>>VIEW THE WEBINAR RECORDING

50% of new teachers leave the profession within five years of entering the classroom. They report the major reasons for their departure as uneven support and professional development from their school districts.  Preservice preparation often prepares student teachers inadequately for the realities of teaching. New teachers can receive much-needed support by connecting with practicing teachers and building a support network BEFORE they enter the classroom.

This webinar, held by edWeb community, New Teacher Help, explored past and current experiences and examples helping pre-service and new teachers use online professional networks to connect with real-world teaching experience.

Shannon Holden, an assistant principal and moderator of edWeb’s New Teacher Help community, spoke about his experience and insights working with new teachers in the school environment and his experience supporting new teachers through online communities.  Shannon has unique insights on the problems facing new teachers, and the often-desperate need for help in the early years of teaching.

Karen Collias, Founder of Knowledge Without Borders, presented the results of a research paper, Pathways to Participation for Preservice Teachers.  Dr. Collias interviewed educators at colleges of education around the country to learn about their experience using online networks to support student teachers.

Christina O’Connor, Project Manager of Project ENRICH at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, shared examples of online communication and collaboration through her experiences with Project ENRICH, a collaborative program between UNCG and surrounding school districts.

The webinar provided examples of the kinds of programs that have been successful, and also the obstacles to creating active and engaged online communities with preservice and new teachers.  This webinar is helpful for any educator who is interested or involved in helping new teachers get the support and mentorship they need as they embark on a teaching career.

Join the New Teacher Help community and take a quiz to receive a CE Certificate for viewing this webinar.

New Teacher Help is a professional learning community (PLC) that helps new teachers get advice and support, and share experiences about the first years of teaching.  The New Teacher Help PLC is a place where you can post questions, start discussions, and get feedback from experts and peers on the issues and challenges you facing starting out on a career in teaching. Stay connected, share ideas, and get support from other new teachers all across the country.

Follow us on Twitter @edWebnet to learn about upcoming webinars and special events!