Mentoring Novice Teachers to Advance Inclusive Mathematics Education

Abstract

We facilitate a year-long teacher induction program in the United States involving earlycareer teachers in urban elementary schools as a means to advance their inclusive mathematics practices. The participants in this program joined in professional learning experiences and discussions focused on advancing inclusive mathematics education with peers and university faculty and agreed to classroom observations. We report on the features of, challenges, and highlights that emerged during this year-long induction program by juxtaposing our experiences with two early-career, alternatively certified teachers within the larger context of teacher shortage. These snapshots alongside the issues discussed during this induction program provide a vivid account of the learning spaces and community created by, and for, early-career teachers. There is a need for the culture in schools to include more active mentoring for early-career teachers to develop their pedagogy, in general, and more specifically, to advance inclusive mathematics education.