Staff Induction, Mentoring and Appraisal Assessing Quality & Accountability By Ranjit & Zanab

Staff Induction Problems: Inductions should be provided prior to or on day one of teaching role, and regularly thereafter, to ensure a teacher is aware of all policies underpinning their role. The reality is that inductions are not given the importance they require. Inductions are often provided late, sometimes months into a role and formal updated training is rarely offered. When delivered, inductions are often informal and rushed. Staff are often not paid for attending training days and/or inductions hence no incentive being provided. How then can teachers be expected to know such provisions and be held accountable for any potential breaches? Solutions: A formal and detailed induction should be provided at the start of any role in order to ensure teachers are fully aware of the policies or provisions that affect their day to day roles and responsibilities. Frequent updates should be provided to ensure staff are kept abreast of any changes to policies that perhaps govern their role. Staff should be renumerated for their attendance at training days or inductions, irrespective of whether they are permanent, temporary or hourly paid. Only once staff are provided the above provisions is it justifiable to hold them fully accountable for upholding an institutions policies and/or protocols and any potential breaches of the same.

Mentoring Problems: Mentors are seldom provided with any formal training or support. They are not provided with any renumeration for mentoring sessions; it is provided entirely on good will. No formal mentoring time is allocated so mentoring is offered and at the expense of some other responsibility. The lack of time available to the mentor means that mentoring sessions are often rushed and brief without any formal follow up. The lack of deep and meaningful mentoring sessions means that student teachers are left without adequate support generating feelings of isolation and inconvenience. Solutions: Mentors should be provided with formal training in order that they are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities. A specified time should be allocated to mentors throughout term time in order to allow them to provide thorough sessions without compromising other chores or the breaks to which they are entitled. Mentors should be paid for mentoring sessions in order that they are provided with an incentive.

Appraisal Problems: Appraisals are often informal and centered around the meeting of standards and targets. Personal issues and/or development needs are not given as much emphasis, causing quality of teaching to perhaps be compromised. Senior staff members conducting appraisals are not paid so they are often fitted in to busy schedules leaving little choice as to their quality and content. Solutions: A specified time should be allocated to senior staff members throughout term time in order to allow them to provide thorough appraisals without compromising other chores or the breaks to which they are entitled. Those conducting and attending appraisals should be paid for their attendance due to vital nature of such meetings and the consequences they have on teacher conduct, development and training. Appraisals should be focused on not only around fulfilling the managerial paradigm but an emphasis should be placed on meeting the personal and professional needs of the appraisee.

Conclusion Teachers are placed under significant scrutiny in all facets of their profession. They are expected to ensure the quality of teaching is never compromised and the first to be held accountable for when things don’t go to plan. Whilst it is fair to say that these issues are fundamental features of a teaches roles and responsibilities, it is paramount that the necessary measures are put into place right from the outset in order to ensure a watertight and equitable framework is in place (as suggested in my solutions). Transparency will enable most concerns to be addressed and allow all those involved in the process to be fulfill their roles in the desired fashion.