Assignment Activity for the Induction and Mentoring Section

Well-planned and well-organized mentoring programs greatly enhance the learning community. When a teacher embarks on a new career, a mentor can help that person become an effective member of the new community by helping the teacher understand the culture of the school. When a mentoring program is added to the school the new teacher should have a coach, a guide and a role model. A mentor can pass the values and practices on to the new faculty member. This preserves the stability of the school.

A staff member who has a mentor benefits partially because the mentor can help the mentee with problems such as curriculum and how best to present it, classroom management, administrative requirements as well as school policies. A new teacher may feel insecure in this new role and need social or emotional support and the mentor is able to provide this support.

The days of the informal buddy systems have long passed. Assimilation into the culture of the school is best completed in a formal and planned mentoring program. Mentorship brings benefits to both the mentor and the mentee, and the relationships that are formed are vital to the success of the new staff member. An all-inclusive mentoring program that is well-designed benefits the school by having it’s values and practices passed on to the next generation of teachers. Stability of the school community is maintained through this type of mentoring process.

The mentor should be an outstanding teacher who posses desired standards and is innately able to present a professional image. Patience will be an essential trait of any mentor because there will be times that the new teacher will need a lot of support. A thorough understanding of the adult learner is also a necessary asset of a good mentor. The fact that a person is a good teacher does not mean that that person will be able to relate well to other adults. The excellent mentor will respect a person who is able to ask questions and reflect on experiences.

It will be essential that training be provided for the mentor. The persons selected to be mentors must be trained in effective communication with others. During the orientation program specific roles must be outlined and responsibilities shared with both participants. And finally, I would establish a support group for the mentors and schedule a time for them to get together and reflect and evaluate their progress.