Reflection, Growth, and Mentoring of Beginning Science and Mathematics Teachers

Volume 1 | Issue 1 Article 6 May 2016 Reflection, Growth, and Mentoring of Beginning Science and Mathematics Teachers Sheryl McGlamery University of Nebraska at Omaha, Saundra Shillingstad University of Nebraska at Omaha, Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/ctlle Part of the Curriculum and Instruction Commons Recommended Citation McGlamery, Sheryl and Shillingstad, Saundra (2016) "Reflection, Growth, and Mentoring of Beginning Science and Mathematics Teachers," Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education: Vol. 1 : Iss. 1 , Article 6. Available at: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/ctlle/vol1/iss1/6 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UNO. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@UNO. For more information, please contact . McGlamery and Shillingstad: Mentoring Beginning Science and Mathematics Teachers REFLECTION, GROWTH, AND MENTORING OF BEGINNING SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS TEACHERS Sheryl McGlamery University of Nebraska at Omaha Saundra Shillingstad University of Nebraska at Omaha Abstract: This is a qualitative study of beginning science and mathematics teachers involved in a comprehensive teacher induction program. The teacher induction program was striving to encourage and increase the reflection of the beginning teachers in their program. A formal reflection instrument (Plus/Delta) was used to assist the beginning science and mathematics teachers reflect on specific lessons and compare their Plus/Delta results with those of their mentors. This study compares and where appropriate, quantifies the results of both the beginning teachers and their mentors. There were six themes found in the data reported by both mentors and beginning teachers. The themes include: management, student engagement, differentiation, assessment, instruction, and preparation. The results show agreement among mentors and beginning teachers in the area identified as needing the most change. Mathematics teachers and mentors stated that student engagement was the most reported area needing change, while science mentors and beginning science teachers found management to be the most reported area needing change. Introduction Research completed to date confirms that beginning science and mathematics teachers face many challenges, and must master numerous areas of teaching proficiencies in order to demonstrate competence in teaching (EunJin, Kern, Luft, & Reohrig, 2007). Luft (2003) reports that fewer than 20% of mathematics and science teachers have access to mentoring or induction programs of any kind. Most beginning math and science teachers will face the initial year of practice with little or no access to an induction program targeting their content areas (Luft, 2009). Research further suggests that science and math teachers left without critically needed guidance, a comprehensive induction program could provide, often develop practices that do not allow their students to participate in inquiry activities (e.g. labs, simulations, problem solving, research projects (Luft, Roehrig, & Patterson, 2003). Instead the beginning science and math teachers persist with teacher centered teaching strategies (e.g. lecture, presentation, recitations) that may not be effective or engaging to their students. Further, helping beginning science and mathematics teachers to reach higher levels of teaching competence is shown to be possible and very effective through comprehensive induction programs of mentoring (Gilles, Davis, McGlamery, 2009; Simmons et al, 1999; Luft, 2009). The focus of this paper is to chronicle the efforts of a comprehensive teacher induction program as it tries to build beginning science and mathematics teachers’ knowledge, skills and dispositions. Further, this research explores the implementation of a systematic reflection process that allows mentors to provide feedback on the beginning teachers’ knowledge, skills and dispositions using the Plus/Delta instrument. The responses/reflections of both the mentors and beginning science and mathematics teachers are compared to see what areas of concern and success each reports after observing and reflecting on science or math lessons taught by the beginning teachers. Literature Review Many articles have discussed the looming teacher shortage that our nation will be facing in the next decade. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, 2011) reported that between the fall of 2008 (the last year of 45 Published by DigitalCommons@UNO, 2016 1 Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education, Vol. 1, Iss. 1 [2016], Art. 6 actual public school data) and the fall of 2020, the number of qualified teachers needed in elementary, middle and secondary schools is projected to rise. The projected shortage has been brought on by the growing enrollment of students, teacher retirement, as well as teachers exiting classrooms due to high-stakes testing. Teachers of science and mathematics are no exception to the trend. Their numbers are unstable because of rising attrition rates. For example, national statistics show the attrition rate out of teaching for mathematics and science teachers is 50% within 3 years of the start of their teaching careers (NCES, 2011). In order to stem the tide of attrition out of teaching, reformers and policy-makers have called for induction programs for beginning teachers. “The first years of teaching are an intense and formative time in learning to teach, influencing not only whether people remain in teaching but what kind of teacher they become” (Feiman-Nemser, 2001, p. 1026). Professionals have documented and argued that key factors in retaining beginning teachers are related to high-quality preparation, induction, as well as comprehensive mentoring programs (Berry & Hirsh (2005); Darling-Hammond (1997b); & Johnson & Birkeland (2003). Luft (2009) takes it a step further to suggest that science and mathematics teachers need not only a comprehensive program, but one focused on the needs of the content specialist. As early as the 1980’s educators identified the need to support the philosophical, professional and pedagogical needs of beginning teachers. During the past two decades a large body of research has been conducted on the benefits of mentoring and induction programs for beginning elementary, middle level, and secondary teachers. “Mentoring” refers to a master teacher providing the novice teacher with one-on-one assistance. “Induction” refers to a more comprehensive program to include expertly trained mentors that guide novices with content-specific needs, assistance in filling in gaps with content (knowledge), as well as management and assessment tools (skills). Teacher induction is the process of supporting the work of beginning teachers so that they adjust well (dispositions (...truncated)