Teacher Induction as a Means of Building and Sustaining a Professional Learning Community in Schools

1. Teacher Induction as a Means of Building and Sustaining a Professional Learning Community in Schools Chan, Raymond Mow-chiu Department of Education Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University rmcchan@hkbu.edu.hk

2. Some Thoughts about Teacher Induction Effect of “teacher induction” on the school environment at school / group / individual level? Teacher induction - Practice in the past and at present The Reality – Transition from college to working environment - New teachers’ perceptions

3. Individual Level, e.g., • Sense of belongings • Support from others • Consolidation of knowledge • Adjustment problems • Teaching competence • Group Level, e.g., • Learning atmosphere • Supportive relationship • Peer learning group • School Level, e.g., • Learning culture • Supportive environment

4. What is “professional learning community”? • Nine basic assumptions of school as “Learning Organization” (Leithwood, Jantzi & Steinbach (1995)) • Is “Teacher Induction” serve as a means of building up a professional learning community?

5. Basic assumptions of school as “Learning Organization” • Sources of motivation • Emphasize both intrinsic and extrinsic sources • Focus on meeting esteem and self actualization needs • Nature of the learning process • Active learner • Constructivist explanations • Mission and goals • Quality • Clear, evolving

6. Basic assumptions of school as “Learning Organization” • Culture • Collaborative • Norms of continuous • Problem solving • Management and leadership • Self management • Transformational • Facilitative power • Structure and organization • Depends on task and contexts

7. Basic assumptions of school as “Learning Organization” • Decision making • Team centered • Post rational • Policies and Procedures • Minimal • Designed to enhance learning and avoid limiting the use of talent • Relations with community • Formal • Partnership • Highly responsive

8. School-based Teacher Induction Vs Non School-based Teacher Induction Insights from a non school-base teacher induction scheme Induction Support Scheme (ISS)

9. Induction Support Scheme (ISS) • Collaboration and support from a teacher training institution (HKBU) • Fresh graduates who work as school teachers will engage in collaborative learning and professional development activities with more experienced teachers • Two major components in ISS • Home-coming sharing group • Large group learning activities

10. Limitations of non school-based teacher induction • Limited interactive activities – E.g., class observation • Supporting the development of school culture? • Unable to provide “First Hand” support • A lack of opportunity to interact with working partners • Mentor’s attitude towards mentee’s working environment • Logistic arrangement

11. Concerns • All parties’ involvement • CPD for mentor / mentee • Support from leaders • Workload issue • Documentation • Evaluation • School-based vs Non school-based?

12. End of presentation Thank you