What is New Teacher Induction?

The process of preparing, supporting, and retaining new teachers is called Induction. Induction includes all of the things done to train and support new teachers and acculturate them to teaching, including the responsibilities, missions, and philosophies of their districts and schools.
                                                                                    Harry Wong

Induction is the process of systematically training and supporting new teachers beginning before the first day of school and continuing throughout the first two or three years of teaching.  Its purposes include, but are not limited to

• easing the transition into teaching

• improving teacher effectiveness through training in classroom management and effective teaching techniques

• promoting the district’s culture

• increasing the retention of greater numbers of highly qualified teachers

The process begins with four or five days of initial training prior to the first day of school at which time new teachers are instructed in the rudiments of classroom management, first-day procedures, discipline, instructional strategies, and more.  Support and training continue, systematically, over a period of two or three years.  Induction unfolds in progressive stages, following the teacher’s development over a period of time.

Induction programs provide new teachers the support needed during the often-difficult transition from pre-service education to actual classroom teaching – from students of teaching to teachers of students.
(Source: Louisiana FIRST (Framework for Inducting, Retaining, and Supporting Teachers): The Induction Component (July 2001). Louisiana Department of Education. Word Document available for downloading:
Louisiana FIRST: The Induction Component)

 What Is a Mentoring Program?

Through a mentoring program, novice teachers are supported in their professional development as they become experienced practitioners through a collaborative one, two, or three year process. Classroom observations between the mentor and new teacher focus on planning and teaching lessons, reflecting on practice, and making adjustments. Over time the beginning teacher should become skilled in assessing his or her own practice, sharing ideas with other new teachers, and learning from more experienced colleagues.


Comprehensive Induction: A Key Connection, a PowerPoint presentation by Gail Epps from Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland, offers a superb overview of the characteristics of a comprehensive induction plan. Ms. Epps gives guidance for use by school leadership teams beginning induction programs for their school districts.
(Used with permission from: Gail A. Epps, New Teacher Induction Program, Office of Staff Development, Montgomery County Public Schools, Germantown, MD 20874)

This online Induction Handbook has been funded by the Georgia Systemic Teacher Education Program (GSTEP).

Go to Introduction