New Teachers: Steps For Year Four

The Fourth and final year of the Comprehensive Induction Program focuses on your being able to assess your development in content knowledge and pedagogical skills. You will first analyze your current development and then select an area for growth for the remainder of the year. As this is a professional development requirement, sites may have designed the experiences for you to develop skills and knowledge aligned to the site needs. These may include book studies, lesson study, action research, and other topics. Some sites may not have a formal structure or focus and you will be asked to submit your plan to the Lead Mentor for review. You will not be required to select things, such as course work, that would require you to pay for the experience.

Year Four - Summary of Activities

• Conduct a self-analysis (Pedagogical Skills and Content-Related Skills)
• Identify areas of strength and areas for growth (select at least one (1) area for growth)
• Develop a Professional Learning Plan to address area for growth
• Implement the Professional Learning Plan (action research, individual book study, group book study, lesson study, college courses, or other professional learning as approved by the LEA and aligned with the educator's self-analysis)

Procedures/Forms

1. Review

   You should read Cycle of Growth and Development and Words of Wisdom Regarding Your Plan before you start your analysis.

2. Conduct a self-analysis related to your content area knowledge

   Follow the instructions on the Analysis of Content Knowledge document to complete the Content Expertise Inventory Chart for Content Knowledge. You should consider the Big Picture Questions  as you complete the Content Expertise Inventory Chart for Content Standards.

   Year Four Resource Links:
   • Delaware Student Content & Common Core Standards (Hover over Standards and Instruction for a list of specific content)
   • Delaware Professional Teaching Standards
   • DPAS-II Guide and Rubrics for Teachers

3. Conduct a self-analysis related to your pedagogical knowledge

   Follow the instructions on the Analysis of Pedagogy Development document to complete the Content Expertise Inventory Chart for Pedagogy Development.

4. Develop your Professional Growth Plan

   Formulate your required Professional Growth Plan and complete the Checklist for My Plan form. Submit a copy of the plan to your designated Lead Mentor for review.

5. Implement your Professional Growth Plan

   Implement your plan as required.

6. Create tentative plan for obtaining clock hours to renew your Continuing License

   Complete your tentative plan for professional development for the next five years on the Professional Development for 90 Clock Hours form and submit a copy to your designated Lead Mentor.

7. Verification/Year Four Sign-Out

   Once you have completed the above requirements for this year, please complete the Year Four Verification of Services Form for New Teachers.

Documentation of Year Four Completion

You will be issued a certificate of Completion for Year Four which should be kept for your personal files.

Please keep copies of the following as documentation for Year Four:

• Certificate of Completion for Year Four
• Verification of Services Form for Year Four

Important Information

If you move to another district/charter school during the period of time when you hold an Initial License, you are required to present the specified documents related to each of the four program years. Failure to provide the documentation for each year may result in your not securing a teaching position or being required to repeat some or all of the program requirements.

Please verify with your Lead Mentor that you are moving through the correct path of evaluation. You are to receive a summative evaluation in accordance with current Delaware Code and/or Regulations during your time on an Initial License. A formative lesson analysis is not a summative evaluation. In the event your administrator does not provide you with the appropriate summative evaluations, you should notify your site coordinator immediately.

After the first year of teaching, your personal files should contain copies of your summative DPAS II evaluations. Teachers moving from the Initial License to a continuing license must have proof of two successful summative evaluations. Failure to have this part of the program completed may result in a required extension of the Initial License or the inability to secure a Continuing License.