (e) of the Internship Program rule by giving a copy of recorded suggestions to the beginning teacher and mentor after each principal's observation and conference. | |
| Provide continuity among principal's periodic evaluations - make sure there is a link from past to present to future. | |
| Provide coordination between the principal's suggestions and the mentor's efforts. | |
| Hold at least four principal's observations and conferences. | |
| Assign a mentor before the beginner's first day in the classroom. | |
| Clarify with the mentor that observations are an expected, not optional, part of his/her responsibilities. | |
| Establish a plan for regular meetings. This will ensure continuity, consistency and greater security for the beginner. |
To complete internship requirements, a teacher must complete at least one legal school year. This generally means no less than 120 days of actual teaching.
A teacher hired late in the year or who is on a temporary contract can complete the internship if he/she is able to show minimum competency, and is employed for at least 120 days. Teachers may start an internship at the end of one traditional school year and complete it the next.
The Professional Standards Board defines a school day for a beginning teacher as a three clock-hour period. Partial credit for the internship may be granted for lesser times, by permission of the program director.
Public school corporations receive a $600 stipend for each mentor and a released time payment for each beginning teacher serving an internship. Mentors will be paid for only one Beginning Teacher, unless special arrangements are approved by the program directors. To secure this funding, the principal must present a Beginning Teacher Internship Program teacher enrollment form to the Professional Standards Board by October 1 or within 15 days of the teacher's employment. The Professional Standards Board will verify each beginning teacher's eligibility. Mentor stipends for traditional school year mentors are generally issued in early March. Public schools may apply for released time money, based upon the monies available from the Professional Standards Board and according to claim instructions provided to each fiscal officer.
In January the Professional Standards Board mails a "Preliminary Report" to all corporation offices. This report lists beginning teachers, their mentors, and the beginner's licensure status. A school representative verifies the data and contacts the state program director if corrections are needed. If the enrollment form is received by the October 1 deadline, then checks will be issued in March. Checks for enrollment forms received after October 1 will be issued in July. The payments are treated as salary and, thus, subject to regular payroll deductions. The mentor stipend is accounted for by using the bottom ("extracurricular assignment" section) of the Uniform Teacher's Contract.
When beginning teachers are hired late in the year or leave employment before the end of the school year, adjustments may be required in the internship stipend. During the typical program, mentors work more intensively early in the internship. Thus, the stipend amount may vary. School administrators with questions should consult with the program director regarding such cases.
End-Of-Year Decisions and Due Process
Passing and Failing
The failure of a beginning teacher is a major source of concern for everyone. In the back of virtually every beginning teacher's mind will probably reside the question -- "What happens if I fail; if I do, what are my rights?" Administrators should make beginners aware of these facts:
Of course, these numbers are small comfort for those in the minority group. The point, however, is that for principals and beginners the "what if" question raises considerable anxiety. For principals, the following information is important to convey.
FIRST DECISION: INTERNSHIP
By May 1, the principal determines whether or not the beginning teacher has successfully completed the internship. This decision is made by marking each criterion on the Beginning Teachers Assessment Inventory as "yes" or "no." If all eight criteria are marked "yes," minimum competency is established, and the intern is successful. A single "no" signifies an unsuccessful internship.
SECOND DECISION: LOCAL EMPLOYMENT
At the end of the school year, the beginner's principal must make a second decision - whether the teacher will continue to be employed in the corporation. This decision will comply with the corporation's regular employment policies and Indiana statutes.
Since these two decisions are considered separate under law:
DUE PROCESS
If a principal has decided to recommend non-renewal of a teacher's contract in the corporation, the decision may be followed by appeal procedures that are prescribed in corporation contracts and policies and state laws.
If the principal has determined that a teacher did not succeed in the internship, the appeal procedures are specified in 515 IAC 1-7-6 and are as follows:
In 1989, the internship statute was amended to incorporate a special asistanceship plan for those in second-year programs. In essence this law requires a teacher to demonstrate minimum competence by successfully completing an internship by the end of the second full year of teaching. A person who has not done so cannot be hired by an accredited Indiana school for any position requiring a license issued by the Indiana Professional Standards Board. There is no opportunity for a third-year internship. Thus, it is important to provide all reasonable assistance to a person serving a second-year internship.
Early in, or before the second year, an individual assistance plan should be designed to help the beginning teacher improve on Beginning Teacher Assessment Inventory criteria marked "unsatisfactory" in the first year. The local school board or its designee is responsible for the development of the plan. If special assistance is necessary, the plan must be forwarded to the Professional Standards Board for approval. When approval is given, the Board may fund assistance costs (up to $1,000) in addition to the regular mentor and released time stipends.
Before enrolling the teacher in the Internship Program....
Licensing Checklist For Beginning Teachers Who Have NOT Yet Received Standard Teaching Licenses (Teachers Graduating from Indiana Colleges).
Principals: If you MUST hire an as-yet to be licensed new teacher, or if you are hiring a teacher who is coming from another state, this form will guide you through all the necessary procedures. Remember, non-licensed teachers are NOT eligible for Internship support from the State, nor is the Mentor assigned to such a teacher eligible for a Mentor Stipend.
The person who has not received the standard license has:
| Graduated from college (4-year degree) and completed all education courses required in order to teach. | |
| Taken and passed all three parts of the Core Battery competency tests. | |
| Taken and passed the correct specialty test for each area to appear on the original license. | |
| Requested that the testing service send the test scores to the University Licensing Advisor (LA) and the Indiana Professional Standards Board, Division of Teacher Licensing. | |
| Completed the application form and submitted it and appropriate fees in the form of money order to the LA. | |
| Verified that the LA has signed the application, has sent the signed application, fees, and test score summary to: Teacher Licensing, Indiana Professional Standards Board, 101 W. Ohio St. Suite 300, Indianapolis, IN 46204-1953. | |
| Checked with Teacher Licensing every three weeks after the above are completed until the license is received. |
For Beginning Teachers Who Have NOT Received Reciprocal Licenses
(Teachers graduating from colleges outside Indiana)
The person who has not received the reciprocal license has:
| Secured an information packet entitled "How
to Obtain an Indiana License" by writing to Teacher Licensing, Indiana Professional Standards Board, 101 W. Ohio St. Suite 300, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-1953 or by calling (317) 232-9010. |
|
| Requested the information outlined in the information packet such as transcripts, valid out-of-state license, NCATE form, etc. | |
| Sent the required information to Teacher Licensing with the appropriate evaluation fee(s). | |
| Sent the additional licensing fees to Teacher Licensing. | |
| Complied with any other instructions. |
Throughout the year......
The following checklist is included for the convenience of administrators who wish to track a beginning teacher/mentor team through a typical year. Atypical years, e.g., when a teacher is hired out of the "traditional" August-June pattern will sometimes require more flexibility in order to meet statutory and local requirements.
STIPENDS
Except for certain circumstances the principal, mentor and the agency administering the internship should be from the same corporation. The mentor's corporation will receive the mentor stipend warrants.
Corporation and school numbers are found in the Indiana School Directory, published by the Department of Education and establish where internship payments will be sent. Special Education Cooperatives of LEA's, please consult Sec. 3(b) of 511 IAC 10-7 before completing this form. Private Schools, please use your school number as found in the directory (do not use ISTEP number).
Indiana's Beginning Teacher Internship Program law describes a mentor as someone who, when possible, has five years teaching experience, teaches at a similar grade and subject level, teaches in the same building, is licensed, and has outstanding teaching skills. The law further defines a mentor as a person "who has the ability to guide a beginning teacher . . . ." The mentor must volunteer. He or she cannot be arbitrarily assigned. Mentors are paid by the state for their services ($600). Mentors may not participate in the summative evaluation of teachers.
So what does a mentor do, really? If you have volunteered to function as a mentor, the Professional Standards Board expects you to be, as the law states, an "outstanding teacher" who functions as a "guide," and who assumes the following roles -- you must:
Be a "professional listener": A list of "active listening techniques" is also included in this section. Listening involves observing body language, being alert to key words and expressions, and being a "calm presence" which invites others to share with you. (An excellent reference on listening by Gerard Egan is listed in the bibliography for this document.)
Be an observer: Observing, like listening, is a special skill. Good observing of a beginning teacher starts with a well-defined plan, agreed upon by the observed and the observer. Focusing on specifics (e.g., questioning techniques) enables problem identification, treatment and assessment. Of course, this is formal observation. A good mentor must observe informally as well. For the beginning teacher affective concerns may well outweigh pedagogical ones - may, in fact, keep pedagogy from being addressed at all. Affect is treated at greater length in this section. A specific classroom observation section is also included.
Be an "adult" educator: Teaching adults such as new teachers involves much more awareness of adult learning styles than one might assume. Again, a section devoted to adult learners is included.
Be a professional resource: Though as a mentor you may not be aware of it, your beginning teacher will assume you know a great deal - perhaps more than you really do, about such topics as student behavior management, time and classroom management. Of all areas where beginning teachers struggle, these are the most common. If you are a successful disciplinarian you may, or may not, know why. You may have forgotten what it was that you did to get the control and respect of your students. This is where you often have to really "reach down" for answers. If you don't come up with them, assistance is available through the Professional Standards Board, your local teacher education institution, or from references at the end of this document. A checklist for examining and managing student behavior is also included in this section.
Be a coach: Coaching works with adult learners. This particular skill involves more than just standing on the sidelines and cheering. It is discussed at much greater length on the following pages.
MONITORING A BEGINNING TEACHER'S PROGRAM
As a conscientious mentor you will need to monitor your new colleague's professional progress. Generally, this is not difficult to do, but it is possible for you to run into occasional obstacles, such as time, proximity, shyness, etc.
The law stipulates that the beginning teacher has the option to invite you to attend the principal's post-observation conferences. If you are invited to attend, you are there as an observer only. This is the place for you to get a firm idea of what the beginning teacher's summative evaluator sees as important. It is also your opportunity to check (later) to see if your perceptions and the beginner's coincide. Your "seasoned" ears will often hear messages in the principal's comments that a beginner will not notice. Remember, for the beginner this will be a very intense experience. For you, it should be "old hat."
If your beginner doesn't invite you to attend these conferences, you should ask to see the evaluation forms provided by the principal. Again, you may have the ability to read between the lines and see more than your beginner sees.
At the very least, you may access the evaluative information required of the principal in Section 5(e) of the Internship Rules.
| Statement | Purpose | To do this... | Examples |
| Encouraging |
|
...don't agree or disagree ...use neutral words ...use varying voice intonations |
|
| Clarifying |
|
...ask questions ...restate wrong interpretation to force the speaker to explain further |
|
| Restating |
|
...restate basic ideas and facts |
|
| Reflecting |
|
...reflect the speaker's basic feelings |
|
| Summarizing |
|
...restate major ideas expressed including feelings |
|
| Validating |
|
...acknowledge the value of his/her issues and feelings |
|
A Behavior Management Checklist
Beginning Teachers and all who work with them consistently name classroom behavior management as the most difficult hurdle in the first year. One key to improved classroom behavior management is to break the components of "good behavior management" into concrete steps for improvement. The list below can be edited for the specific school and assignment to provide topics for discussion in conferences with the beginning teacher.
| RULES | PROCEDURES |
| Beginning Class | Students Understand Procedures For |
|
|
| Instructional Activities | Teacher Monitors Class By |
|
|
| Ending the Class | Teacher Has Procedures For Student Assessment and Determining Grades Including: |
|
|
| Other Procedures | |
|
THE COACHING PROCESS What is special about the coaching process? It works. An overwhelming body of research shows that while skill acquisition may occur easily through different training modalities, it does not transfer into actual practice. When coaches prompt performance by requiring actual demonstration, the experience results in acquisition and application of the skills required over 90% of the time.
In order to become an effective coach you must utilize those skills peculiar to good coaches - astute observation, careful conferencing and demonstration. Good coaches model skills for their beginners, but more importantly, they demand that their modeling be specifically demonstrated, so that they can observe, encourage, correct, reinforce and assess. Here is a possible coaching strategy you might employ:
The mentor and/or beginner determine a strategy for assessing a skill identified by the beginner, such as, "How well do I keep students on task?"
The mentor outlines the physical layout of the beginning teacher's classroom, noting placement of students, such as the one that follows, where students work as teams in peer groups.
Teacher's Desk
Teacher's Desk
Mentors should be careful to establish ground rules - what constitutes "on-task" and "off-task?" What are the indicators? What is acceptable and unacceptable?
Obviously such observations can provide a rich opportunity for Beginning Teacher/Mentor discussion - dozens of topics for discussion may emerge from the above example alone, e.g.,
Specific observation programs may be planned around any number of possibilities - you may wish to consider teacher movement, questioning techniques, listening, behavior, time management, organization, distractions, routines and procedures - the list is up to your imagination.
Once you have completed an observation you are ready to conference. In conferencing, remember:
Meeting with your beginning teacher should be a regular part of your mentoring. Some find a regularly scheduled time helpful. Others try to meet "as needed." A mentor must be careful of this "as needed" condition, however, for many beginning teachers will be reluctant to express their needs, feeling erroneously that they must prove themselves as "rugged individualists" in order to gain professional respect. Such beginning teachers must understand that virtually every beginning teacher has difficulty at some point, and that is why you are at their elbow.
There is always a risk involved in approaching a beginning teacher about performance. People are very reluctant to take criticism, especially when they are experienced adults who have already experienced criticism in most phases of their lives. The problem is exacerbated, however, when there is substantial ego involvement. Ego involvement is most likely when the beginning teacher is unable to get "unhooked" from his/her personal stake in what he or she is trying so desperately to do well.
The degree of this emotion escalates dramatically when there is a perception of no control by the recipient of this criticism, no matter how constructive or well-meaning it may be. Thus a principal who has the power to make decisions which may have life-long ramifications can be terribly intimidating to the beginner. As a mentor you have the opportunity to offer nonjudgmental feedback. You can encourage experimentation. You can view failure as a positive learning experience. Make sure your beginner is aware of this. When the time comes for formal evaluations, however, don't hold back. Beginners will take the Beginning Teacher Internship Inventory very seriously and will very likely look to you for major assistance if they have a problem. To give this assistance you must take into account that you are dealing with an adult learner.
Guiding adults in a learning experience often differs dramatically from typical pedagogy. In fact the "ped" in pedagogy is the Latin root for child. Very serious considerations must be made for learners who are adults.
The key points of adult education are listed below, and this list is certainly not complete. Mentors who desire to pursue further knowledge should consult the bibliography for adult learning references. In general, however,
Adults in a learning setting --
Mentors must always be keenly aware that there is a strong emotional component to the beginning teacher's induction year. While this fact is well supported in research studies, virtually every teacher remembers his/her first year vividly and emotionally and doesn't need research to tell him/her that year one can be an emotional "roller coaster ride."
Where the research can help, however, is in allowing us the advantage of foreknowledge of what will occur -- or at least, what occurs in the average situation.
Understanding the phases of first year teaching as outlined by Moir (1990) is helpful in finding a way to address a new teacher's needs.
Each of these phases is important in the induction year, as each punctuates a "passage" through which a new teacher must travel on the way to success. Often, experienced teachers report that they, too, experience these phases, though with less intensity.
In a typical school year Moir found that new teachers' affective response to teaching across time is as follows:
Experienced teachers will identify with the phases listed above. Mentors should recognize many points at which they can provide support. For example, during the survival phase, the mentor's role as a purveyor of school culture can be a critical factor in reducing stress. For example, is there an "unwritten" dress code for teachers. Does the principal ever say "yes" when he really means "no?" Is the science teacher teasing or serious when he says "The only thing wrong with this school is the kids?" Dropping the right suggestion at the right time can do much to reduce or eliminate stressful events in the beginning teacher's life.
There is little that can be said about beginning as a teacher, that is not summed up in these remarks by a new Indiana teacher (a graduate of the Internship Program)
PERCEIVED PROBLEMS OF BEGINNING TEACHERS
The following concerns, ranked from greater (1) to lesser (10), represent the problems beginning teachers fear most before entering the classroom for the first time.
These concerns are also consistent with a large body of research which emphatically reinforces first-year teacher concerns. Classroom management, discipline, student assessment and parent relationships emerge from study after study as being the most pressing issues for the novice.
Studies which examine new teacher expectations reveal that after one year of teaching many beginners change dramatically. One study shows the number of new teachers who feel that they can really "make a difference" in student lives drops from 83% to 68%. And while, after one year of teaching experience, many hold to the belief that all children can learn, the study suggests that one-year beginning teachers feel even the best among their ranks are going to have difficulty reaching more than two-thirds of their students.
It is not possible to give a beginner the information necessary to deal with the previously mentioned issues in a written document. As any experienced teacher will attest, the only way to learn to cope and flourish in the classroom is the hard way -- in the classroom, working with real kids in a real setting.
LEARNING TO COPE -- LEARNING TO FLOURISH
You are a new teacher facing a classroom for the first time, and you should be aware of fundamental requirements for your success. What follows is a brief treatment of some of these fundamentals. You may read them now, or later, as you become more experienced. This is by no means a master list. It is not comprehensive. It is, however, a starting point and hopefully can lead you to answers as you need them.
There are three fundamental approaches to behavior management, each rooted in a large body of theory:
In the first approach, Rules/Reward/Consequences, those who are concerned with behavior management make the basic assumption that students develop according to influences brought on by their environment. A popular proponent of this model is Lee Canter, whose work, Assertive Discipline, sparked a major movement in behavioral management across the country in the late 1980's. Critics of this model contend that it is too external, that it diminishes the obligation for the student to assume personal responsibility for his or her own behavior.
The second approach, Human Relations/Listening, assumes that a child's development occurs according to his/her internal potential, and unfolds as the child grows and is afforded the opportunity for expression. A well-known proponent of this approach is Dr. Haim Ginott.
The third approach, Confronting/Contracting, assumes that a student's development occurs through the internal and external forces that exist within and around the student. This mode of thought embraces the work of Rudolph Dreikers and Loren Grey, as well as Dinkmeyer and McKay's Systematic Training for Effective Teaching (STET).
Beginning teachers will sometimes embrace one or another, or even all three of these approaches to behavior management. Whatever the case, it is extremely important that the new teacher planfor this particular component of teaching. Teachers who have not given extensive thought to their own stance on the issue of student behavior are prime candidates for classroom difficulties. If you are such a teacher, a reading list designed for you follows. Where applicable the references in this list are coded to the three disciplinary approaches discussed. You are urged to explore the thinking of the authors of these approaches and to adapt this thinking to your own teaching situation.
Many beginning teachers fail to interpret properly their experiences when they are solely responsible for an entire class. It is very important for beginners to be aware of what is now known about student behavior and the management of students, including several misconceptions. These are as follows:
MANAGING YOUR OWN BEHAVIOR EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO
There is an old saying about students -- "they need love and understanding most when they deserve it the least." Translated
to the new teacher's environment, this means that you are most likely to be
in the worst possible state of mind, the least likely to feel kindly, when
you need to call upon your sharpest thinking, and be at your very best in terms
of how you respond to a student's behavior. Managing your own feelings during your first year will not always be easy, but if you are to become successful dealing with students you must:
You will learn that students are typically very skilled in ways to "get under your skin." Maintaining your composure is critical when dealing with events that cause you to "lose your cool," as
one event feeds and prompts another. Soon you may find yourself in a devastating
spiral, and in an adversarial relationship over which you have little control.
It is very much to your advantage to learn to maintain composure. You can practice
with your mentor by having your mentor role-play or re-enact scenes from your
classroom and give you the opportunity to practice your response. This will
also give you the benefit of a sympathetic observer. The feeling of being in
control even when you are angry is self-reinforcing; the more often you experience
it, the easier it is to maintain it. Through practice, through talking to someone
with more experience, you can learn control. You can learn to manage the emotional
climate in the classroom as well as present content. While content is available
in any library, the process that makes content master able is available only
from live human beings dedicated to using their process skills to create environments
where learning can take place. ADVISING A BEGINNING TEACHER Generally a beginning teacher feels a strong need for autonomy. This is very consistent with the research on adult learning cited earlier. Moving from a hierarchy of experienced university teachers into an environment where the mistakes made do not receive grades is a form of liberation that new teachers eagerly anticipate, until they discover that their mistakes now have a very real effect on the lives of children.
Many beginning teachers resist the mentoring process. They want to be on their own and to forge their own careers. For this very reason, the Beginning Teacher Internship Program insists that mentors be peers, not evaluators. The structure of the program prohibits mentors from participating in the evaluation process. This is solely the principal's responsibility.
When new teachers find that their mentor is available for he purpose of support, collegiality, professional advice, and the exchange of ideas, their resistance rapidly diminishes. Sometimes, however, teaching placements are such that a mentor may not be able to provide all the forms of support a new teacher needs. Anticipating this, program founders enabled another form of aid to the beginner --- the university advisor.
The law establishing this program makes it possible for a beginning teacher to select an advisor from a teacher preparation institution to assist in his or her program. It is not necessary for the advisor to be from the beginning teacher's original preparation institution, nor is it necessary that the advisor be a certified teacher.
Advisors may be reimbursed for their mileage and per diem expenses. Advisors are not paid stipends or consultant fees.
Why Do Beginners Choose an Advisor?
Until recently beginning teachers have utilized the services of the university advisor very sparingly. There is some question as to why advisors are not more frequently utilized, although it is apparent that there are some naturally occurring obstacles. The primary problem is geographic. Quite often new teachers find employment far from the university or college where they were trained. As a result, working with someone the beginner knows and is comfortable with is very difficult without extensive travel on the part of the advisor. Distance also creates other obvious restraints -- time, expense, etc.
Advisors are usually chosen in situations where a beginning teacher needs special assistance because of one or more of the following:
The selection of an advisor is strictly the beginning teacher's option. An advisor may not be arbitrarily assigned.
Advisors for beginning teachers may come from any institution of higher education which is recognized by the Professional Standards Board as having a fully accredited teacher education program.
Beginning teachers are not limited in the selection of an advisor to their own preparation institution. They may choose to work with someone of more convenient geographic proximity.
Advisors are not required to be active faculty. Retired or emeriti educators are encouraged to serve in this capacity, and schools of education are encouraged to utilize the considerable skills of veteran faculty, especially as these individuals often are not constrained by the usual class and academic assignments.
Advisors will be reimbursed for travel expenses. This includes mileage and per diem reimbursement. Reasonable lodging costs, not to exceed state guidelines, will be reimbursed, if advisors must journey more than 50 miles (one-way) for visits. This reimbursement is subject to approval of the Internship Program director. Advisors should notify the program office at 317-232-9038 prior to visiting the beginning teacher. Phone approval is satisfactory, if followed by written documentation.
Colleges are encouraged to contact area schools and offer their services to beginning teachers. The principal of the school is generally in the best position to notify the beginner, or perhaps even to suggest to the beginner that additional assistance is available. However, it is important to note that the selection of the advisor is nonetheless the sole prerogative of the beginning teacher.
Advisors may be present at conferences of the beginning teacher and his/her principal, by choice of the teacher. Advisors may not participate in the summative evaluation process for the beginning teacher in any way.
Advisors may be requested at any time during the beginner's induction period, contingent upon notification of the Beginning Teacher Internship Program office.
REFERENCES FOR BEGINNING TEACHERS
Canter, L. with Canter, M. (1976). Assertive Discipline. Los Angeles:
Lee Canter & Associates (Rules/Rewards/Consequences) Charles, C. M. (1989). Building Classroom Discipline: From Models to Practice. New York: Longman. (Human Relations/Listening) (Rules/Reward/Consequences) (Confronting/Contracting)
Curwin, R.L. & Mendler, A.N. (1992). Discipline With Dignity. Bloomington, IN. National Educational Service. (Confronting/Contracting)
Dinkmeyer, D. & McKay, G.D. (1982). Teachers' Handbook: Systematic Training for Effectiveness Teaching. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Services. (Confronting/Contracting)
Dinkmeyer, D. & Dreikurs, R. (1963). Encouraging children to learn: The encouragement process. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. (Confronting/Contracting)
Driekurs, R. & Grey, L. (1986). Logical Consequences. New York: Meredith Press. (Confronting/Contracting)
Dreikurs, R. Grunwald, B.B. & Pepper, F.C. (1982). Maintaining Sanity in the Classroom. (2nded.) New
York: Harper & Row. (Confronting/Contracting)
Drew, N. (1987). Learning the Skills of Peacemaking: An Activity Guide for Elementary Age Children. Rolling Hills Estates, CA: Jalmar press. (Confronting/Contracting)
Egan, Gerard (1986). The Skilled Helper: A Systematic Approach to Effectiveness Helping. (Section Two - Basic communication skills) 3rd. ed. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Ernst, K. (1973). Games Students Play and What to Do about Them. Mellbrae, CA: Celestial Arts. (Human Relations/Listening)
Ginott, H. (1971). Between Parent and Teenager. New York: Macmillan. (Confronting/Contracting)
Ginott, H. (1971). Teacher and child. New York: Macmillan. (Confronting/Contracting)
Glasser, W. (1969). Schools Without Failure. New York: Harper & Row. (Human Relations/Listening)
Goldstein, A. (1989). The Prepare Curriculum: Teaching Pro-social Competencies. Champaign, IL: Research Press.
Gorden, T. (1974). T.E.T.: Teacher Effectiveness Training. New York: David McKay. (Confronting /Contracting)
Hessman, T. (1977). Creating Learning Environments-the Behavioral Approach to Education. Boston:
Allyn & Bacon. (Rules/Reward/Consequences)
Jones, F. (1987). Positive Classroom Discipline. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Kersey, K. (1991). Don't Take It Out on Your Kids: A Parent's and Teacher's Guide to Positive Discipline. Princeton, NJ: Acropolis
Kreidler, W. (1984). Creative Conflict Resolution: More than 200 Activities for Keeping Peace in the Classroom. Good Year Books.
McCarney, S.B. (1988). The Pre-referral Intervention Manual: The Most Common Learning and Behavior Problems Encountered in the Educational Environment. Columbia, MO: Hawthorne Educational Services
Myers, P. & Nance, D. (1986). The Upset Book: A Guide for Dealing With Upset People. Notre Dame, IN: Academic Publications. (Particularly useful as a guide for dealing with adults.)
Walton, F.X. & Powers, R.L. (1978). Winning Children Over: A Manual for
Teachers, Counselors, and Parents. Chicago: Practical Psychology Associates.
(Confronting/Contracting) Wielkiewicz, R.M. (1986). Behavior Management in the schools: Principles and Procedures. New York: Pergamon. (Rules/Reward/Punishment)
Wolfgang, C.H. & Glickman, C.D. (1986). Solving Discipline Problems: Strategies for Classroom Teachers. Boston:
Allyn & Bacon. (Human Relations/Listening) (Rules/Rewards/Punishment) (Confronting/ Contracting)
Wunderlich, K.D. (1988). The Teacher's Guide to Behavioral Interventions: Intervention Strategies for Behavior Problems in the Educational Environment. Columbia, MO: Hawthorne Educational Services, Inc.
The Beginning Teacher Internship Program was established by the legislature in 1987. The program was implemented the following year. Since then, thousands of teachers have been inducted into the teaching profession working collegially with mentors dedicated to helping them succeed. Numerous studies have indicated that the program is succeeding in meeting its goals -- producing better teachers, reducing teacher attrition rates and aiding in school reform in Indiana.
TWO IMPORTANT PROGRAM DEFINITIONS BEGINNING TEACHER - A beginning teacher meets the following requirements: He/She possesses an Indiana Standard teaching license, or a reciprocal license (Reciprocal licenses are acquired because of training in another state). This license must have been acquired after March 31, 1988. The internship teaching assignment must be for at least one half day (three clock hours).
LOCAL PLAN - Each school corporation or accredited private school Local Plan describes specific details of the Internship Program as applied to the particular needs of the local school corporation. This plan, officially adopted by the governing body, is reviewed during the accreditation process.
The Local Plan must include:
Each beginning teacher, mentor and principal must have access to the corporation's Local Plan. Each beginning teacher is required by law to receive a copy of the Local Plan. The state's laws, rules and recommendations provide a framework for the internship experience, but it is the Local Plan which provides specific details, dates and procedures.
As mentioned, the roles of each participant in the program must be listed in the Local Plan. However, each person's role may go well beyond what can be written in a plan. In many Indiana programs:
The Division of Teacher Induction welcomes your inquiries and requests; you may contact us at:
Beginning Teacher Internship Program ADMINISTERING A BEGINNING TEACHER/MENTOR PROGRAM
The Internship Program fosters strong relationships among faculty, makes formative evaluation easier for the administrator, and improves staff morale. The program establishes a very distinct format for the induction of the beginning teacher and makes the sometimes difficult task of summative evaluation (the principal's responsibility) much simpler.
Who Must Be Enrolled In an Internship Program?
New teachers with standard licenses issued after March 1988 must complete an internship. Reciprocal license holders also generally qualify. Limited license holders do not. HOWEVER, a possessor of a standard AND limited license must be enrolled in the program. For further clarification, the following information may be helpful.
People Who Are In Internships --
Media Specialists do hold standard teaching licenses and, therefore, do serve internships. Those who hold School Services Licenses such as speech clinicians or guidance counselors do NOTserve internships.
Under current rules, only one internship is served. If a person changes teaching subjects, there is no second internship requirement. Those who hold only Limited Teaching Licenses do not meet the qualifications for internships. Further, teaching experience under a limited license does not waive the internship requirement. Those who hold a limited and a standard license must serve an internship. Those with Occupational Specialist Licenses (vocational education) are not enrolled in the Internship Program.
If a teacher meets all the eligibility requirements for an Indiana license, the license will be mailed soon after the arrival of application materials at the Professional Standards Board's office. If a candidate does not possess a license by August 1 and is a May graduate, hiring officials should be concerned. The beginning teacher, the principal and the central office of the school corporation should all be actively involved in discovering why the teacher has no license and begin addressing the situation before October 1, the deadline date for the principal to submit the internship form.
Teachers who have graduated from an Indiana college but who have not begun the application process by October 1 may encounter problems which will jeopardize timely licensure.
It is very common for persons who graduated from an institution out-of-state to have difficulty getting all requirements satisfied quickly. Funding is not provided and internships will not count for those who do not hold Indiana licenses. If there is any doubt whatsoever as to a beginning teacher's eligibility for the Internship Program, administrators should contact the Professional Standards Board's Division of Teacher Licensing.
SUGGESTIONS FOR PRINCIPALS AFTER ENROLLING A BEGINNING TEACHER
Research into Indiana's Internship Program reveals that success stems from the following:
To complete internship requirements, a teacher must complete at least one legal school year. This generally means no less than 120 days of actual teaching.
A teacher hired late in the year or who is on a temporary contract can complete the internship if he/she is able to show minimum competency, and is employed for at least 120 days. Teachers may start an internship at the end of one traditional school year and complete it the next.
The Professional Standards Board defines a school day for a beginning teacher as a three clock-hour period. Partial credit for the internship may be granted for lesser times, by permission of the program director.
Public school corporations receive a $600 stipend for each mentor and a released time payment for each beginning teacher serving an internship. Mentors will be paid for only one Beginning Teacher, unless special arrangements are approved by the program directors. To secure this funding, the principal must present a Beginning Teacher Internship Program teacher enrollment form to the Professional Standards Board by October 1 or within 15 days of the teacher's employment. The Professional Standards Board will verify each beginning teacher's eligibility. Mentor stipends for traditional school year mentors are generally issued in early March. Public schools may apply for released time money, based upon the monies available from the Professional Standards Board and according to claim instructions provided to each fiscal officer.
In January the Professional Standards Board mails a "Preliminary Report" to all corporation offices. This report lists beginning teachers, their mentors, and the beginner's licensure status. A school representative verifies the data and contacts the state program director if corrections are needed. If the enrollment form is received by the October 1 deadline, then checks will be issued in March. Checks for enrollment forms received after October 1 will be issued in July. The payments are treated as salary and, thus, subject to regular payroll deductions. The mentor stipend is accounted for by using the bottom ("extracurricular assignment" section)
of the Uniform Teacher's Contract. When beginning teachers are hired late in the year or leave employment before the end of the school year, adjustments may be required in the internship stipend. During the typical program, mentors work more intensively early in the internship. Thus, the stipend amount may vary. School administrators with questions should consult with the program director regarding such cases.
End-Of-Year Decisions and Due Process The failure of a beginning teacher is a major source of concern for everyone.
In the back of virtually every beginning teacher's mind will probably reside
the question -- "What happens if I fail; if I do, what are my rights?" Administrators
should make beginners aware of these facts:
Of course, these numbers are small comfort for those in the minority group.
The point, however, is that for principals and beginners the "what if" question
raises considerable anxiety. For principals, the following information is important
to convey. FIRST DECISION: INTERNSHIP
By May 1, the principal determines whether or not the beginning teacher has successfully completed the internship. This decision is made by marking each criterion on the Beginning Teachers Assessment Inventory as "yes" or "no." If all eight criteria are marked "yes," minimum competency is established, and the intern is successful. A single "no" signifies
an unsuccessful internship. SECOND DECISION: LOCAL EMPLOYMENT
At the end of the school year, the beginner's principal must make a second decision - whether the teacher will continue to be employed in the corporation. This decision will comply with the corporation's regular employment policies and Indiana statutes.
Since these two decisions are considered separate under law:
DUE PROCESS
If a principal has decided to recommend non-renewal of a teacher's contract in the corporation, the decision may be followed by appeal procedures that are prescribed in corporation contracts and policies and state laws.
If the principal has determined that a teacher did not succeed in the internship, the appeal procedures are specified in 515 IAC 1-7-6 and are as follows:
In 1989, the internship statute was amended to incorporate a special asistanceship plan for those in second-year programs. In essence this law requires a teacher to demonstrate minimum competence by successfully completing an internship by the end of the second full year of teaching. A person who has not done so cannot be hired by an accredited Indiana school for any position requiring a license issued by the Indiana Professional Standards Board. There is no opportunity for a third-year internship. Thus, it is important to provide all reasonable assistance to a person serving a second-year internship.
Early in, or before the second year, an individual assistance plan should
be designed to help the beginning teacher improve on Beginning Teacher Assessment
Inventory criteria marked "unsatisfactory" in the first year. The local school
board or its designee is responsible for the development of the plan. If special
assistance is necessary, the plan must be forwarded to the Professional Standards
Board for approval. When approval is given, the Board may fund assistance costs
(up to $1,000) in addition to the regular mentor and released time stipends. Before enrolling the teacher in the Internship Program....
Licensing Checklist For Beginning Teachers Who Have NOT Yet Received Standard Teaching Licenses (Teachers Graduating from Indiana Colleges).
Principals: If you MUST hire an as-yet to be licensed new teacher, or if you are hiring a teacher who is coming from another state, this form will guide you through all the necessary procedures. Remember, non-licensed teachers are NOT eligible for Internship support from the State, nor is the Mentor assigned to such a teacher eligible for a Mentor Stipend.
The person who has not received the standard license has:
For Beginning Teachers Who Have NOT Received Reciprocal Licenses The person who has not received the reciprocal license has:
Throughout the year......
The following checklist is included for the convenience of administrators who wish to track a beginning teacher/mentor team through a typical year. Atypical years, e.g., when a teacher is hired out of the "traditional" August-June pattern will sometimes require more flexibility in order to meet statutory and local requirements.
STIPENDS
Except for certain circumstances the principal, mentor and the agency administering the internship should be from the same corporation. The mentor's corporation will receive the mentor stipend warrants.
Corporation and school numbers are found in the Indiana School Directory, published by the Department of Education and establish where internship payments will be sent. Special Education Cooperatives of LEA's, please consult Sec. 3(b) of 511 IAC 10-7 before completing this form. Private Schools, please use your school number as found in the directory (do not use ISTEP number).
Indiana's Beginning Teacher Internship Program law describes a mentor as someone
who, when possible, has five years teaching experience, teaches at a similar
grade and subject level, teaches in the same building, is licensed, and has
outstanding teaching skills. The law further defines a mentor as a person "who has the ability to guide a beginning teacher . . . ." The
mentor must volunteer. He or she cannot be arbitrarily assigned. Mentors are
paid by the state for their services ($600). Mentors may not participate in the summative evaluation of teachers.
So what does a mentor do, really? If you have volunteered to function as a
mentor, the Professional Standards Board expects you to be, as the law states,
an "outstanding teacher" who functions as a "guide," and who assumes the following
roles -- you must: Be a "professional listener": A list of "active listening techniques" is also included in this section. Listening involves observing body language, being alert to key words and expressions, and being a "calm presence" which
invites others to share with you. (An excellent reference on listening by Gerard
Egan is listed in the bibliography for this document.) Be an observer: Observing, like listening, is a special skill. Good observing of a beginning teacher starts with a well-defined plan, agreed upon by the observed and the observer. Focusing on specifics (e.g., questioning techniques) enables problem identification, treatment and assessment. Of course, this is formal observation. A good mentor must observe informally as well. For the beginning teacher affective concerns may well outweigh pedagogical ones - may, in fact, keep pedagogy from being addressed at all. Affect is treated at greater length in this section. A specific classroom observation section is also included.
Be an "adult" educator: Teaching adults such as new teachers involves much more awareness of adult learning styles than one might assume. Again, a section devoted to adult learners is included.
Be a professional resource: Though as a mentor you may not be aware
of it, your beginning teacher will assume you know a great deal - perhaps more
than you really do, about such topics as student behavior management, time
and classroom management. Of all areas where beginning teachers struggle, these
are the most common. If you are a successful disciplinarian you may, or may
not, know why. You may have forgotten what it was that you did to get the control
and respect of your students. This is where you often have to really "reach down" for
answers. If you don't come up with them, assistance is available through the
Professional Standards Board, your local teacher education institution, or
from references at the end of this document. A checklist for examining and
managing student behavior is also included in this section. Be a coach: Coaching works with adult learners. This particular skill involves more than just standing on the sidelines and cheering. It is discussed at much greater length on the following pages.
MONITORING A BEGINNING TEACHER'S PROGRAM
As a conscientious mentor you will need to monitor your new colleague's professional progress. Generally, this is not difficult to do, but it is possible for you to run into occasional obstacles, such as time, proximity, shyness, etc.
The law stipulates that the beginning teacher has the option to invite you to attend the principal's post-observation conferences. If you are invited to attend, you are there as an observer only. This is the place for you to get a firm idea of what the beginning teacher's summative evaluator
sees as important. It is also your opportunity to check (later) to see if your
perceptions and the beginner's coincide. Your "seasoned" ears will often hear messages in the principal's comments that a beginner will not notice. Remember, for the beginner this will be a very intense experience. For you, it should be "old
hat."
If your beginner doesn't invite you to attend these conferences, you should ask to see the evaluation forms provided by the principal. Again, you may have the ability to read between the lines and see more than your beginner sees.
At the very least, you may access the evaluative information required of the principal in Section 5(e) of the Internship Rules.
A Behavior Management Checklist
Beginning Teachers and all who work with them consistently name classroom behavior man ssion in conferences with the beginning teacher.
THE COACHING PROCESS What is special about the coaching process? It works. An overwhelming body of research shows that while skill acquisition may occur easily through different training modalities, it does not transfer into actual practice. When coaches prompt performance by requiring actual demonstration, the experience results in acquisition and application of the skills required over 90% of the time.
In order to become an effective coach you must utilize those skills peculiar to good coaches - astute observation, careful conferencing and demonstration. Good coaches model skills for their beginners, but more importantly, they demand that their modeling be specifically demonstrated, so that they can observe, encourage, correct, reinforce and assess. Here is a possible coaching strategy you might employ:
The mentor and/or beginner determine a strategy for assessing a skill identified by the beginner, such as, "How well do I keep students on task?"
The mentor outlines the physical layout of the beginning teacher's classroom, noting placement of students, such as the one that follows, where students work as teams in peer groups.
Teacher's Desk
(In this setting students sit in groups of four. The mentor teacher records the number of observations of on or off-task behavior at five minute intervals. A sample of a completed form appears as follows.)
Teacher's Desk
(In this setting students sit in groups of four. The mentor teacher records the number of observations of on or off-task behavior at five minute intervals. A sample of a completed form appears as follows.)
Group A
a1
a2
a3
a4
Group B
b1
b2
b3
b4
Group C
c1
c2
c3
c4
Group D
d1
d2
d3
d4
Group A
+
+
+
+
+
+
o
o
+
+
o
+
+
o
o
o
Group B
+
+
+
+
o
o
o
o
+
+
+
+
o
o
o
o
Group C
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
o
+
+
+
+
+
o
+
+
Group D
+
+
+
+
+
+
o
o
+
+
+
+
+
o
o
o
By using different places on the seating grid every five minutes, the characteristics of student on-task behavior can be recorded and compared. The above chart shows the progress of a class through the first 20 minutes, with a "+" (on task), and a "o" (off task) marked starting in the upper left-hand behavior early in the observation moving clockwise. The peer groups reveal on-task behavior early in the observation period, but off-task behavior by many near the end. It also shows that (group B) patterns of behavior emerge. What happened in this group ten minutes into class that threw everyone off task? Many other questions (and answers) can emerge from careful observations.
grouping and personality "chemistry"
gender, ethnicity, SES interaction
teaching style effectiveness
pacing
transitions
positive/negative feedback
"I felt very alone. Everyone around me seemed so sure of what they were doing, even the other new teacher. I was afraid to say I was scared. I was terrified of what might happen the first day. The night before I met my students for the first time, I dreamed that my class was completely out of control -- and I had not even met my students yet! But in my dream they had faces, and the other members of the faculty were standing in the back of the room laughing at me. I hardly slept at all that night."
Beginning teachers in Indiana reflect the apprehensions above rather consistently. Further, their perceptions of the problems they will face as beginners mirror those of teachers internationally. The work of S. Veenman, "Perceived Problems of Beginning Teachers," is a study of those perceptions held by teachers before entering the classroom. In this study, thousands of teachers ranked their concerns before entering the classroom for the first time. The following table lists these concerns in the order of the beginners' ranking.
(Believing this negates our ability and obligation to manage our personal behavior and relieves us of the responsibility of trying to influence how our students behave.)
(This belief sets up failure. It takes away the responsibility of children to manage their own behavior. Teachers can only influence, not control.)
(Places the teacher in the role of the constant monitor. Punishment works for a very short time, and usually engenders student commitment to find a way to repeat bad behavior without getting caught.)
(This belief leads teachers to resist providing a framework for students to understand what is expected. Children only hate rules that are unreasonable, irrelevant or which impede their sense of accomplishment.)
(Results in the danger of the teacher setting self up as superior and failing to consider how student behavior is influenced by what they see or have modeled for them.)
The Role of the University Advisor
The Principal is:
The Mentor is:
The Beginning Teacher is:
The Legal Agent (summative evaluative)
A Coach
Fully Licensed
Mentor Selector (usually)
A School Culture Expert
A Teacher/Learner
A Formative Support Resource
Accessible
Responsible for learning school culture
An Orientor
A Confidant
A Documentor
Periodic Evaluator (formal)
A Teacher/Learner
Fully legally entitled
Coordinator of Beginning Teacher/Mentor Relationship
A Documentor
A Social Intermediary
A Peer
Indiana Professional Standards Board
101 W. Ohio St. Suite 300
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-1953
(317) 232-9010
Fax: 317-232-9023
Conduct orientation conferences before the teacher's first day of class.
Be sure the mentor and beginning teacher are familiar with programs. Give the beginning teacher a class schedule, work environment, extra-curricular load, and other working conditions which will allow a novice a reasonable chance for success.
Hold the principal's first observation and conference early in the teacher's employment period.
Match teaching styles of the mentor and beginning teacher and try to choose a mentor in close physical proximity to the beginning teacher. If the choice is between subject area and proximity, choose proximity.
Provide participants with copies of the internship Local Plan.
Early in the fall make specific plans for the year for classroom observations for mentors and beginning teachers.
Provide improvement ideas as well as praise for beginning teachers who are doing very well.
Give specific suggestions for new teachers with problems rather than stating generalities like "poor discipline."
Be sure to follow Sec.5 (e) of the Internship Program rule by giving a copy of recorded suggestions to the beginning teacher and mentor after each principal's observation and conference.
Provide continuity among principal's periodic evaluations - make sure there is a link from past to present to future.
Provide coordination between the principal's suggestions and the mentor's efforts.
Hold at least four principal's observations and conferences.
Assign a mentor before the beginner's first day in the classroom.
Clarify with the mentor that observations are an expected, not optional, part of his/her responsibilities.
Establish a plan for regular meetings. This will ensure continuity, consistency and greater security for the beginner.
Passing and Failing
Graduated from college (4-year degree) and completed all education courses required in order to teach.
Taken and passed all three parts of the Core Battery competency tests.
Taken and passed the correct specialty test for each area to appear on the original license.
Requested that the testing service send the test scores to the University Licensing Advisor (LA) and the Indiana Professional Standards Board, Division of Teacher Licensing.
Completed the application form and submitted it and appropriate fees in the form of money order to the LA.
Verified that the LA has signed the application, has sent the signed application, fees, and test score summary to: Teacher Licensing, Indiana Professional Standards Board, 101 W. Ohio St. Suite 300, Indianapolis, IN 46204-1953.
Checked with Teacher Licensing every three weeks after the above are completed until the license is received.
(Teachers graduating from colleges outside Indiana)
Secured an information packet entitled "How to Obtain an Indiana License" by writing to Teacher Licensing,
Indiana Professional Standards Board,
101 W. Ohio St. Suite 300,
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-1953
or by calling (317) 232-9010.
Requested the information outlined in the information packet such as transcripts, valid out-of-state license, NCATE form, etc.
Sent the required information to Teacher Licensing with the appropriate evaluation fee(s).
Sent the additional licensing fees to Teacher Licensing.
Complied with any other instructions.
(Adapted from Skills for Effective Communication, 1987. The Community Board Program, San Francisco.)
Statement
Purpose
To do this...
Examples
Encouraging
To convey interest
...don't agree or disagree
...use neutral words
...use varying voice intonations
Clarifying
...ask questions
...restate wrong interpretation to force the speaker to explain further
Restating
...restate basic ideas and facts
Reflecting
...reflect the speaker's basic feelings
Summarizing
...restate major ideas expressed including feelings
Validating
...acknowledge the value of his/her issues and feelings
RULES
PROCEDURES
Beginning Class
Students Understand Procedures For
Instructional Activities
Teacher Monitors Class By
Ending the Class
Teacher Has Procedures For Student Assessment and Determining Grades Including:
Other Procedures
Group A
a1
a2
a3
a4
Group B
b1
b2
b3
b4
Group C
c1
c2
c3
c4
Group D
d1
d2
d3
d4
Group A
+
+
+
+
+
+
o
o
+
+
o
+
+
o
o
o
Group B
+
+
+
+
o
o
o
o
+
+
+
+