| So are you planning to be a teacher mentor? Here's | | | | for difficult lessons is another difficult job. |
| a brief overview on what awaits you in this | | | | New Teacher Mentor Responsibilities |
| challenging role. | | | | Mentoring a new teacher is a tricky job and many |
| What is a Teacher Mentor? A teacher mentor, or | | | | mentors, sadly, are overworked! In many scenarios, |
| teacher coach, helps mentor new teachers by giving | | | | they are expected to be available to new teachers |
| ongoing guidance on areas of lesson planning, | | | | as often as possible, even during difficult times such |
| classroom management and classroom organization. | | | | as assessments and teaching their own classes. New |
| Usually, teacher mentors are teachers themselves | | | | teacher mentor responsibilities vary, but usually |
| and have undergone similar challenges that first year | | | | include: |
| teachers know well. | | | | - Discussing lesson plans and classroom management. |
| At teacher education programs at colleges and | | | | - Hold a meeting at the beginning of the year to |
| universities, there are mentoring programs for new | | | | discuss objectives and goals. |
| teachers such as a student teacher mentor program. | | | | - Helping to orient new teachers to the school.- |
| There are also teachers at school who mentor | | | | - Organizing activities with other teachers.- |
| student teachers, and new teachers as well. | | | | - Acting as an intermediary in conflicts between other |
| Mentoring first year teachers is not an easy job, and | | | | teachers or with administrators. |
| it takes a special kind of teacher mentor to fill in the | | | | - Helping new teachers with difficulties adjusting to a |
| shoes. | | | | hectic school life.- |
| Mentorship Training Before they begin their jobs, | | | | Contributions of Being a Teacher Mentor Many |
| teacher mentors receive extensive training from | | | | seasoned teachers are motivated to become teacher |
| teacher education programs. They need to be familiar | | | | mentors because they enjoy helping new teachers |
| with pertinent issues that face a new teacher and | | | | adjust to a new system. Many of them know well |
| what to do if a pre-service teacher-student is | | | | the sink or survive syndrome. It feels great to know |
| experiencing a difficult year particularly with classroom | | | | that they've helped a new teacher not quit after his |
| management issues. They also need to work closely | | | | or her first new year of teaching by giving her the |
| with the new teacher, using special strategies such as | | | | important lessons of persistence and reflection. |
| coaching sessions and reflective journal techniques | | | | As a teacher mentor acquires valuable mentoring |
| for easing the new teacher into the classroom. They | | | | experience, s/he learns important skills in counseling, |
| can then discuss these during their one-on-one | | | | time and conflict management, and leadership. There |
| sessions. In addition, teacher mentors need to be | | | | is a lot of respect involved, and even if the respect |
| prepared to enter a classroom as a last resort if | | | | is not always there, teachers know and appreciate |
| needed. | | | | the value of mentors in assisting a new teacher. |
| Teacher mentors need training in the interpersonal | | | | A teacher mentor is a teacher first, but now one |
| dynamics of this challenging job. Helping a new | | | | who is coaching preservice teachers. This can be the |
| teacher feel confident with his/her authority as a | | | | ticket for a new teacher's survival in ways the |
| classroom manager is a difficult job. Helping a new | | | | mentor never thought possible. |
| teacher who isn't yet sure of how to prepare lessons | | | | |