A Better Beginning

This book lays out the fundamentals for helping new teachers succeed in the schools of the next century. Each part features a collection of chapters from educational leaders. An introductory part presents, "A New Teacher's World: Not Your Grandmother's Classroom" (Marge Scherer). Part 1, "What Do New Teachers Need?" includes: "Beyond Support: Taking New Teachers Seriously as Learners" (Sharon Feiman-Nemser, Cynthia Carver, Sharon Schwille, and Brian Yusko); "Easing the Way for New Teachers" (Joan Montgomery Halford); and "The Stages of a Teacher's First Year" (Ellen Moir). Part 2, "Creating an Induction Program," includes "Induction: The First Five Days" (Sandra Martin and Kathryn Robbins); "First Things First: How To Set Up an Induction Program" (Annette Breaux); "The Elements of a Supportive Induction Program" (Aileen Heidkamp and Janet Shapiro); and "Creating Conditions for Teacher Success" (Barb Knudsen and Sue Zapf). Part 3, "Making Mentoring Meaningful," includes: "Mentors Matter" (Mary Brooks); "Mentoring the Mentors" (Anne Coppenhaver and Laurel Schaper); "Baltimore Takes Mentoring to the Next Level" (Tom Ganser, Mary Jacqe Marchione, and Arlene K. Fleischmann); "'I am SO Excited!' Mentoring the Student Teacher" (Anna K. Schriever); "How to Help a New Teacher by Being a Buddy" (Annette Ehrlich Lakein); and "Get on the Team: An Alternative Mentoring Model" (Randall L. Turk). Part 4, "Planning Comprehensive Teacher Support," includes "Combining Mentoring and Assessment in California" (Bob Schultz); "A Support Program with Heart: The Santa Cruz Project" (Ellen Moir, Janet Gless, and Wendy Baron); "How Can New Teachers Become the BEST?" (Ann L. Wood); "Developing a Common Language and Spirit" (John G. Conyers, Bob Ewy, and Linda Vass); and "Every Classroom, Every Day: A Professional Development Plan" (Barbara Moore). Part 5, "Improving Instruction and Communication," includes: "Encouraging Innovation in an Age of Reform" (Jeffrey Frykholm and Margaret R. Meyer); "Linguistic Coaching: Helping Beginning Teachers Defeat Discouragement" (Paul Caccia); "The Videoconference Connection" (Ted Scott Henson and Key Slattery Shapiro); "Resurrecting Hope: Knowing the Facts, Imagining the Future" (Anna Ershler Richert); and "Preparing to Teach in Holistic Classrooms" (Kristin Guest and Jeffrey Anderson). Section 6, "Listening to Teachers," includes:"Keeping Good Teachers: Lessons from Novices" (Catherine M. Brighton); "What Teachers Like (and Don't Like) about Mandated Induction Programs" (Rob Danin and Margaret A. Bacon); "The Best Lessons: Learning To Teach in a Supportive Context" (Debra M. Sullivan); "Helping New Teachers Keep the Light in Their Eyes" (Beth Hurst and Ginny Reding); and "Ask Not What Your School Can Do for You, but What You Can Do for You" (Lisa Renard). (SM)