Supporting New Teachers through Induction Programs: New Teacher Perceptions of Mentoring and Instructional Coaching

Abstract

Novice teachers need support as they enter their career in education. Supports can be given through various forms including mentoring and instructional coaching. The supports are put into place by school districts to assist with student achievement as well as teacher retention. This case study examines a school districts elementary schools and the supports put into place for novice teachers, with a particular focus on mentoring and instructional coaching. The case study drew from interviews, observations, and document reviews from four different elementary schools and eight individuals, including novice teachers, mentors, and instructional coaches. Coding took place and a thematic analysis took place. Triangulation of all three data points kept this qualitative study reliable and accurate. The three findings include: 1) Perceptions of mentoring and instructional coaching program components, 2) Novice teachers perceptions of mentoring and instructional coaching support, and 3) Mentors and instructional coaches perceptions of their roles in supporting novice teachers. The findings focus on recognizing the perceptions of those involved in induction programs for novice teachers and how those supports provide the necessary needs for new teachers to stay in the field of education. Specifically, perceptions were identified to indicate if one program served a better purpose for what novice teachers want and need to be successful. The purpose of the research was to understand how novice teachers perceive types of support and how the supports effect their retention and performance. The results of the study would assist a school system in terms of where to invest funds to provide the most needed support for novice teachers.