John is a nature center employee providing care for animals and educational information for visitors. He loves his job but it is only part-time with no benefits. He is interested in being a science teacher as a way to make a living sharing his love of nature and animals with others. Mary has a Master’s degree in English. Most recently she has been working as a website and social media manager for a local company. Her job has just been eliminated due to budget cuts. She has always wondered about teaching English so she decides now is her chance to find out. John and Mary each apply and accept teaching positions as “lateral-entry” candidates. Will they succeed in their new roles?
Many states allow for some sort of on-the-job training entry into teaching positions. Some people seem to have innate teaching ability. But, most people can learn to be effective in the classroom. Factors for their success fall into two categories: 1) Attributes they have upon starting the position and 2) Resources and guidance provided by the school or district.
A successful candidate brings the following attributes with them:
1. Professional Courage
A lateral entry teacher will face multiple instances of unexpected problems and the learning curve will be surprisingly steep. Candidates need to be courageous enough to ask for help when they identify a problem and willing to receive it when a problem is brought to their intention. In addition, they must be willing to align themselves with colleagues who demonstrate success in areas such as respectful classroom management and student achievement instead of simply those with whom they feel comfortable or are in closest proximity to them.
2. Commitment to student well-being
This includes academic success and social and emotional safety. Lesson planning, grading and problem solving will require extra time and willingness to learn new approaches. Social and emotional safety for students is dependent upon a teacher who first respects students as people (regardless of their age) and then creates a classroom society that values all students. This means strong classroom management and unyielding kindness.
3. Content knowledge
This is relatively obvious for secondary teachers. But, at the elementary level having a basic understanding of the building blocks of reading and fundamental mathematics is essential. A lateral entry teacher without this basic quality will be under water on day one.
4. Joy
A successful candidate will find joy in their students and the work of schools even on difficult days. This means celebrating small achievements (the teacher’s and the student’s), appreciating a variety of personalities from a variety of backgrounds, laughter (never at the expense of students or others) and a balanced approach to life.
5. Organizational acumen relative to environment, procedures, and materials
This quality can develop and grow but some general ability will go a long way. I once saw a 6th grade classroom deteriorate into chaos because the teacher had no plan for passing out locker information and access for students. On a daily basis, teachers are tasked with utilizing a variety of materials and monitoring interactions inside and outside of the classroom.
A school or district fosters success by providing the following resources and guidance:
1. Verified expert as an assigned mentor
Mentors or new teacher support staff must be assigned to each lateral entry teacher. Mentors must be confirmed as experts in classroom management and student achievement. Time and compensation must be provided for these mentors in order to prevent overburdening them. The mentor role is not for well-intentioned volunteers or those solely interested in collecting a stipend.
2. Incremental expectations
Small developmental check points for teacher progress will provide the structured, actionable feedback these new teachers need. These checkpoints should center around, classroom management appropriate rapport with students and engaging lesson development and delivery. Remember that lateral entry teachers will have little or no familiarity with educational pedagogy.
3. Training for breaking concepts down into essential building blocks
Some teachers may have this skill in its basic form. All teachers must be given the time and guidance to understand what a student needs to know and be able to do in order to reach a learning goal or standard. With this understanding, a teacher will be better able to anticipate and identify errors and develop varied approaches for lessons.
4. Streamlined curriculum materials
With the influx of technology, teachers have access to a never-ending range of materials that may or may not specifically apply to the standards and students they are required to teach. This can be extremely overwhelming for many teachers, especially lateral entry teachers. Even experienced teachers are not, and should not be required to act as curriculum developers or coordinators. Districts must provide foundational curriculum pieces that show a basic lesson progression along with strategies for meeting the needs of students above and below the standard. This does not necessarily mean a scripted lesson but these could have value in some cases. Rigid adherence to the provided lessons is not necessary unless a teacher is truly floundering. However, teachers do need to understand the reason behind each part of the lesson and have a place to turn if they are flummoxed or overwhelmed. As they continue to demonstrate proficiency, the training wheels can be removed. An easy-to-follow pacing guide with suggested resources and training in standards analysis is also essential.
In closing, we hope that individuals like John and Mary will choose to apply as lateral entry teachers. Teachers are in short supply in almost every state and district and until significant changes occur in teacher training, pay and working conditions they will remain so. With some essential skills of their own and targeted support from leadership, they will have the best chance of taking on a career that serves them, their community and most of all, their students well.
Let me hear from you!
What have I missed? Comment with your thoughts and experiences. Does your school or district have an innovative and highly successful way to train lateral entry teachers? We would love to hear from you.