Teachers Prepare For Start Of A New Year

By Laurie Borst

Newtown’s schools will begin the 2007-2008 school year on August 28 and teachers report back on August 22. But for new teachers in Newtown’s schools, the year began one week earlier on August 15.

Newtown is unique among area school districts because it provides a five-day orientation session for teachers new to Newtown, not just brand new teachers.

“This orientation session serves two purposes,” explained Assistant Superintendent Linda Gejda. “It helps develop a sense of community and provides support as the teachers start to come into the classrooms.”

The school district welcomes more than 35 new teachers this year who will take part in workshops offered by administrators and teachers. Workshops cover topics such as writing lesson plans, bullying, classroom management, and developing a relationship with parents.

“The activities help the teachers get to know each other, and to know important people in the district,” said Dr Gejda. “They visit the buildings, learn the curriculum and how the district model works. Over the course of the five days, they get to know others, the community, the culture.”

Being a newcomer to the process in Newtown herself, Dr Gejda was pleased to see everyone who was asked stepped forward to volunteer.

“This was something that came from within. These teachers are so willing to share their experience and expertise,” Dr Gejda added.

Donna Denniston, principal at Reed Intermediate School, worked in Easton, a small school district, for many years before coming to Newtown. She praised Newtown’s district orientation process.

“Mentors are provided for all new teachers,” Ms Denniston explained. “They are informally provided to new teachers with prior experience. It helps teachers solve their own problems.

“The five-day orientation program is unusual for a district and it is built into new teachers’ contracts,” she added. “It makes a huge difference on opening day. The level of comfort they start the school year with is remarkable.”

Most of the schools’ administrators are involved in providing a piece of the training. Ms Denniston provides the first introduction to the evaluation process, including things like how often a new teacher will be observed, goal writing, and participation in the Beginning Educator Support and Training (BEST) program.

At the orientation, teachers are divided into two groups, those fresh out of college and those with prior experience but new to Newtown.

Similar Philosophies

Tina Welsh, computer teacher at Newtown Middle School, came to the district last year after a number of years teaching in another school system. Ms Welsh praised the orientation program.

“It was so well-organized, thoughtfully put together,” she said. “The workshops provided a lot of helpful stuff: BEST, goal planning, making websites.

“It was apparent to me, talking with people there, that we all had very similar philosophies of teaching,” Ms Welsh added. “Newtown has a very clear vision of what they wanted in teachers, the same mission and goals. They are dedicated to doing the best for the kids.”

Ms Denniston discusses goal setting with the teachers, who will then work with their own principals on the specifics of their individual goals.

“Goals are based on student performance, something meaningful, based on trends in testing,” explained Ms Denniston. “Goals are about student performance, not teacher performance.”

The goals need to be measurable and integrated with BEST procedures with clear expectations of how students will reach the goals, she added.

The BEST program began in Connecticut in 1986. It was designed to pair master teachers with new teachers and provide the mentoring, support, and guidance to ensure that the new teachers are successful.

The mentor works with teacher for two years. The first year of the program, the new teacher must document a unit of instruction including lesson logs of five to eight hours of teaching. Two 20-minute videotaped segments of teaching must be included. Also included is work of two students in the class and reflective commentary on the teaching and learning that took place.

During the second year, the new teacher creates a portfolio, usually between 40 and 70 pages long. This includes daily logs of 1–2 pages each and 8–12 pages of commentary. Fifteen to 20 pages of student work samples must be included, as well as copies of relevant materials, handouts, daily assignments, etc.

This portfolio is submitted to the state and trained BEST scorers review the submissions. Most teachers pass the portfolio portion at the end of the two years. A third year of mentoring is offered for those who need it.

“Efforts are made to create a positive connection between the mentor and the new teacher,” Dr Gejda said. “Some teachers struggle the first couple of years, get through it, and become great teachers.”

Dr Gejda, and some teachers in Newtown, have trained to score BEST portfolios, which is very helpful. The scorers provide good guidance for teachers working on their submissions.

When a new teacher passes certification testing, s/he receives an initial certificate. After successfully completing the BEST program, the teacher receives provisional certification. After initial certification, teachers are required to earn a master’s degree within five years.

Teachers wishing to become BEST mentors go through rigorous training. They must meet specific criteria before they are accepted. Teachers must hold a professional certificate, have taught for a minimum of three years, have a recommendation from their principal, and complete an application and interview process.

Dr Gejda said of Newtown’s mentors that most have taught longer than three years and the district also requires that they have taught in Newtown at least one year.

Each building has its own BEST coordinator who meets regularly with the mentors. They focus on the needs of the new teachers.

The State Department of Education offers online support, providing sample portfolios and offering seminars. Registered Educational Centers, e.g., CES, ACES, and Education Connection, have portfolios available for viewing at their offices.

Beginning teachers are observed a minimum of three times each year. There are also midyear and end-of-year formal observations, separate from mentor observations, performed by a designated administrator, such as the principal, assistant principal, or department chair.

Professional development is another way to help ensure classroom teachers are well prepared. Professional development needs to address all levels, beginning, middle, and experienced levels of teachers.

Teacher Leaders

“Master teachers must be teacher leaders,” said Ms Denniston. “It’s remarkable the number of people who have amazing levels of knowledge and skill which they want to share.”

Professional development workshops are offered throughout the year. As it can be costly to attend workshops and conferences, the district will select key people to send to a conference. Those teachers bring back the information and lead workshops back in district.

Nationally known educators can work with Newtown’s teachers sometimes through video-conferencing or taped presentations. Cooperation between districts is another way to provide training to teachers. Ralph Fletcher, who offers seminars on boys and writing, will speak in another district in the area. Five teachers from each of Newtown’s schools will be attending.

“Helping people to grow in the profession, and keeping good, quality people is important,” said Dr Gejda. “The effort made here is worthwhile.”

“Teachers know that they do not have to go very far to make a lot more money,” Ms Denniston pointed out. “People have job satisfaction and find meaning in their work here.”

The administrators pointed out that they rarely find a teacher must be let go. A committee of teachers is involved in hiring and references are checked. The district requires a demo lesson, which Dr Gejda explained can be the determining factor of who gets hired for a position.

“A lot of people look good on paper,” said added. “Some are better in action.”

“The hiring process puts them through their paces,” Dr Gejda stated. “Rarely, a person will decide it’s not right for them.”