the new teacher support program: an individualized support plan for retaining stem teachers greer...
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The New Teacher Support Program: An Individualized Support Plan for Retaining STEM Teachers
Greer Richardson, La Salle UniversityCarol Rulli, Philadelphia Education FundBonnie Hallam, Bryn Mawr College
This presentation will
Introduce the audience to the PRNP
Explore the component parts of the Philadephia Regional Noyce Partnership (PRNP)
Describe the activities and outcomes of the New Teacher Support Program
Discuss the implications and next steps of the NTSP
Engage the audience in discussion about mentoring and new teacher support
IntroductionsThe Philadelphia Regional Noyce Partnership (PRNP)
VisionTo make Philadelphia a leader in STEM teacher education and to serve as a national model for partnerships in STEM teacher preparation and development.
MembersBryn Mawr CollegeHaverford CollegeDrexel UniversityLa Salle University
Temple UniversitySaint Joseph’s University University of PennsylvaniaThe Philadelphia Education Fund
What is the PRNP?
The Philadelphia Regional Noyce Partnership (PRNP) is a collaborative partnership that began in 2011.
The project is funded by a capacity-building grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
What is PRNP?
PRNP Partners and AffiliatesMathematics Science and Education
Faculty
IHE Program Administrator
s
Noyce Program
Administrators
District Specialists
and Administrator
s
Teachers and Scholars
The Noyce Foundation
The mission of the Noyce Foundation for the past 24 years has been to help young people become curious, thoughtful, and engaged learners. We have focused on improving the teaching of math and science, developing leadership to improve student achievement, and creating opportunities for students to experience hands-on science.
The Robert Noyce Scholarship Program
The Noyce scholarship program responds to the critical need for K-12 STEM teachers (AAAS, 2014).
The scholarship program was first authorized under the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-368).
The program provides funding to institutions of higher education for scholarships, stipends, and programmatic support to recruit, prepare and develop STEM majors and professionals for K-12 teaching.
In return, teachers are required to teach in high-need school districts.
PRNP TodayThe project is in its fourth year
of operation under a second capacity building grant from the NSF.
Its focus continues to be building synergies and doing collaborative work that benefits the partners and the region.
The New Teacher Support Program is a new initiative of the PRNP that provides individual support plans for new teacher in an effort to increase teacher retention in the region.
http://prnp.org
New Teacher Support Program Goals
The New Teacher Support Program (NTSP) proposes a flexible and individualized supportive services for new teachers designed to address the problem of teacher retention, especially in the area of early career, STEM teachers in high needs urban schools.
LiteratureResearchers who study teacher attrition call for a comprehensive induction and mentoring program to support and retain teachers. (Feiman-Nemser, 2003; Ingersoll and Strong, 2011).
Practice-based learning opportunities are needed while teachers are “on the job” (Feiman-Nemser, 2001a; Feiman-Nemser; 2001b; Ganser, 2002; Gold, 1996 and Hegstad, 1999) in order to fully prepare them for the complexities of professional practice.
Induction and mentoring have a positive impact on beginning teachers. These practices include: comprehensive, well-defined induction programs throughout the year, knowledgeable mentors and veteran teachers and opportunities for new teachers to engage in learning communities both inside and outside of schools (Ingersoll and Strong, 2011).
Program-Wide Inquiry StanceThe authors have chosen to adopt an inquiry stance in order to contextualize the practice of mentoring in a newly developed program and to ask questions about its effectiveness. Ravitch (2015) refers to this as practitioner research.
Teacher research is the systematic and intentional study of one’s professional practice (Cochran-Smith and Lytle 2009). Teacher research is also linked to action research (Stremmel 2007).
Each allows for the intersection of theory, research and practice that fosters reflection and action on professional practice which shape decision-making in communal and organizational settings (Ravitch, 2015).
Research Questions
Was the practice of the mentors improved?
Were the stated needs of the new teachers met?
Research Context
• The Partnership• The Individual Support Plans• Mentor Development
Research ContextModel of Action
• Instructional• Professional • Personal
Needs Assessment
• Goal Setting• Actions Toward
Goals• Evidence of
Success
Individual Support Plan • Reassessments of
Actions and evidence
• Realignment to Goals
Formative Meetings
• Reflection on Actions
• Goal Setting for Coming Year
Summative Meeting
Research ContextParticipants
• First and second year STEM teachers
• External mentors• Program administrators
Research Context – Mentor Development
• Mentor skills survey used to develop mentor PD and to track changes over the year
• Monthly mentor meetings developed the learning community
• Mentors addressed stated needs of each new teacher through twice a month meetings with each new teacher
• Mentors completed initial, formative and summative report forms linked to action plan
Research Context Mentor Activity
January New Teacher-Mentor Meetings (existing pairings)
Mentor Orientation
February Existing Teacher-Mentor Meetings NTSP Orientation
March New Teacher-Mentor Meetings PD: Problems of Practice
April New Teacher-Mentor Meetings PD: Active Listening
May New Teacher-Mentor Meetings PD: Culturally Relevant Teaching
June New Teacher-Mentor Meetings Focus Group Evaluation Meeting
Methodology
This is primarily a case study in which a a mix of qualitative and quantitative data are used to address the research questions.
As this in a preliminary look at the activities and outcomes of the program, a case study design is appropriate.
Instrumentation
Qualitative • Needs Assessment• Individual Support Plans• Initial mentoring conference form• Monthly Formative Mentoring Conference
form
Quantitative• Mentor Skills Assessment• Summative Mentoring Conference form• Year-end focus group surveys with each group
ResultsDid the mentors improve their practice?
Substance and Frequency of Mentor Exchanges
Substance Frequency
Classroom Management
14
Content resources 8
Content advice 8
Pedagogical resources 12
Pedagogical advice 14
Wellness advice 9
Professional advice 10n=6 mentors Sources: Mentor initial, formative and summative reports
ResultsDid the mentors improve their practice?
Mentor Skills Survey - Mean Results
Item Pre Post
Providing Constructive Feedback 2.0 2.6
Helping a new teacher develop a realistic plan for growth
1.8 2.3
Assisting new teacher with evaluating, selecting and developing instructional resources to meet the needs of all learners
1.7 2.5
Results
Did new teachers have their needs met?
Comparison of new teacher action plan and mentor progress reports
• 3 categories identified: instructional practices, professional practices, social emotional needs
• 100% consistency
ResultsDid new teachers have their needs met?
Focus Group Results (n=8)• Needs Assessment successful tool for articulation
of needs • Mentors met their needs through skill
development, encouragement, honest feedback, and fostering self-awareness.
• Working with their mentor (n=4); sharing with other teachers (n=4); and the professional development as very valuable (n=4)
• All agreed to continue in the program in various ways
Results
Did the new teachers have their needs met?
New Teacher Summative Survey
% Extremely to moderately useful
78 Needs assessment survey
60 PD sessions
89 Interaction with mentors
n=9 new teachers
Results and Conclusions
• Mentor development
• New teacher needs
Next Steps
• Mentor development
• Mentor tool development and mentor use
• STEM mentoring
• Continued growth for new teachers
Please visit the webpage at PRNP.org for access to the research paper and a complete list of references.
References
Greer Richardson [email protected]
Carol [email protected]
Bonnie Hallam [email protected]
Contact Information
Questions and Feedback