Tapping the Potential - Alliance for Excellent Education

TA P P I N G T H E P O T E N T I A L : R E TA I N I N G A N D D E V E L O P I N G H I G H - Q U A L I T Y N E W T E A C H E R Sof school; seminars about classroom management, planning and effective teaching,and local policies and procedures; and follow-up professional development sessions fora new teacher’s first three years. All teachers new to the parish, regardless of experience,participate in the program. Late hires are placed in a preservice program inJanuary. In addition, Tangipahoa FIRST employs full-time mentors to supplement thework of LaTAAP mentors. Tangipahoa has received LaFIRST grant money for the pasttwo years, which they have used to purchase classroom materials and to fund professionaldevelopment sessions for new teachers.Quality ComponentsMentoringLaTAAP specifies the qualifications of mentors and requires that all mentors participatein training with a local state-trained instructor. Mentor activities include holdingweekly meetings with new teachers and observing classroom teaching. LaTAAP mentorsare limited to supporting two novices so that they can devote enough assistance toeach. The majority of new teachers spend an average of one to two hours per weekwith their mentor. To ensure quality mentoring, LaTAAP legislation requires principalsto schedule time for mentors to work with teachers and monitor their activities.Tangipahoa FIRST supplements the work of the LaTAAP mentors with four full-timeand four half-time mentors who were hired in 2003–04 and trained to assist new teachers,including special education teachers. These mentors receive the LaTAAP Assessorand Mentor Trainings, Tangipahoa FIRST mentor training, and monthly follow-uptraining by the program coordinator.Common Planning Time and CollaborationLaTAAP legislation requires common planning time and collaboration betweenmentors and new teachers, but release time is difficult to provide in many schools. InTangipahoa, elementary teachers did not have common planning time during the2003–04 school year.Ongoing Professional DevelopmentAs previously noted, Tangipahoa FIRST provides preservice and ongoing professionaldevelopment for new teachers in years one, two, and three with day-long trainingsessions on topics determined by the new teachers. To attend these sessions, new teachersare granted release time, and their classes are covered by substitute teachers.External NetworkIn all Tangipahoa FIRST training sessions, teachers are grouped together by gradeand subject level to encourage ongoing interaction. As some participants have noted,this practice has helped them establish a network and support system with other teachers.Through a program called FIRSTTech, Louisiana maintains a Blackboard websitewhere it posts training materials and links to teacher resources. New teachers can usethe site to participate in online discussions about teaching. While some teachers use theonline network, the state is working to boost the number of teachers on FIRSTTech.Assessment and EvaluationTangipahoa, like all parishes in Louisiana, assesses its teachers through LaTAAP. Allnew teachers in Louisiana are evaluated by their principal/designee and an outside43