Tips for Successful Implementation of Mentoring
Mentoring, training, and coaching programs for novice teachers are excellent ways to improve the quality of skills and knowledge of a new teacher, his job satisfaction, and his professional competence. These programs available for the new teacher are also effective means of enhancing the student’s abilities and the mentor’s skills well. In many US schools, these mentoring programs are mandatory to ensure that the new teacher is fully capable of handling the classes.
In some schools, mentoring programs are instituted not only to prepare the new teacher for the job but also as a way of addressing the problem of teacher shortage. Recent news published in Contra Costa Times reveals that almost 25% of new teachers in California leave their job in their first four years of teaching because of a lack of support from the administration and fellow teachers. Also, the mentoring program adds a bureaucratic burden both for novice teachers and their mentors. Apart from the additional responsibilities that are given to the teachers, there’s a lot of paperwork that needs to be accomplished. This includes preparing lesson plans, evaluations, and progress and accomplishment reports.
In order to ensure that mentoring programs are successfully implemented, here are some tips and pointers to remember:
Eliminate unnecessary paperwork and requirements
This has been recommended by UC Riverside researchers after finding out that a lot of mentors and new teachers engaged in the program are complaining about the repetitive tasks and extra paperwork they need to accomplish. Aside from the fact that neophyte teachers are already overwhelmed by their new responsibilities, they are still burdened with lots of paperwork including preparing lesson plans, which usually consumes so much of their time. It is recommended that programs should focus on mentoring itself. The new and veteran teachers may engage in less taxing activities that would allow them to interact and share knowledge, skills, and experiences freely.
New teachers must be matched with the right mentors
It is important for the new teacher and the mentor to interact without any inhibition. To be able to achieve this, the administrators must strive to match new teachers with mentors who share the same qualities and interests. This would allow the new teacher to freely ask questions and ask for tips and advice from the mentor.
Have separate evaluators
In order for the mentor and the new teacher to focus on their main tasks, they must be relieved from doing additional tasks such as evaluation of the program. A separate evaluator who shall meet the veteran and the new teachers to discuss the progress of the mentoring program may be assigned.
Conduct regular assessments of the whole mentoring program
Campus-level administrators should not only evaluate the progress of the newly hired teachers but as well as the whole mentoring, training, and coaching program of the school, which includes the mentors’ capability to coach neophyte teachers, the process of mentoring, the student’s progress vis-à-vis to the new teachers’ progress during the program, and other forms of support and assistance were given to the new teacher.
It is also important to determine the thoughts or opinions of other teachers about the program and its impact on their desire to stay or leave the school or the teaching profession. These things are vital to the implementation and improvement not only of the mentoring programs of the particular school but of others as well.
DISCLAIMER:
This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.
Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA-approved they must be accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”
