Teacher Induction & Mentoring
Supporting beginning teachers with a research-backed induction and mentoring is instrumental in addressing teacher quality and retention, and, in turn, student learning, in Arizona.
The Arizona K12 Center supports Arizona’s beginning teachers in three main ways:
As the population most likely to leave the profession, teachers in their first three years of teaching require effective induction and mentoring support.
Since 2006, the Arizona K12 Center has specifically worked on building capacity in Arizona’s newest teachers with quality, research-based programming, becoming Arizona’s largest hub for supporting new teacher induction and mentoring currently spanning 33 programs across eight counties.
Support for NAU’s Arizona Teachers Academy Graduates
The Arizona Teachers Academy at Northern Arizona University provides an avenue for future Arizona teachers to earn a tuition-free, high-quality education with mentoring and training that prepares you for a successful teaching career.
The Arizona K12 Center supports the Arizona Teachers Academy by providing a highly trained, non-evaluative mentor and professional development for those graduates at no cost.
Mentors for graduates of the Arizona Teachers Academy at NAU attend our suite of mentoring events, including Mentor Institute or Advanced Mentor Institute, and are paid a stipend and reimbursed for travel.
Apply to be an ATA Mentor
Learn more about applying to the Arizona Teachers Academy at NAU.
The Arizona Teachers Academy at Northern Arizona University provides an avenue for future Arizona teachers to earn a tuition-free, high-quality education with mentoring and training that prepares you for a successful teaching career.
The Arizona K12 Center supports the Arizona Teachers Academy by providing a highly trained, non-evaluative mentor and professional development for those graduates at no cost.
Mentors for graduates of the Arizona Teachers Academy at NAU attend our suite of mentoring events, including Mentor Institute or Advanced Mentor Institute, and are paid a stipend and reimbursed for travel.
Apply to be an ATA Mentor
Learn more about applying to the Arizona Teachers Academy at NAU.
Professional learning specifically designed for beginning teachers and for those wanting to become mentors or support. These include:
Register for upcoming events
- Mentor Institute, a training held early in the school year for new mentors
- Advanced Mentor Institute, a training that builds on the knowledge, skills, and understanding learned in Mentor Institute
- Mentor Forums, a community of practice for mentors to together strategize solutions-facing actions
- Arizona New Teacher Induction Network, a series for program teams to enhance their new teacher support
- Beginning Teacher Series, targeted professional learning for new teachers.
Register for upcoming events
Participating in their events and mentoring has given me the ability to network with educators outside of my school district and receive constructive feedback on a variety of topics relating to my class. Most importantly, being a part of their new teacher mentoring program provided me with the one-on-one support during the successful and challenging times. My year would have gone much differently without the guidance of my mentor!
Azalie Gladson - Tempe Elementary School District
The research shows that the positive impact of induction depends heavily on the quality of that support, the length of time they receive it, and the broader system of support provided. In sum, the data suggest that to increase teacher retention and quality, as well as positive outcomes for students, Arizona districts should review whether their induction programs include a full package of effective support.
Richard M. Ingersoll, Professor of Education and Sociology, University of Pennsylvania
