May 7, 2018 | UHCL Staff
This May 20, more than 80 University of Houston-Clear Lake teacher certification
candidates will receive more than just their diplomas. Nearly 100 percent of them
will not be searching for a job. They will already be employed teachers with contracts
signed, ready to enter a classroom this fall. “It is an exciting and somewhat overwhelming
time for them,” said Associate Professor of Special Education and Chairman of the
New Teacher Mentoring Initiative Elizabeth Beavers.
That’s why Beavers and her colleagues in the College of Education are so pleased to help launch UH-Clear Lake’s first Teacher Induction Ceremony on Wednesday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the Bayou Theater. “We hope this ceremony will become a new semester tradition,” Beavers said. “The purpose is to celebrate the accomplishments of these teacher candidates and to assure them that we will remain vested in their success through the implementation of a new mentoring program that is designed to offer multiple pathways to access ongoing support by College of Education faculty.”
Because of its highly successful job fairs and other job placement services for prospective teachers, virtually all of the College of Education’s certified teacher graduates leave UHCL employed.
However, according to retention data from the Texas Education Agency collected in 2017, Greater Houston-area school such as Alvin, Friendswood and Pearland I.S.D. have been affected by increased teacher turnover. “If our graduates get a job in education and quit in just a few years, we have not done a good enough job in supporting them,” Beavers said. “This is why the College of Education is embarking on this initiative to mentor new teachers. The induction ceremony is to reinforce our investment in their success as educators.”
Beavers said the initiative included several ways teachers could opt in to the mentoring program after they’ve graduated and begun teaching. “New teachers will be paired with faculty who can help from the beginning of the year,” she said. “A faculty mentor can help a new teacher set up his or her class, or just meet for coffee. We are offering support based on the relationships we have built and will sustain with our students, then provide the coaching they need within the relationship to build pedagogic growth as well as help them establish their identity as teachers.”
The initiative also includes online support, digital dialogues, online modules, podcasts and resources, and e-coaching. “We want to help our students have every opportunity to feel successful in the classroom,” Beavers said.
There are programs planned for new teachers who aren’t yet sure what kind of support they’ll need. “We will be offering topical professional learning experiences through UHCL’s Center for Educational Programs with sample topics that will be tailored to match what we anticipate their needs to be,” she said.
“This is a great opportunity for our students as they begin their first year of teaching,” said Associate Dean of the College Education Joan Pedro. “We want to spotlight the success of our graduates because we are so proud of their accomplishments, and we want to celebrate the newest additions to the teaching profession,” she said. “Our New Teacher Mentoring Initiative will serve to strengthen their knowledge and skills as well as help them to become more confident in their ability to be more effective teachers.”
For more information about UHCL's College of Education, visit www.uhcl.edu/education/
