At a Glance
As part of the mentoring program, new instructors at North Montgomery Technical Career (NMTCC) receive the New Teacher Toolkit that provides them and their mentors a detailed guide of policies, procedures, and topics to address over the course of two years.
Overview
The NMTCC New Teacher Toolkit (the Toolkit) is a comprehensive guide for new instructors and their mentors to use as they complete a two-year mentoring program. Developed as an interactive tool that provides an authentic model of teacher training, induction and assessment for instructors, the Toolkit emphasizes planning, inquiry into practice, self-assessment, and reflection. The fully integrated and formative model of support and assessment provided through the Toolkit supports instructors as they develop and refine their instructional skills. It is a component of NMTCCs extensive New Teacher Induction Program.
Required for all new instructors, the Toolkit and the mentoring program in general are designed to develop instructor capacity, and they focus on:
- Providing the essential Survival Skills new teachers need while making the difficult transition from industry to the classroom;
- Offering a framework of basic school operations;
- Directing support toward improving student achievement;
- The use of formative and summative assessment practices to guide support;
- Collecting documents to demonstrate professional growth over time;
- Ongoing self-assessment and reflection; and
- Fostering collaboration and leadership among teachers.
A copy of the full Toolkit is attached to this profile.
Origin / Implementation
Many new teachers at the Career Center come directly from industry with no experience teaching at the secondary level. Administrators recognized that these instructors might benefit from a comprehensive induction guide (the Toolkit) that would ease their transition into the classroom. The Toolkit was developed by NMTCC Teacher on Special Assignment Robert Lacivita over the course of one year, and it was based on materials originally collected and assembled by Denise Dohoney of the Lancaster County Career & Technology Center. The Toolkit was first implemented during the 2011-2012 school year. It includes information to help instructors navigate the educational system, manage their classrooms, and complete required paperwork. It is designed to provide a program of continuous support and evaluation for new instructors during their first two years of teaching and beyond, with a focus on skill advancement and knowledge acquisition.
Results / Impact
NMTCC administrators report a reduction in teacher turnover and a smoother transition for instructors from industry into the classroom since implementing the Toolkit and mentoring program. Anecdotally, they observe a decrease in frustration among new instructors as they navigate their first years in the classroom. Both new instructors and their mentors find the Toolkit a valuable resource.
NMTCC plans to continue using the Toolkit and to update it to include new initiatives as needed.
Contact
North Montgomery Technical Career Center
Michael Lucas, Director
Email: mlucas@nmtcc.org
Robert Lacivita, Lead Teacher
Email: rlacivit@nmtcc.org