Supporting our newly hired teachers
Novice teachers who are in the first year of their teaching career work with a carefully selected, experienced ISB mentor-teacher. The novice teacher maintains a reflection journal, which is part of the weekly conference meetings mentors and novice teachers hold. Building a portfolio of professional materials, which includes a class profile, lesson and unit plans, and analyses of student work; assessing and developing strategies for differentiated learning; observing and being observed; and participating in an end-of-year Novice Teacher Colloquium of learning and understanding, are some of the activities that take place in this programme. Novice teachers self-assess their growth as professionals by using the Continuum of Teacher Development.
“It is so helpful to have someone with teaching experience to tell me that it is okay to be nervous, stressed or confused about my teaching practice. Overall, she [the mentor] provides support and a feeling that it is possible to get through it and come out the other end alive and gratified at my success as a new teacher. I think it is an amazing programme that is such an added benefit of being at ISB.”
- Kristen van Ginhoven, Novice teacher 2004-2005
Experienced teachers, during their first semester at ISB have the support of a divisional mentor, an experienced ISB teacher who works in the same division of the school as the newly hired teacher. Divisional mentors help them to learn about ISB's school culture, nomenclature, communications processes, and divisional procedures. Newly hired teachers are asked to maintain a reflection journal which is used as the basis for three mentoring conferences held with the divisional mentor. Orientation week activities, participation in a workshop on the school's culture, and observation of a colleague's class are activities included in this programme.
“Knowing it’s there is a definite benefit. Its existence and appropriate support have been invaluable.”
- Tanja Vogt joined ISB in 2005
