Stories from Novice Teachers: This Is Induction?

Real books about teaching are always a treasure. Not told from the lofty perch of an Ivory tower or by another blue-ribbon committee intent on producing a top-down approach to learning, this book is special because it is the voice of teachersuEnglish teachers, special ed teachers, and just plain teachersufilled with all the complexity and ambiguity that all good teachers face when they are met with the realities of classroom life. This is a terrific read. one that will be embraced by all teachers of all levels and interestsuwho are seeking to do the 'right thing' for kids (students) of all ages.-Jeffrey S. Kaplan. PhD, associate professor, teaching and learning principles, College of Education, University of Central Florida

"...authors Lisa Scherff and Mike Dana provide tremendous insight for administrators and mentor teachers in understanding the needs of new teachers from real-life experiences. What comes across clearly is that a 'one-size-fits-all' approach will not work; new teachers need differentiated, individualized support and attention. Stories from Novice Teachers: This Is Induction will provide schools and districts with thoughtful guidance to review and revise their concept of induction programs for new teachers."-Vicki Stockman, director, staff development. The School District of Lee County Florida

Why do new teachers change schools or leave the profession? Stories from Novice Teachers: This Is Induction? attempts to address this questions in this book, we feature the stories of a dozen novice teachers and how they were, or were not, mentored or inducted by their schools. Using data collected over a three-year period (close to 1,000 emails and face-to-face interviews), the cases presented in this book can inform school principals and district-level administrators of the situations that promote or hinder new teacher growth so that we can lower attrition rates and foster student achievement. Cases range from problems in the faculty lounge to unsupportive colleagues it otoo mucho induction.

Lisa Scherff is currently associate professor of English education at the University of Alabama, where she teaches courses in adolescent literacy/literature, writing, methods of teaching, and teacher effectiveness. Her research focuses on teacher preparation/induction/mentoring and opportunity to learn. Previously, Scherff taught high school English and reading.
Mike Dania is a practicing educator as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and director of personnel. Dana also teaches courses in educational leadership and curriculum and instruction. He earned his doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Alabama