Learning from new teachers
Mentors can share in the hope and enthusiasm of new teachers.
Learn more
Related pages
- Looking for support: An elementary special education teacher talks about finding support in challenging situations.
- Communication: The key to successful mentoring: Building support systems begins with asking for help — and giving it.
- Mentoring matters: How mentors can serve as role models, helpers, and colleagues.
Related topics
- Learn more about Initially Licensed Teacher, mentoring, and professional skills.
Legal
The text of this page is copyright ©2001. See terms of use. Images and other media may be licensed separately; see captions for more information and read the fine print.
Think of your first year teaching. If it was similar to my own, the memory brings not only winces but also laughter. How I could have used a veteran teacher to help with all the little things we never learned in our education classes. Things like how to fill out a register (remember those?) or how to handle a class of thirty tenth-graders in a single-wide trailer in the teachers’ parking lot.
As a mentor I’ve had the pleasure of working with quite a few new educators. This year I had the perfect ILT, Elaine McSween. Not only was Elaine in my subject area, but her room was only a couple of doors down the hall. She had joined our staff the previous year after completing her student teaching. When the new year began, Elaine was already familiar with many of the school’s policies and procedures. This enabled us to concentrate on subject matter.
Elaine also had been selected to be the focus of a monthly article in the local paper following her experiences as a first-year teacher. The reporter and photographer did not always inform Elaine when they would appear, which created some interesting situations, but all were handled in a professional manner. I looked forward to reading the articles because Elaine always came across as the promising teacher I knew her to be in the classroom.
I was very aware of trying not to be overbearing as her mentor. We often planned together, setting a pacing guide for our courses, sharing resources and horror and success stories. My main focus was to be available, and I made sure I had contact with her each day. Through my observations I was able to provide not only advice but also words mostly of encouragement and praise. I enjoyed watching this young educator as she developed her own style of teaching. I made sure I avoided telling her how I would have taught the lesson and allowed Elaine to establish what worked well for her. I often think of it as if you were teaching someone to ride a bike, holding on at first until the rider has established confidence and balance, then finally letting go and feeling such pride as they master a new skill.
Advice I would give mentors so they could feel that same pride would be:
- Make sure you are available — focus on being your mentee’s peer. This is sometimes difficult, especially if you aren’t located near each other or if you are juggling more than one ILT. Keeping the lines of communication open helps to foster camaraderie.
- Provide support through listening and observing, not only formally, but as much as possible. Check on them before school or at lunch. Help them to establish a support group, especially with other ILTs. We held monthly meetings this year and were rewarded by watching the ILTs grow as educators and individuals.
- Learn from your ILTs. Help them to develop their own style of teaching but be careful not to force your own way of teaching on them. Veteran teachers have a tendency to be stale; new teachers have such hope and enthusiasm — let it rub off on you!
- Be as positive as possible but also realistic. Let them know there are days you would like to quit as well, that you get upset with the administration, and yes, that there are days you don’t want to see another student, either. This is especially important for teachers facing EOC tests!
- Attend system-wide meetings held for ILTs. The information you receive at these not only helps your ILTs but also keeps communication open.
I have been taught so much by my different ILTs. Gladly, the majority of them are still teaching. I can’t help but reflect back on the number of outstanding educators we could have kept in the classroom if this program had been in place many years ago. Imagine the quality of education we could have in North Carolina! Enjoy your ILTs. Let them see that teaching is not only an occupation but also part of your soul, and that it will become part of theirs as well.
