Many schools in the United States have formalised the process of mentoring novice teachers as a means of integrating new teachers into the teaching profession on a more permanent basis. They run Mentoring Teachers Programs, which allow new teachers to adjust to their new profession with the help of a more experienced colleague. In these programmes, the veteran teacher, known as the mentor, coaches the new teacher on a variety of topics related to teaching, such as how to prepare lesson plans and carry them out, how to deal with students of varying ages and characteristics, how to teach more effectively in different types of settings, and how to resolve classroom conflicts, among other things.
Advantages for Teachers starting out!
New teachers benefit from the programme not only in terms of improved teaching abilities, but also in terms of increased job satisfaction. According to Evenson’s book on mentoring teachers, a new teacher benefits in three ways as a result of the experience. First and foremost, the programme enables the new teacher to quickly become acclimated to the school environment. Out of the necessity of assisting the new teacher in becoming acquainted with the school’s personnel and facilities, the mentor also teaches him how to observe and comply with the school’s policies and procedures.
Second, the programme enables the teacher to demonstrate his or her ability to teach. This is accomplished through the mentor’s provision of opportunities for the new teacher to observe, assess, and practise his or her own and other teachers’ teaching. The mentor is encouraged to provide feedback and to maintain constant communication throughout the process.
Finally, the programme introduces the teacher to the profession of teaching as one that is constantly evolving and one that will last a lifetime. If the new teacher believes that he or she is receiving the best possible support from colleagues and the school administration, he or she is more likely to stay in the profession and would be happy to make himself or herself available to future teachers who might require his or her assistance.
Additional Advantages of the Program
The advantages of mentoring programmes are numerous and far-reaching. However, the programme has benefits for everyone involved in it, not just the new teachers. These benefits extend to all programme participants including mentors, students, and the entire school community. In this way, mentoring programmes are considered more than just a means of assisting new teachers; they are also considered a vehicle for the improvement of the school’s overall educational system.
A new opportunity to share his wealth of experiences, knowledge, and skills has presented itself to the mentor as a result of the programme. Unlike books or reference materials, many of these abilities and knowledge are not readily available. They are amassed over time as a result of extensive training and professional practise in various fields. It is possible that without mentoring programmes, the experiences, knowledge, and skills that have been gained and acquired over time will be lost over time.
In a sense, the mentor is also improving his or her own abilities as a teacher during the mentoring process. He accomplishes this by reflecting on his professional experiences both inside and outside of the classroom, as well as by offering advice and guidelines to the new teacher.
Furthermore, the mentoring programme provides him with an additional source of income, as mentors are typically compensated for the additional services they provide to their protégés and students.
Students benefit both directly and indirectly from this type of programme because their new teachers gain more teaching skills and knowledge as a result of the training that is provided to them. Ultimately, when the teacher is prepared and knowledgeable about the topics he or she is discussing, the students learn more and have a better experience in class.
According to the findings of a study conducted by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory to examine the mentoring programmes in Texas, many districts consider mentoring programmes to be a critical retention strategy for their teachers. According to the findings of the study, attrition of new teachers is one of the factors contributing to teacher shortages in some schools.
