New Teacher Induction: Margate Elementary Style

At Margate Elementary, we have developed a routine for making sure we support our New Educators right from the start. A soon as I know about how many new teachers we will have, I head out shopping with funds provided by Ms. Schmidt, our principal. First stop is the ACE store for class supplies, and then to Scholastic for their classroom libraries.

As soon as a teacher is hired, Mrs. Schmidt calls me (usually in the summer) and gives me the name and phone number. That day I call the new teacher to welcome him/her and provide the name of a contact person at the school. I also tell them that I will be assigning a coach soon. I get together with them and issue their professional reading for the summer. We know that once school starts, they will have limited time to read professionally.

Mrs. Schmidt and I choose appropriate coaches and then the coaches and new educators get together for lunch, planning, and getting to know each other. They come in to the school together to look at the new educators’ rooms.

Mrs. Schmidt helps the new teachers by scheduling custodial cleaning so that the new teachers’ rooms are done first. That way they can get into their rooms earlier in the summer to help prevent unnecessary stress. New teachers and coaches work together to set up their rooms. The goal is to have them ready before the planning days. The coach’s next duty is to inspect the new educator’s room and list what that teacher still needs. The coach and new educator submit the order together.

The very first day of pre-planning, there is an introductory faculty meeting and a special breakfast. At this time, we have a formal Induction Ceremony for our new teachers. It includes an “exchange of vows” between veterans and new staff members and ends with everyone singing the school song.

There is a lot more to this ceremony and to our yearlong plus plan. Please visit the Induction CAB conference for all of the details. Go to CAB> Instructional Resources> INDUCTION(HRD)> NESS Liaison> Orientation.

SOURCE: Jeanne Krause, Margate Elementary