Date of Award

5-2016

Degree Type

Report

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Applied Sciences, Technology, and Education

Committee Chair(s)

Gary A. Stewardson

Committee

Gary A. Stewardson

Committee

Edward M. Reeve

Committee

Brian Warnick

Abstract

It’s the beginning of a new school year. Administrators are preparing teacher trainings and best procedures and policies for their students. Thoughtful counselors methodically plan the right schedule so students can have the most success. The group with the most excitement might just be the students. Who will be in your class? Who will be your new teacher? What will your classroom be decorated like? Do you have all of the needed supplies? Then we come to the last group: the teachers. For the teachers, there is also a lot of excitement within this group accompanied by some worry and apprehension. For the veteran teachers, there is excitement, to start over with new kids and the new opportunities to learn and teach. New teachers finally get to do what they have been studying and preparing for the past few years. Their name is on the door. The new teachers are responsible for these kids. Are they ready for this? Do these new teachers have the right lesson plans? Do they have enough teaching skills to pull this off?

This scenario illustrates the need for and benefit of new teacher mentoring programs. Mentoring programs are designed to help reassure and enable new teachers that they can be successful. Mentors visit new teachers, giving help and aid wherever possible. Often this aid comes in the form of collaboration and the sharing of experience. Mentors share ideas on classroom organization, classroom management, lesson delivery method, interaction with parents, and what lessons to teach. Beyond collaboration, mentors observe how new teachers’ lessons are taught to provide positive feedback and constructive criticism.

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