1. SO YOU WANT TO BE A MENTOR
Vicki Duff
NJ Department of Education
Mentor Training Coordinator

2. The heart and soul of mentoring is the outgrowth of belief in the value and worth of people and an attitude toward education that focuses upon passing the torch to the next generation of teachers.
Head, Reidman, and Theis-Sprintall, 1992

3. IF I KNEW THEN…..
3-2-1
What are three things you know now that you wish you had known the first year you taught?
What are two tips you would offer a novice as they begin?
Describe one lesson you learned the first year you taught. How did that impact your teaching?

4. OBJECTIVES FOR TODAY Introduce the concept of mentoring
Review the state mentoring regulations
Understand the process of mentoring
Identify the needs of the novice teacher
Discuss the roles and responsibilities of mentors, novice teachers and school leaders

5. WHAT IS MENTORING? A person-to-person experience that is…
A confidential, non-judgmental process which…
Ensures novice teacher support and guidance on effective teaching practice…
Based on state, district and school needs and the needs of the individual novice teacher.

6. WE MENTOR BECAUSE… Novice teachers need guidance and support.
Novice teachers need to build confidence and an understanding of the school.
Mentoring motivates the novice and the mentor.
Mentoring helps to retain our newest professionals.
Mentoring builds expertise more quickly.
Mentoring is a professional responsibility.

7. A FORMAL MENTORING PROGRAM
Is an action – by a person, for a person
Provides the mentor and the novice with a roadmap for effective teaching.
Provides the novice with a sense of security.
Provides the mentor with a focus for dialogue and support.
Provides the district with teachers who understand the culture and the curriculum.
Provides the novice with models of practice.

8. MENTORING WITH INDUCTION
Is a process – is a system
Promotes life-long professional learning
Provides many support systems that are highly structured
Encourages collaborative interactions that support high levels of student success
Supports the novice teacher over a period of years
Is aligned with the district vision and goals for all teachers

9. AND THE BENEFITS ARE…
Mentoring ensures that veterans positively impact a new generation of teachers.
Mentoring highlights professionalism to stakeholders.
Mentoring enriches relationships through collaboration.
Mentoring provides powerful learning opportunities .
Mentoring supports student learning and success.

10. THE MENTORING REGULATIONS…
Establish a one-year mentoring program for all provisional teachers
Establish a minimum criteria for the mentoring program (mentor criteria, mentor expertise, mentor application)
Specify responsibility for payment of a mentoring stipend
$550 – traditional route
$1000 – alternate route

11. THE MENTORING REGULATIONS…
Require comprehensive training and support for mentors
Require a rigorous mentoring process for novice teachers
Allow the use of retired educators as mentors
Require the district to develop and implement a mentor plan through the Local Professional Development Committee

12. WHO IS THE NOVICE? The average age is 28 42% are Alternate Route
1/3 have less than 5 years experience
Have expertise in content areas
Tech savvy
Believe they can make a difference
Want the freedom to try new strategies
Desire the ability to be part of the decision-making process
Will not limit their options
Confident, scared, overwhelmed and ready go!

13. A MENTOR IS… Write 5 characteristics of an effective mentor.
Share the characteristics with the group.
Each group will identify 2 important characteristics to report out to the large group.

14. AM I A MENTOR?
Am I committed to the mentoring process as a non-judgmental advisor?
Am I accepting of the beginning teacher and the skills they bring?
Will I promote self-reliance in the novice?
Am I able to articulate effective practices?
Do I willing provide resources and support?
Am I effective in different interpersonal contexts?
Do communicate hope and optimism in education?

15. MENTOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Serve as a professional role model
Articulate and model effective classroom practice
Foster a confidential, trusting relationship
Encourage the novice teacher in all areas
Serve as a resource for district and school policies and procedures
Meet with the novice teacher regularly
Provide feedback after non-evaluative observations
Learn from the novice teacher
Participate in mentor training and support activities
Document time spent in the mentoring process

16. SCHOOL LEADER RESPONSIBILITIES
Serve as the “first mentor” by discussing goals and needs of the novice
Foster and support a vision and culture that empowers collaboration
Support the novice and mentor pair with resources that support effective teaching
Serve as a facilitator to the mentoring process
Select mentors based on experience, expertise, and ability to relate to others needs
Provide mentors to novice teachers as soon as they begin their assignment
Support mentoring activities
Observe and evaluate new teachers according to district and state policy

17. NOVICE TEACHER RESPONSIBILITIES
Develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to foster student learning
Recognize there is still a LOT TO LEARN
Ask questions
Set goals
Observe the mentor and other appropriate teachers
Discuss feedback from observations and be ready to try new strategies
Keep a journal to help you identify your needs with the mentor
Share ideas with the mentor – they want to learn, too!
Provide payment to the mentor
Document time spent mentoring

18. Mentors are those people in our lives, who through their deeds and work help us to move towards fulfilling our potential.
Gordon Shea, Mentoring: A Guide to Basics

19. THE MENTORING PROCESS
Directing
Explaining
Sharing
Delegating

20. THE MENTORING PROCESS

21. Stages of First Year Teaching: Mentors Helping Novice Teachers
Ellen Moir, New Teacher Center at USC, 1999
Anticipation
Anticipation
Committed to making a difference; idealistic, theoretical
Building on what works, set goals for a new year
Survival
Realities confronted, trying to stay a day ahead
Begin to look at successes and challenges
Reflection
Rejuvenation
Reenergized, confidence is building, perspectives emerge
Disillusionment
Question commitment and capability
Aug. Nov. Jan. Apr. Jul.

22. TEACHING AND THE NOVICE

23. NEW TEACHER NEEDS Understanding effective planning and goal setting
Adapting plans, strategies, and techniques to the needs of students
Working with multiple curricular requirements
Integrating curriculum
Creating and using motivational techniques to enhance learning
Using a variety of assessment models
Knowing the students
Knowing the school, the district, the community
Interacting with parents and colleagues

24. COMMON PROBLEMS FACED BY NEW TEACHERS
EVALUATION OF STUDENT WORK
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING
LESSONS
CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE
INSUFFICIENT MATERIALS OR SUPPLIES
MOTIVATING STUDENTS
PARENT RELATIONS
RELATIONS WITH COLLEAGUES
DEALING WITH INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
UNDERSTANDING
STUDENT PROBLEMS

25. A VISION OF AN EFFECTIVE TEACHER
Create a list of 5 essential elements that you would consider as criteria for effective teaching:
What is an effective teacher thinking?
What is an effective teacher feeling?
What is an effective teacher saying?
What is an effective teacher doing?
As a group of 5-6 determine at least 5 common criteria of the group.

26. THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS
Subject matter knowledge
Human growth and development
Diverse learners
Instructional planning and strategies
Assessment
Learning environment
Special needs
Communication
Collaboration and partnerships
Professional development

27. COMPONENTS OF A MENTORING RELATIONSHIP
LISTENING
CONFIDENTIALITY
BUILDING TRUST
COLLABORATION

28. COMMUNICATION Make clear anecdotal statements
Respond with relevant information
Paraphrase or restate what is heard
Question for deeper meaning or to encourage reflection
Use appropriate body language
Respect confidentiality

29. DO YOU LISTEN? Get in pairs. Identify yourselves as an A or a B.
A’s will talk for 90 seconds on a topic that is of interest to them.
B will listen (do not take notes, do not talk).
B will paraphrase what was said in 60 seconds.

30. BUILDING TRUST Maintain confidentiality and objectivity
Respond respectfully
Recognize that the novice will have different coping mechanisms
Listen CAREFULLY before responding
Recognize there might be a need for additional support or resources
Understand differences can provide solutions
Sleep on difficult problems

31. COMMON MENTORING PROBLEMS
I can’t find time to meet with my novice teacher.
Some of my colleagues feel that my mentee is having significant problems.
My mentee does not want to discuss “how things are going”.

32. REFLECTION What strengths will you bring to the mentoring process?
What benefits do you believe you will receive from the mentoring process?

33. I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.
Helen Keller

34. CONTACTS AND RESOURCES
Victoria Duff
Mentoring New Teachers by Hal Portner
The New Teacher Book by Melissa Kelly
The First Days of School by Harry Wong