Mentoring Mentoring Makes a Makes a

Difference Difference for Teachersfor Teachers

Best Practices in MentoringBest Practices in MentoringStatewide Mentor Taskforce—December 2005Statewide Mentor Taskforce—December 2005

MentoringMentoring is an intentional is an intentional process to guide a process to guide a

protégé to proficiency.protégé to proficiency.

Dec. 2005

““When veterans and novices work When veterans and novices work together in a nurturing relationship, together in a nurturing relationship,

each gets something of real value from each gets something of real value from the other. Veterans gain energy; the other. Veterans gain energy; novices gain inspiration. Isolation novices gain inspiration. Isolation

fades, connection flourishes, pain turns fades, connection flourishes, pain turns into wisdom – a joyful wisdom that into wisdom – a joyful wisdom that makes the difficulties in our work makes the difficulties in our work

endurable and keeps both veteran and endurable and keeps both veteran and novice coming back for more.”novice coming back for more.”

““A tale of two children,” by David Shoemaker, A tale of two children,” by David Shoemaker, Phi Phi Delta Kappan,Delta Kappan,

February 2003 (Vol. 84, No. 6). February 2003 (Vol. 84, No. 6). Dec. 2005

Why Mentoring?•To improve teaching performance in order to raise student achievement;•To promote the personal and professional well-being of protégé teachers; •To transmit the culture of the school system to protégé teachers; and•To increase retention of promising protégé teachers.

(Adapted from Huling-Austin 1988, as cited in Jonson, 2002, page 8)

July 2006

Quality mentoring is more than casually matching a new teacher and a veteran teacher, assuming

they will meet together throughout the school year and

that the protégé will flourish.

Dec. 2005

Quality Mentoring will: •Focus on student achievement;•Create intentional/purposeful reflection on teacher instruction and practice;•Establish a trusting relationship between mentor/protégé;•Include documented contacts of the mentor/protégé; and•Retain new teachers in the profession.

Dec. 2005

Characteristics of Quality Mentors • Has a minimum of 3 years teaching

experience;• Demonstrates expertise in instruction and

classroom management;• Is able to articulate best practice teaching

strategies; • Possesses excellent communication skills;• Is not a supervisor of the protégé; and • Is interested in working with a protégé.

Dec. 2005

ProtégésProtégés

Who a school or district chooses to serve as Who a school or district chooses to serve as protégés in the mentor/protégé relationship protégés in the mentor/protégé relationship will depend on:will depend on:The goals of the mentor program;The goals of the mentor program;The number of available mentors; and The number of available mentors; and Available finances. Available finances.

Dec. 2005

Who is a Protégé?Who is a Protégé?

A licensed teacher who is new to teaching.A licensed teacher who is new to teaching.A licensed teacher who is new to the A licensed teacher who is new to the school or district; andschool or district; andA licensed teacher who has taught in the A licensed teacher who has taught in the school or district, but is changing subject school or district, but is changing subject areas.areas.

Dec. 2005

Recommended Length of Recommended Length of MentoringMentoring

Licensed teacher new to teaching: Licensed teacher new to teaching: One to two years.One to two years.

Licensed teacher new to school or district: Licensed teacher new to school or district: Six months to one year. Six months to one year.Licensed teacher changing subject area: Licensed teacher changing subject area: Six months to one year. Six months to one year.

Dec. 2005

An effective mentor program for An effective mentor program for Montana schools consists of Montana schools consists of purposeful mentor/protégé purposeful mentor/protégé

relationships established within relationships established within a program that includes several a program that includes several

essential components.essential components.

Quality Mentoring ProgramsQuality Mentoring Programs

Dec. 2005

Essential Components Of Quality Mentoring Programs:

•Confidential and Non-evaluative•Focus on Classroom Instruction and Learning•Qualified and Trained Mentors•Intentionalized and Purposeful Structure•Districtwide Commitment

Dec. 2005

Which leads to:Which leads to:Enhanced Teacher RecruitmentEnhanced Teacher RecruitmentAccelerated Teacher Accelerated Teacher Effectiveness Effectiveness Improved Student AchievementImproved Student AchievementIncreased Teacher RetentionIncreased Teacher RetentionPositive Collegiality Positive Collegiality

Dec. 2005

Mentor Programs – What they Mentor Programs – What they look like…look like…

The mentor and protégé work in the same The mentor and protégé work in the same building and have scheduled times to meet.building and have scheduled times to meet.

The mentor and protégé work for the same The mentor and protégé work for the same school district and communicate via phone school district and communicate via phone and e-mail between scheduled visits.and e-mail between scheduled visits.

Mentor and protégé teach the same subject, Mentor and protégé teach the same subject, communicating by e-mail and phone calls.communicating by e-mail and phone calls.

Dec. 2005

Paperwork?Paperwork?DocumentationDocumentation

Documentation and paperwork should Documentation and paperwork should be directly aligned with the goals and be directly aligned with the goals and requirements of the mentor program. requirements of the mentor program.

Documentation can range from little to Documentation can range from little to none, to logging every meeting and none, to logging every meeting and its purpose. its purpose.

Dec. 2005

A teacher mentor program A teacher mentor program must not be a stand-alone must not be a stand-alone program, it should connect program, it should connect and work with other school and work with other school

or district initiatives.or district initiatives.

Dec. 2005

Successful Mentoring Benefits All Successful Mentoring Benefits All StakeholdersStakeholders Administrators:Administrators:

Aids Recruitment And Retention Of New TeachersAids Recruitment And Retention Of New Teachers Protégés:Protégés:

Provides Smooth Transition and Ongoing SupportProvides Smooth Transition and Ongoing Support Mentors:Mentors:

Enhances ProfessionalismEnhances Professionalism Students and Parents:Students and Parents:

Increases Instructional Quality And ConsistencyIncreases Instructional Quality And Consistency All:All:

Improves Student AchievementImproves Student Achievement(Adapted from (Adapted from Creating a Teacher Mentoring Program, NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Creating a Teacher Mentoring Program, NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education, Education, 1999)1999)

Dec. 2005

Developing A Mentor ProgramDeveloping A Mentor Program

•Identify Mentoring Needs of School or Identify Mentoring Needs of School or DistrictDistrict•Set Desired Program Goals and Outcomes Set Desired Program Goals and Outcomes •Choose or Design Elements of ProgramChoose or Design Elements of Program•Identify Funding and Identify Funding and Incentives/Compensation Incentives/Compensation •Choose Your Mentoring CommitteeChoose Your Mentoring Committee•Develop Program Evaluation RubricsDevelop Program Evaluation Rubrics•Organize ResourcesOrganize Resources

Dec. 2005

Don’t Reinvent The Wheel!Don’t Reinvent The Wheel!

Montana has many existing mentoring Montana has many existing mentoring programs developed by small and large programs developed by small and large

districts, as well as universities. Resources districts, as well as universities. Resources from the Statewide Mentor Taskforce and from the Statewide Mentor Taskforce and developed district mentor programs are developed district mentor programs are available on the Teacher Mentor Program available on the Teacher Mentor Program

Development Template CD. Development Template CD.

Dec. 2005

““The most powerful form of learning, the The most powerful form of learning, the most sophisticated form of staff most sophisticated form of staff

development, comes not from listening to development, comes not from listening to the good works of others but from sharing the good works of others but from sharing

what we know with others….what we know with others….

By reflecting on what we do, by giving it By reflecting on what we do, by giving it coherence, and by sharing and coherence, and by sharing and

articulating our craft knowledge, we make articulating our craft knowledge, we make meaning, we learn.”meaning, we learn.”

Roland BarthRoland Barth Dec. 2005