Mentoring occurs in site-alike meetings at national conferences, networking through publications and Internet technologies, and direct assistance provided by one state or local site to another. Teacher-consultants and other teachers in the network are frequently called upon to serve on local, state, and national committees dealing with standards, curriculum, and assessment. As representatives of their disciplines at the policy-making table, they fulfill a much needed leadership role as advocates for their content. Base the program agenda on mutually identified and agreed upon needs of the participants. Present new ideas so participants can easily recognize their relevance to their interests in becoming better at what they do.
Teachers are adult learners and respond most readily to topics they select.
Expect participants to contribute to professional development activities. From the outset, make it clear to teachers that they will be expected to share what they learn with their colleagues. Provide a risk-free environment where participants can learn and practice new ideas. Use collegial praise, not just constructive criticism, as feedback. To take risks necessary for learning new skills, participants must feel challenged, not threatened.