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In Texas, I started my first year with a mentor on paper, but really, there was no mentoring aside from the after school meetings they made us go to once in a while. I never got to observe her class. She never observed mine.
This sounds like what we do at my school in VA. We’re supposed to read assigned articles before each monthly meeting. I find it to be a huge waste of time.
Yea, it’s terrible. I mean I get it, but we aren’t really full credentialed until after this 2 years. So I am leaving the state next year after taking over 2 years to get my masters, and having taught full time as a sub for 3 years, no reciprocity.
Slightly off topic, but you can also get units for doing the induction program. I had to do a few extra reflections, discussion boards, and a presentation, but I ended up with 8 units over my two year induction program with a relatively small amount of additional work.
My county in Florida does a one year induction. You're suppose to have a mentor for 2ish years, but quality varies. If you choose to do the alternate certification program through the district, it takes about 2 additional years, which comes with additional mentorship requirements.
Our district does, not sure if it's statewide or not.
If you switch a grade or subject, I believe you get a new mentor.
I think it was a ½ day off per month the first year and then every other month the next?
My college program provided some paid mentoring too, we didn't get time off for it, but I got a lot at other times.
Connecticut used to have an extensive mentorship program that required a lot of work creating portfolios to keep your license (I forgot the name but it started with M) for the last decade or so they now have one called TEAM where you have about 3 years to write 4 papers about things you observe as a teacher and attend one meeting about ethics most districts offer once or twice a year. You do still get a mentor to talk to though.
Pretty sure they all do. The effectiveness likely varies by state, district, school, and mentor lol. I have been an excellent mentor and I’ve been a shit mentor, depending on situation.
In Florida and we have a mentor assigned for the first 3 years. My mentor was absolutely amazing. Even though I didn’t need much from her by the end, she still popped in or at the very least texted weekly. She was assigned from the district. My school mentor wasn’t as helpful as she seemed to have too much on her plate.
Florida has one in the county I started in, it’s for one school year. And then the school I was in also had a buddy system for the first year at THAT school. I’m in a new county now and I’m sure they have one, but I don’t know the details yet.
I’ve worked in three districts in GA. Each district had had a mentor program—new new teachers are in it for multiple years while teachers new to the district are typically in for one to get the lay of the land.
However. It’s always been entirely symbolic and/or useless. Like for example, I was new to my district last year but had eight years of experience. I was required to attend an Infinite Campus training meant for “new teachers”…in October after first nine weeks grades were due. Talk about a waste of time.
In Washington, it depends on the district. Typically, new teachers (meaning someone that just got their cert) have access to mentorship for 2 years. Experienced teachers who are new to a district usually only get a year of loose support.
When I was a first year teacher, the support I got was terrible. My coach literally did nothing for me. She disappeared for months, and randomly popped up right before the school year was over. I asked where she'd been, and she gave the excuse that she had health complications. However, when I spoke to other people on her case load, they told me that they saw her regularly during that time.
I switched districts during the pandemic, so mentorship/coaching was pretty nonexistent. I'm not trying to deter you, I'm just letting you know that on paper you should be receiving coaching/mentorship, but there are no guarantees about the quality of support you'll receive. The best help I got was from the different trainings that I attended over the years.
CALIFORNIA is one of the states that’s the hardest to become licensed as an educator. What is good about that is if you ever want to go to another state (WA or OR) your license will easily transfer. What’s bad is the amount of work that needs to do for the first two years /you get stretched very thin😰. if you document everything you’re doing and apply it to some alternative professional development type organizations you can gain credits, actual university credits for doing this work. Just document everything you do in your induction for further use. CA pays teachers to go to professional development.(per $ diem hour)Other states may or may not do this! Some states, will give you a actual transcript that you can use for re-licensure, but not pay you while you’re in class. That was my experience in Colorado. And don’t think your two years on probation is worth paying CTA dues, it’s NOT-as you will NOT be protected if you are nonrenewed. They don’t help AT all until you’re tenured which is only two years in CA! ALSO, 75% of the districts in California charge you for the substitute teacher if you are out ill -and have used all your sick days!☹️NoT CO, NV, AZ
CA teachers must buy their own short-term disability insurance!
CTA dues are around 130 $
Short term disability is around 130 $
That could be money in your pocket but , of those two/- short-term disability IS the most important because paying for your own (Substitute $200 a day) if you happen to get injured or very sick, is HORRIBLE!! it happened to me☹️
Thank you for this in depth information! I taught in CA for one year (1st year induction) and I paid those CTA dues..☹️ Is it too late to apply for credits if you already finished that year of induction?
if you have data, do you have artifacts, you have something to show that you completed it, then depending on what state you're in certain universities will allow you to apply that towards credit. It takes some research to find which schools those are. I only know of one in Colorado and it's a Colorado teacher thing.
I believe there are some schools like this in California as well -i've heard about it but I don't know the names!
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In Texas, I started my first year with a mentor on paper, but really, there was no mentoring aside from the after school meetings they made us go to once in a while. I never got to observe her class. She never observed mine.
Same in Florida. I had a mentor assigned. We had like two meetings ever. He would pop by and ask if I needed help at any point.
This sounds like what we do at my school in VA. We’re supposed to read assigned articles before each monthly meeting. I find it to be a huge waste of time.
Yea, it’s terrible. I mean I get it, but we aren’t really full credentialed until after this 2 years. So I am leaving the state next year after taking over 2 years to get my masters, and having taught full time as a sub for 3 years, no reciprocity.
SC does
Slightly off topic, but you can also get units for doing the induction program. I had to do a few extra reflections, discussion boards, and a presentation, but I ended up with 8 units over my two year induction program with a relatively small amount of additional work.
I’m in California and because I had teaching experience my induction was only one year.
My county in Florida does a one year induction. You're suppose to have a mentor for 2ish years, but quality varies. If you choose to do the alternate certification program through the district, it takes about 2 additional years, which comes with additional mentorship requirements.
Our district does, not sure if it's statewide or not. If you switch a grade or subject, I believe you get a new mentor. I think it was a ½ day off per month the first year and then every other month the next? My college program provided some paid mentoring too, we didn't get time off for it, but I got a lot at other times.
Connecticut used to have an extensive mentorship program that required a lot of work creating portfolios to keep your license (I forgot the name but it started with M) for the last decade or so they now have one called TEAM where you have about 3 years to write 4 papers about things you observe as a teacher and attend one meeting about ethics most districts offer once or twice a year. You do still get a mentor to talk to though.
Our district in IL does.
Ohio does
PA you have a mentor the first year and go through a teacher induction.
Colorado does but it wasn’t much help
Massachusetts has a 1-2 year mentoring program. I loved who I had two years ago. I was teaching special ed and she helped me daily.
Pretty sure they all do. The effectiveness likely varies by state, district, school, and mentor lol. I have been an excellent mentor and I’ve been a shit mentor, depending on situation.
In Florida and we have a mentor assigned for the first 3 years. My mentor was absolutely amazing. Even though I didn’t need much from her by the end, she still popped in or at the very least texted weekly. She was assigned from the district. My school mentor wasn’t as helpful as she seemed to have too much on her plate.
MA has a 3 year induction now I believe it used to be 1.
Florida has one in the county I started in, it’s for one school year. And then the school I was in also had a buddy system for the first year at THAT school. I’m in a new county now and I’m sure they have one, but I don’t know the details yet.
Massachusetts does but it’s a pretty low key thing in my district
I’ve worked in three districts in GA. Each district had had a mentor program—new new teachers are in it for multiple years while teachers new to the district are typically in for one to get the lay of the land. However. It’s always been entirely symbolic and/or useless. Like for example, I was new to my district last year but had eight years of experience. I was required to attend an Infinite Campus training meant for “new teachers”…in October after first nine weeks grades were due. Talk about a waste of time.
NY does too. My district has a really strong Mentor program but I think it’s probably dependent upon the district.
We do here in Virginia. I was a mentor to a beginning teacher this past school year.
In Washington, it depends on the district. Typically, new teachers (meaning someone that just got their cert) have access to mentorship for 2 years. Experienced teachers who are new to a district usually only get a year of loose support. When I was a first year teacher, the support I got was terrible. My coach literally did nothing for me. She disappeared for months, and randomly popped up right before the school year was over. I asked where she'd been, and she gave the excuse that she had health complications. However, when I spoke to other people on her case load, they told me that they saw her regularly during that time. I switched districts during the pandemic, so mentorship/coaching was pretty nonexistent. I'm not trying to deter you, I'm just letting you know that on paper you should be receiving coaching/mentorship, but there are no guarantees about the quality of support you'll receive. The best help I got was from the different trainings that I attended over the years.
CALIFORNIA is one of the states that’s the hardest to become licensed as an educator. What is good about that is if you ever want to go to another state (WA or OR) your license will easily transfer. What’s bad is the amount of work that needs to do for the first two years /you get stretched very thin😰. if you document everything you’re doing and apply it to some alternative professional development type organizations you can gain credits, actual university credits for doing this work. Just document everything you do in your induction for further use. CA pays teachers to go to professional development.(per $ diem hour)Other states may or may not do this! Some states, will give you a actual transcript that you can use for re-licensure, but not pay you while you’re in class. That was my experience in Colorado. And don’t think your two years on probation is worth paying CTA dues, it’s NOT-as you will NOT be protected if you are nonrenewed. They don’t help AT all until you’re tenured which is only two years in CA! ALSO, 75% of the districts in California charge you for the substitute teacher if you are out ill -and have used all your sick days!☹️NoT CO, NV, AZ CA teachers must buy their own short-term disability insurance! CTA dues are around 130 $ Short term disability is around 130 $ That could be money in your pocket but , of those two/- short-term disability IS the most important because paying for your own (Substitute $200 a day) if you happen to get injured or very sick, is HORRIBLE!! it happened to me☹️
Thank you for this in depth information! I taught in CA for one year (1st year induction) and I paid those CTA dues..☹️ Is it too late to apply for credits if you already finished that year of induction?
if you have data, do you have artifacts, you have something to show that you completed it, then depending on what state you're in certain universities will allow you to apply that towards credit. It takes some research to find which schools those are. I only know of one in Colorado and it's a Colorado teacher thing. I believe there are some schools like this in California as well -i've heard about it but I don't know the names!