Dear
In
your school, the following GSU graduates are beginning teachers:
Georgia
State University has a commitment to you and to our graduates
through our induction program for beginning teacher professional
growth and retention. This program extends support for our graduates
in the first two years of teaching. The program includes a web
page that offers general information about teaching and weekly
chats on different subjects for beginning teachers. GSU will host
seminars for beginning teachers. Enclosed is a brochure with the
schedule for the chat rooms and seminars. Any new teachers, not
just GSU graduates, are welcome at the seminars.
GSU
has faculty who serve as program contacts for our graduates. A
GSU graduate can contact this person at any time for support,
which may include a GSU faculty member coming to the school to
work with the teacher (you will be informed of any visits).
GSU
guarantees our graduates, and a copy of that guarantee is attached.
Please read it, and let us know if you believe you have a GSU
graduate who is not well trained.
We
also want to support mentors, and our web page has information
and chat rooms for mentors that are listed in the brochure. We
also can respond to specific needs of groups of mentors.
The
GSU Principal Center is offering a workshop and dialogue sponsored
by the Metro Atlanta Beginning Teacher Support Consortium for
principals about working with beginning teachers. You will receive
information about this November 1 workshop directly from the Principal
Center; we hope you will attend.
As
the year progresses, we may be asking you to participate in some
data gathering on GSU graduate performance in your school. We
hope you will help us, as that information can be very helpful
for evaluating our teacher preparation programs.
We
want to support and extend the induction and mentoring program
you have in your school. Please let us know if there are ways
we can work together to provide the best teachers for Georgia’s
children.
Please
contact me if you need more information or to express your ideas.
Sincerely,