From the Beginning: A Start to End Analysis of a Beginning Teacher Program

This mixed-methods study evaluated the effectiveness of a Beginning Teacher Support Program in the southern region of a school district. The effects of teacher turnover, national teacher shortages, induction programs, mentoring, administrative support, professional development, and other support offered to beginning teachers were analyzed. The researcher created a survey that was administered to high school beginning teachers, mentor teachers, and principals. A focus group and an interview with a regional beginning teacher coordinator were also conducted to further evaluate the effectiveness of the district’s beginning teacher program. The results of the study concluded that beginning teachers benefitted from participating in the district’s beginning teacher support program. Specifically, beginning teachers reported having a veteran mentor, having mentor teachers provide resources, and collaborating with other teachers as an area of effectiveness. Areas that were not effective included co-teaching with mentors, lesson unit planning, data analysis, and outside professional development. The researcher’s recommendations for further study included providing focus groups for beginning teachers to reflect on the beginning teacher support program, future researchers should be cognizant of time management in terms of collecting data, and a more in-depth study of the role of the site-wide beginning teacher coordinator. Recommendations for the district included to continue with the pairing of veteran teachers or mentors with beginning teachers, recruit more mentor teachers to assist beginning teachers, provide more support for lateral entry teachers, and to match lateral entry veteran teachers with lateral entry beginning teachers