While there may be a few questions, about the content of their instruction, entry year teachers will be most concerned with the process of their instruction. The best way to help them become problem solvers in through questioning. When entry year teachers ask for advice, mentors should ask for their opinions before responding. Rather than suggesting the way that has worked for them, mentors can help entry year teachers generate lists of possible options and then encourage them to experiment to find what works best. One of the best mentors I know answers every question with a question.
Good teachers have an intuitive grasp of teaching and learning.
They know how to observe learners, diagnose their needs, and intervene when necessary. These same skills can be applied to the mentoring process as well. However, mentors need to apply these skills differently with entry year teachers, keeping in mind that new teachers need to feel competent and need to set their own agendas. The direct approach often used in dealing with children does not work well with adults. Entry year teachers need to be actively involved in discovering their own answers.