Mentoring Beginning Teachers

1. Mentoring Beginning Teachers Matt Harding

2. Overview • Definition • History • Quick facts • Different kinds of mentoring • Interview with a first year teacher • Benefits • Issues and Problems • Summary • References

3. Definition • A sustained relationship between a novice and an expert. It should be a give and take experience.

4. The mentor should Welcome the newcomer Share their knowledge, material, skills and experience Provide support and guidance “Gifts of wisdom” The novice should Be open-minded Observe mentor Have discussions with mentor Take appropriate risks Have self reflection Roles of both Mentor and Novice

5. History • Began in Ancient Greece • Today mentor relationships are still valued • Famous mentors • Socrates • Plato • Beethoven • Yoda

6. History • Introduced in the United States in mid 1800’s • Started as substitute • Took no education courses • Expected to follow in footsteps of an experienced teachers, and replicate the ‘expert’s’ teaching style and methods. • After 7 years of experience • Teacher

7. Quick Facts • 50% of teachers leave profession after 5 years • 80% leave profession after 10 years • 80% who have received mentoring predict they will still be teaching in ten years

8. Expert Novice Mentoring by modeling Mentoring by illustrating Mentoring by affirming Mentoring by questioning Mentoring by qualifying Mentoring by reflecting Types of mentoring

9. Interview with a first year • Jennifer Gumz • English teacher at Roosevelt High and UNC graduate • Mentor is Denise Cook • Able to share ideas with other teachers at school • Choose RHS because of community amongst teachers • Biggest fears: Failure and classroom management • After first year-feels more comfortable in role as teacher • Suggests beginning teachers take classes after graduation • Feels comfortable and will remain in profession

10. Mentoring programs can significantly reduce the number of teachers who leave profession Takes away from first year anxieties Reduces workload of both mentor and novice Schools with a strong mentor program More discussion on how to improve student learning Teachers collective expertise is constantly expanding and improving Benefits

11. Issues and Problems • Mismatch between expert and novice • Mentors-Threaten professional image • Generational differences in pedagogy • Issues of confidentiality • Rivalry/Competition

12. Summary • How will this educational issue be resolved to help in furthering student education? • In the ideal relationship • The novice’s questions are answered and their fears are addressed • The expert is exposed to new and innovative ideas • Research shows the mentoring improves teacher effectiveness, and that increased effectiveness leads to higher student achievement • At institutions with a strong mentor program there is a continuous dialogue regarding improvement of student education

13. References • Boreen, Jean and Donna Niday, “Breaking through the isolation: Mentoring beginning Teachers,” Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, October 2000, Vol. 44, Issue 2, p. 152. • Luna, Gaye and Deborah Cullen. Empowering Redirected and Renewed. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 3. Washington, D.C. • Martin, Arlene, “Mentoring as Transforming Learning: A Tool for Recruitment and Retention of New Teachers,” IMA Newsletter Articles, October, 2002. • Podsen, India and Vicki Denmark. Coaching and Mentoring First Year Teachers. Larchmont, New York: 2000. • NFIE Publications: Creating a Teacher Mentoring Program. The NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education, Washington D.C. • http://www.nfie.org/publications/mentoring.htm-Information on starting mentoring programs in your school.