# Foundations and Assessment of Education/Edition 1/Foundations Table of Contents/Chapter 9/9.1.1

* How Mentoring Provides Support for New Teachers.
* âIn the mentoring process, reflection enables us to slow down, rest, and observe our journey and the process of self-knowledge that is so important along the way.â - Huang and Lynch, 1995

## Introduction

Unlike many professions which allow a recent graduate to work side by side with an experienced professional, the teaching profession requires the new professional to be alone in a classroom gaining experience without the benefit of a seasoned professional watching over them. This isolation may lead to discouragement and high anxiety among novice teachers resulting in high attrition and low retention rates. A solution to this problem is implementing an effective mentoring program.
Imagine youâre the teacher in a high school classroom when a verbal argument begins between two young men. This is your first year of teaching and you are not much older than your students and have never been involved in a conflict like this. You are trying to remember what your textbook taught you to do in this situation, but things are escalating faster than you can think. You know you cannot leave the room in search of help nearby, but something must be done immediately. Before you can place a call for help, the argument escalates into a physical confrontation. By the time help arrives, the situation is way out of hand. Or, imagine you are sitting quietly grading papers when one of your students knocks on your door. She is obviously upset and crying and asks if she can speak to you. She tells you she is pregnant and her boyfriend wants her to have an abortion. Looking at this young girl you realize she not much younger than you are, and she has entrusted her future to you. You realize that not only is her future at stake but also the life of another human being. You feel overwhelmed with the burden of responsibility. Has your formal education really prepared you for this non-textbook experience? If your school has an effective mentoring program then you know where to go for assistance in resolving these issues or you may have already had a discussion about these issues with your mentor. At least you know you are not alone!

## What is mentoring?

As defined by Websterâs Third New International Dictionary, mentor means âa close, trusted, and experienced counselor or guide.â Among many professions, such as physicians, engineers, architects, and lawyers, direct supervision by a licensed professional is required in order to obtain professional licensure. A mentor who can communicate hope and optimism is needed to assist a novice teacher with the transition into the profession of teaching. There are many different types of induction (or mentor) programs, but this one aims at under-girding novice teachers.

## What is the role of a mentor?

A mentor can provide for the novice teacher direction and guidance in how to set up behavioral management plans for the classroom, how to be flexible when problems arise, knowledgeable information about the characteristics of students they will be teaching, information about the community and local activities available for the student, how to organize and manage their classroom, the school procedures and policies, and how to interact with the administration.
The agenda of the mentoring program is to pair a veteran teacher and novice teacher in a mutually satisfying relationship. Steve Metz, a veteran science teacher was happy to mentor Lisa a first year teacher, and expressed that âthe hidden secretânow revealedâis that I received by far the better part of the bargain.â Lisa offered enthusiasm for teaching, which was infectious and stimulated Steveâs imagination again allowing him not only to help Lisa experience personal professional development but also rekindled his desire for continued professional growth.
* âMy advisor kind of walked me through the year. She was always there to listen to my ideas, my reflections. I never felt alone, even when she wasnât in the roomâ¦â - Moir, 2003

## Why the need for a mentor program?

According to âSchoolâs Out: The Crisis in Teacher Retentionâ approximately thirty percent of new teachers leave the teaching profession within three years; and associated with this is the estimated $2.6 billion annual cost due to this turnover (Alliance for excellent Education, 2004) which has brought about an increased awareness for the need of additional support for novice teachers. The mentoring program has been in the forefront of discussions as a method of retaining new teachers. First year teachers are known to show high levels of stress due to their lack of practical skills in the profession. They have difficulty balancing their work load of lectures, class interaction, resolving classroom issues, grading, administrative duties, and assuring that their lesson plan is addressing the standards of learning which is necessary for their evaluation as an effective teacher. It is evident that there is a need to retain new teachers and mentoring is one viable way to address this situation.
* âMentors who assume the mentor role without adequately preparing themselves or their relationship are often disappointed and dissatisfied.â - Zachary, 2000

## How to ensure a successful mentoring program

In order for the mentoring program to be successful, training is necessary for the mentor. Workshops can help the mentor become aware of issues that they will need to address with novice teachers. A detailed job description is also needed so the mentor is aware of the objectives of the program (Rowley, 1999). The program should be supervised and evaluated for effectiveness.