PhysTEC

Induction Strategies

Invite your preservice and beginning teachers to professional association meetings and other events where they can meet experienced teachers. Participation in organizations such as the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and AAPT connects beginning teachers with a vast network of colleagues and a wealth of opportunities for professional growth.

  • Ball State PhysTEC faculty took pre-service teachers to meetings of the Hoosier Association of Science Teachers, Inc. (HASTI), the state NSTA affiliate.
  • Arizona supported two beginning science teachers to attend AAPT Summer Meetings.
  • Arkansas TIRs used regional AAPT meetings to maintain mentoring relationships with beginning teachers.
  • Seattle Pacific offers professional development workshops to in-service teachers in the Seattle School District, and encourages student teachers to participate along with their supervising teachers.

Sponsor student chapters of NSTA or other teacher support organizations. Student organizations help pre-service and beginning teachers begin to form networks and share resources.

  • Arkansas students are developing a charter for a local chapter of NSTA, to be submitted by January, 2008.
  • Ball State faculty spearheaded the formation of a student organization called Cardinal Association of Teachers (CATS), affiliated with NSTA. CATS includes secondary science teachers among its members.
  • Teacher Advisory Groups are another great way to create teacher networks.

If your institution or a nearby school offers a masters’ program that emphasizes induction and mentoring, encourage your graduates to consider it. In Colorado faculty’s words, “PhysTEC Teachers are trying to use best-practices in their schools but are struggling a bit with classroom management issues and with some issues in general technique.  PhysTEC Teachers are being encouraged to enter the Partners in Education (PIE) induction and mentoring masters degree program.”