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(p. 50). Collaboration helps educators connect (Wong, 2004). Reitman and Karge
(2019) reported teachers cited individual relationships as indicators of supportive
processes helping them during their induction phase of teaching. Participants in
Reitman and Karge’s study (2019) received support from a partnership between
a university and several school districts. They reported the “features of support
enhanced each participant’s individual teaching and … were critical to the teachers’
longevity in the field of teaching” (Reitman & Karge, 2019, p. 15).
Dr. Michael Bochenko Although support assists new teachers with gaining knowledge about their roles
is an assistant professor and responsibilities in the school building, studies show teachers do not always
and program coordinator feel supported. Garcia and Weiss (2019) analyzed data compiled through surveys
in educational leadership
at Valdosta State conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Department of Education. Data included
University. He served as a results from the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), Teacher Follow-Up Survey
superintendent, assistant (TFS), and National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS). Their report aimed to
superintendent, and high examine “the early career supports available to novice teachers in the first year of
school principal for most their careers, as well as the continued learning opportunities available to teachers
of his K–12 education throughout their careers” (Garcia & Weiss, 2019, p. 5). Using data from the 2015–
career. When working
with doctoral candidates, 2016 NTPS, Garcia and Weiss (2019) reported, “…Less than half of the teachers
Bochenko assists them in report feeling fully supported by the school administration, their colleagues, or the
their research pertaining community in general” (p. 22). These researchers found about half the teachers
to organizational reported feeling supported by school leaders but did not see the cooperative effort by
leadership, school culture, colleagues (Garcia & Weiss, 2019). Garcia and Weiss (2019) also found teachers did
superintendent and school not feel heard regarding school policy and their classrooms. These findings aligned
board leadership, and
instructional supervision. with negative perceptions of school climate and culture.

mjbochenko@valdosta . Mentoring
edu Comprehensive induction programs include elements of mentoring. Mentoring
should involve teachers who teach similar grades and subjects (Sutcher et al., 2016).
Sutcher et al. (2016) defined a job-alike teacher as “a mentor teacher in the same
subject area [and having] common planning time with teachers in the same subject”
(p. 6). Reitman and Karge (2019) found mentors who were accessible and positive
and who spent time with new teachers impacted the new teacher’s perception of his
or her professional competence. Mentor guidelines include rigorous mentor selection
based on “evidence of outstanding teaching practice, strong intra- and inter-personal
skills, experience with adult learners, respect of peers, [and] current knowledge of
professional development” (New Teacher Center, 2016, p. 1).

Professional Development
Comprehensive induction programs include professional development. Garcia
and Weiss (2019) stated, “To ensure that both early supports and ongoing professional
development fulfill their intended missions, they need to be adequate, sustained, and
meaningful to teachers” (p. 31). Reitman and Karge (2019) studied an induction
program comprised of university faculty mentors. The university faculty mentors
provided 5 years of support to new teachers through onsite visits and seminars
tailored to the needs of the new teachers. Reitman and Karge (2019) found 100% of
new teachers who went through the program were still teaching between 5 and 16
years after this intervention.
Because new teachers are beginning to apply what they learned during
teacher-preparation programs in their practice, they need additional time to learn
implementation processes. In their study, Garcia and Weiss (2019) found that

8 The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin: International Journal for Professional Educators