ROE SchoolWorks Champaign-Ford ROE #9 &Vermilion ROE #54 - Rantoul (FY 07)

Grantee: ROE SchoolWorks Champaign Ford ROE #9 & Vermilion ROE #54

Location: Rantoul, IL

Name: “Comprehensive Induction and Mentoring Through The Novice Teacher Support Project”

Partners: Area districts including Rantoul Township High School and Westville C.U. District

Interesting features:

• Pilot is a more comprehensive version of a 9-year old program. Univ. of IL/Urbana-Champaign was involved in establishing.

• Program includes ementoring through a web-based conferencing program.

• Sub-reimbursement for mentors and 1 st year teachers to observe and debrief with each other.

• Mentor provides formative feedback but is not involved in evaluation of their novice teacher.

• Program evaluation includes formative and summative methods.

• Mentor compensation? No mention of it. (District responsibility)

Program history & overview:

This program builds on an existing program, the Novice Teacher Support Project (NTSP), but enhances some key components (described below) to make the program “comprehensive” and to meet the needs of school districts. The original program was founded 9 years ago by area school districts, unions, area ROEs, and the University of Illinois/Urbana-Champaign. Features of the program include pertinent staff development, networking with experienced teachers, administrators and university staff members. The workshops are linked to the IL Professional Teaching Standards and draw on the work of Wong, Marzano, and the New Teacher Center at UCSC. The program provides extended networking and support for new teachers through an ongoing web-based conferencing (ementoring) site.

The enhanced features include:

• An administrator component that includes a pre-project meeting to introduce the principals to the program particulars (e.g., how to choose an effective mentor, observation vs. evaluation) and a post-project meeting agenda to debrief the project.

• A selection process for choosing effective mentors (1:1 match at the school level).

• Professional development for the mentors (Induction for the 21 st Century Educator) and connecting ementors on-line.

• Provision for observation time for both the mentor and the 1 st year teacher. Mentors are required to observe and conference with their mentee at least 3 times during the school year. First year teacher observe their mentor at least once during the school year.

• Facilitating participating districts in becoming state approved programs.

• End of year celebratory conference.

Role & responsibilities of mentors:

Each of the assigned mentors will provide evaluation of the recipient teacher's practice through 3 means of feedback:

1. Formal observation using a protocol that includes pre-conference, observation, and post-conference. Feedback is shared with the novice teacher but NOT with the principal, grant administrator, program evaluator, or anyone else. Documentation of the observation is given to the grant administrator and evaluator.
2. Mentor written analysis of novice teacher's quarterly reflection with a f2f follow-up. Feedback is shared with the novice teacher but NOT with the principal, grant administrator, program evaluator, or anyone else. Documentation of the quarterly reflection and mentor's feedback is given to the grant administrator and evaluator.
3. Informal discussions of the nature and impact of the professional development.

Program Evaluation – Formative (some data collection instruments in proposal):

1. Contact logs track all forms of mentor-novice teacher contact.
2. Mentor training discussions will be synthesized and used to inform/modify training or provide individual assistance.
3. New teacher group discussions will be synthesized and used to inform or modify upcoming training.

Program Evaluation – Summative/Program Effectiveness:

1. New teacher survey at 3 points in the program to assess their response to being mentored and their needs on 9 items. Will track changes over time to assess program effects.
2. Mentor teacher survey will assess their response to being a mentor and their perception of the new teacher's needs using the same 9 items that are on the new teacher survey. Will compare self-perception of new teachers with that of their mentor. (Not sure if this will be matched mentor/mentee relationship of group-level comparison.)
3. Employment and retention data (initial employment, 1 st year completion, retention by initial employer at start of 2 nd school year)

Key Contact:

Kevin Seymour
217-893-4921
kseymour@roe9.k12.il.us