3.1 In-school Connections

In many cases, new teachers sought induction supports through relationships inside their school building. These included both formally required supports such as mentor teachers and PLCs (whether organized by grade level or subject) as well as informal supports initiated by the new teacher, such as talking to colleagues in the teachers’ lounge.

These in-school connections were also reinforced through social media modalities. Wallace worked at his school for several years as a staff member prior to being hired to teach midyear. He was connected to many school colleagues on Facebook, and believed that having this additional source of personal connection (e.g., seeing photos of coworkers’ children) improved the ways he was supported during his transition into teaching. As another example, Wallace described how fellow 10th-grade English teachers in his school used a Google Classroom shell to share teaching ideas and resources with each other.