VCOE offers a fully online teacher induction program that is accredited by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. The induction program is grounded in the California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP) and provides services to teachers who are out of the Ventura County Induction Consortium and have a Preliminary Multiple Subject, Single Subject or Education Specialist Credential.

Candidates build on the knowledge and skills learned during the preliminary program by engaging in individualized, job-embedded, semester-long focused cycles of inquiry. Through the cycle of inquiry, candidates:

• implement teaching and learning strategies

• produce evidence of student learning, and

• analyze the impact of their work

Research-Based Program

Mentor Training is based upon Mentoring Matters by Laura Lipton and Bruce Wellman. Candidates participate in inquiry using the Improvement Science model developed by the Carnegie Foundation. All professional learning uses best practices from adult learning research such as Guskey and Kegan.

Proven Success and Expertise

Educator Support and Effectiveness has been supporting new teachers to clear their multiple subject, single subject, and education specialist credentials for 18 years.  Program wide, 97% of the teachers who participate in the VCOE Induction program are still in the teaching profession after their first 5 years compared to just 50% nationally. 

Program Components

Inquiry

The Ventura County Induction Program supports new teachers in creating the habits of mind for successful entry into the teaching profession. They conduct inquiries in their work using the Plan, Teach, Reflect, Apply (Continuous Improvement Cycle).

Collaborative Mentoring Relationships
The mentor is at the foundation of the VCOE induction program. The mentor is an experienced, non-evaluative guide on the side that receives high-quality training in coaching and mentoring. The mentor and the candidate meet weekly either online or face-to-face in support of teacher growth and student achievement. The mentor completes two lesson observation cycles (Pre-Observation, Observation, Post-Observation, and Analysis of Student Work) with the candidate over the course of the year. 
The candidate and the mentor also engage in synchronous and asynchronous collaborative learning to set goals, develop the individualized learning plan, and collaborate with program personnel.

Program Schedules

Sample Schedules for the two-year online induction program may be found here.

Engaging Online Tools

Digital tools such as Zoom video conferencing, FlipGrid video discussion boards, and PlayPosit interactive video modules keep online learning engaging. The user-friendly Canvas Learning Management System makes online learning convenient and easy.

Our Team

The VCOE team, led by Executive Director, Kim Uebelhardt includes Directors, Dr. Cloetta Veney and Jane Mintz with Coodinator, Robert Hochberg. Their decades of experience as K-12 and higher education teachers, instructional coaches, and administrators provides broad expertise candidates and mentors rely upon.

VCOE’s expert credential advisors, support candidates through the process of clearing their California State Preliminary Credential. 

Our patient, experienced support staff is readily available and eager to assist candidates and mentors with the online learning platform and any program needs.

For more information, contact an Academic Advisor at (805) 437-1320 or academicadvise@vcoe.org