About Teachers Mentoring Other Teachers

A more experienced teacher can serve as a mentor for new teachers.

Between students, parents and your principal, being a teacher can be overwhelming. You may have a colleague in whom you can confide, but she may not be able to offer the professional support that you need. An experienced teacher you admire may be able to serve as your mentor to guide you through new experiences and challenging situations.

New Teachers

New teachers may feel especially overwhelmed about leading a classroom for the first time. Teaching can be a lonely profession, as you are not exposed to your peers and are often left to make professional decisions on your own. If your school or school district does not offer a mentorship program, ask a more experienced teacher to mentor you through your first academic year. Teachers' associations and local universities may offer programs that pair newer and more experienced teachers.

Teacher Retention

Mentorship programs help improve teacher retention. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 9.3 percent of new teachers leave the profession after only a year, but teachers who have mentors tend to stay in their jobs longer, reducing job turnover in schools and increasing job satisfaction. Students may also benefit from the sense of stability and reliability that lower teacher-turnover rates create in their schools.

Distance Mentoring

Teachers who do not have the opportunity to be mentored by another teacher at their school or in their area can still be mentored using an online mentoring service. Several organizations, such as WikiEducator, offer services that pair teachers so they may benefit from one another's experiences. Mentors and mentees may discuss classroom problems they encounter, swap lesson plans and share student success stories via e-mail, instant messaging or phone.

Starting a Mentorship Program

Teachers who do not have access to a local mentorship program may start one of their own. Discuss your desire to have a mentor with your school's principal and ask for her support in establishing a mentorship program. Recruit colleagues who may be interested, and discuss the program at your next teacher's meeting. The goal of the program may be to support and guide new teachers, provide an open environment for communication between teachers or support professional development and training.

References

• The National Foundation for the Improvement of Education: Creating a Teacher Mentoring Program
• So You Want to Teach: Find a Mentor
• Department of Defense Education Activity Pacific: Teacher Mentor Program

Resources

• WikiEducator: List of Teacher Mentors