Introduction

Alexander Local Schools

Ohio Guidelines for the Entry Year Program

 

Overview of the Entry Year Program

 

The Entry Year Program is a vehicle for providing direct assistance to beginning teachers via mentors who will offer support necessary to help them meet “real-world” classroom challenges.  All beginning teachers employed full time under a two-year provisional license, and teaching in the area(s) and level(s) listed on the license, must successfully complete an Entry Year Program and pass the performance based assessment (Praxis III) before they are issued a 5 year professional license- the license required to work as a fully-credentialed teacher in Ohio schools.

 

Experienced teachers, trained to serve as mentors, provide support for beginning teachers by guiding their induction into the profession and assisting them with the protocol, procedures and requirements of Praxis III.  The mentors work regularly with the entry year teachers to increase their skills in planning (Domain A), creating an environment for learning (Domain B), teaching for student’s learning (Domain C), and engaging in professional reflection (Domain D). 

 

 

Local Guidelines

 

The Mentoring Coordinator for Alexander Local Schools is part of the Athens County Mentoring Collaborative, which meets to develop and establish guidelines for compliance with the Entry Year Programs in Ohio. 

 

There are monthly meetings for the local mentoring team, which include the entry year teachers, mentors, and the mentoring coordinator.  These meetings include information and discussions about best practices for classroom instruction and

Praxis III criteria.  There are text based discussions using books and research articles and Consultancy Protocols for the presenter of the concern or issue to gather suggestions and solutions from the team.  Guest speakers or teachers are often invited to share specific information about a particular topic or teaching strategy.

 

Entry year teachers and mentors are required to complete monthly observations, maintain a contact log, and collect evidence of the Praxis Domains.