Abstract:

The teaching profession in the Dominican Republic includes, as part of entry into the profession, the induction of novice teachers in the public sector, who are selected through competitive exams. During the school year 2022 - 2023, the Ministry of Education of the Dominican Republic (MINERD) implemented the first phase of the National Teacher Induction Program (NTIP), which involved 23,858 newly recruited teachers.

To ensure a timely process tailored to the needs of schools nationwide, a training program for novice teachers was established through various Dominican universities, alongside the development of a mentoring and support program for novice teachers designed and implemented by Institute 512. In this mentoring and support program, 3,903 academic coordinators, school principals, district technicians, and teachers participated during Phase I of the NTIP. They served in this role for a period of six months after undergoing a selection and assignment process (1 tutor for every 6 teachers) based on the needs of each region and educational district, an assessment of tutoring competencies and knowledge, and certification through the Institute 512 platform, in a hybrid format (synchronous and asynchronous).

Continuous monitoring of tutoring activities was also added, with the creation of 40 mentorship groups for tutors using WhatsApp, weekly virtual meetings via Zoom with each group throughout the 6-month process, and continuous support through a support desk with assigned monitors and group guardians. As a result of this effort, 85,446 tutoring activities were successfully completed, 2,576 tutors successfully completed their certification, and the added value of continuous support for better performance in their role in the ongoing professional development of newly recruited teachers was established.

Through the implementation of the tutor support program within the NTIP, several key learnings have been established: a) that tutoring can complement the training of novice teachers and make it more meaningful for their classroom performance; b) that support from educational institutions to newly recruited teachers can better contribute to their understanding of the school culture and their work with students into the classrooms; c) that coordinated and timely implementation of selection, assessment, training, and support programs for professional profiles to support teaching can contribute to capacity building and continuous improvement in educational quality.

Currently, Phase II of the NTIP is being implemented, involving over 12,000 newly recruited teachers selected through competitive exams to fulfill staffing needs in public schools nationwide. Considering the Phase I results, MINERD has requested technical assistance from Institute 512 for coordination and support in the tutor training process, working with 1,940 profiles for tutoring roles (1,559 of them certified in Phase I) and 149 district and regional technicians from the NTIP, aiming to build capacity for the program's continuity over time.

Keywords:

Newly recruited teachers, professional development, tutoring activities.