Where Mentoring Works: Real Examples

New Teacher Mentoring

Manchester Education Association
Manchester, New Hampshire
Contact: Ellen Healey, Manchester Education Association president
(603) 668-5326, ext. 710
lnmea@yahoo.com

"We've been planning this new teacher mentoring program for three years, but the excitement around it is still contagious," says Manchester Education Association President Ellen Healey.

Healey spent much of 1997 trying to help the district superintendent, principals, and school board understand the need for a new teacher support system. After months of organizing, Healey finally had everyone she needed on board, and, in 1999, she attended NEA's "Challenge of Change" conference with the town's mayor, school board members, parents, the district superintendent, and some building principals.

At the conference, the Manchester team worked together to develop a mentoring model. Their first charge: form an oversight committee to run the program. Committee members now include leaders from the Association, an administrator, a second-year teacher, the district assistant superintendent, a representative from the mayor's office, a school board member, and two assistant principals.

This committee developed a formal application process and, from it, chose nine teachers to pilot the mentoring program the following fall. They also worked with the University of New Hampshire to develop an in-depth training course for the mentors, which currently meets once a week. The university is developing more courses for the mentors and will offer a mentoring certificate to those who complete 15 credit hours.

The district has committed substantial dollars for the program, but specifics remain to be bargained into the local's next contract. Healey is hoping that at least half of the mentors will be released full-time from their classroom duties for at least one year. The district and Association have agreed upon a yearly stipend for mentors — a set percentage of the base salary, about $3,800 per year. As the base salary increases, so will the stipend.

The Manchester program will provide ongoing workshops for new teachers.

"We are committed to providing activities for new teachers, especially after we saw their excitement after the 'I Can Do It' workshop," says Healey. "They wanted to know when the next workshop would be. When there's that kind of anticipation, you have to follow through. There's an obvious need here we can help fill. How can we not get involved?"

New Teacher Mentoring

NEA-North Kingstown
North Kingstown, Rhode Island
Contact: Leo Maynard, NEA-North Kingstown President
(401) 268-6255
maynardl@ride.ri.net

Last year, legislators in Rhode Island passed a bill requiring all school districts to provide mentoring to new teachers. In response, North Kingstown school officials reached out to the union — specifically to NEA-North Kingstown President Leo Maynard — for help.

"We had wanted to develop a partnership for some time, but the law is what really pushed us into action," Maynard explains

Together, the Association and district formed a committee — consisting of Maynard and four other veteran teachers, two new teachers, one building administrator, the district curriculum director, the human resources director, and the pupil personnel director — to take charge of implementing a program.

The committee members attended a workshop sponsored by the state department of education and gathered some good, basic resources to help them get started. They also held a forum for district employees to get input.

"We asked really open-ended questions about what we needed to include to make this a successful endeavor," says Maynard. "The response was overwhelming. The number one issue that kept coming up was time — everyone felt that time had to be given for both mentor and new teacher to work together."

The Association and district eventually agreed to give participants up to three days off, in addition to conference days, to work together and visit other classrooms.

Twenty mentors, chosen from a formal application process, are initiating a "pilot" version of the program this year. They all have at least three years of experience in the North Kingstown district and have completed a two-day mentor training prior to the beginning of school. There is no mentor stipend, but the district has offered each mentor $500 worth of classroom resources as an incentive.

Ultimately, the committee hopes to make it mandatory for new teachers to participate, and assign mentors to new teachers in the same school and grade level on a one-to-one ratio.

"We'll be bargaining the program into our contracts this spring, so for now, we've all operated a little on blind faith," Maynard says. "But I'm not sure I would have done it differently. Our program is what it is because we've been making changes as we go along — kind of a 'work in progress.' I think that's what a new teacher support system should be — where ongoing evaluations are built in and changes are made accordingly."

Peer Coaching

Birmingham Education Association
Birmingham, Michigan
Contact: Joan Kasle, Birmingham Education Association president
(248) 358-4770

Two years ago, after attending an NEA national conference, Birmingham Education Association President Joan Kasle approached her district's superintendent about establishing a new teacher support system. Kasle was inspired by what she had learned at the conference about a joint peer coaching program in Cherry Creek, Colorado.

"It was exactly what we needed," Kasle says.

The district superintendent was impressed, too. So the district and Association formed a joint committee — with four teachers, two building administrators, and two district administrators — to develop a program purpose and plan. The committee then chose two full-time release peer coaches who, along with Kasle and the superintendent, spent four days in Cherry Creek gaining first-hand knowledge about that district's model program.

The peer coaches in Birmingham, both Association members, are now responsible for 15 new teachers each. One works at the secondary level and the other at the elementary. The two were trained in cognitive coaching skills. They do not receive a stipend, but they do receive their regular salary plus pay for overtime worked.

The peer coaches observe all new teachers in the district on a weekly basis and confer with them afterward on an individual basis. They also plan and conduct monthly after-school workshops.

Kasle stresses two important factors for mentoring program success. First, the district must see the program as a priority and come through with funding and resources. Her district completely funds the program and has even published a booklet about it.

The other factor: confidentiality between new teacher and peer coach. Explains Kasle: "Our number one criteria in choosing our coaches was based on their ability to keep new teacher trust. They don't talk about job performance to anyone except the new teachers."

The rewards from mentoring, says Kasle, are abundant.

"The new teachers are joining us because they are seeing firsthand the value of the Association," she says. "They are getting the message we're sending: that we truly care about their success in the classroom and will help them in anyway we can."

Sums up Kasle; "This is what I want people to remember me for. I'll be retiring next year, and this, by far, is my greatest achievement."

Peer Mentor Program

Manitowoc Education Association
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Contact: Bob Jome, Manitowoc Education Association President
(920) 683-4861 ext. 6239
jomeb@mpsd.k12.wi.us

"We've been informally mentoring new teachers for years now," says Manitowoc Education Association President Bob Jome. "But in the last year that informality has turned into a serious undertaking."

Both the Association and district are feeling an urgent need to help new teachers succeed. Wisconsin lawmakers recently passed tough new standards for teachers, and the state is expected to soon implement a policy that would require new teachers to assemble examples of their work before they could be fully certified.

"That's why a main part of the relationship between mentors and new teachers in our program centers around helping new teachers put together a portfolio," says Jome.

To help new teachers feel comfortable in front of the camera — important because a video is part of the portfolio requirements — mentors in Manitowoc tape their new teacher at least once per quarter and then, together, discuss and evaluate what they see on the video.

Mentors and new teachers also consult with each other on a weekly basis and are given up to five days of release time to visit each other's classrooms throughout the school year. They also participate in a one-day training during the summer and spend the week before school begins setting up their classrooms and getting to know each other.

Mentor teachers are nominated by their peers or nominate themselves. The ultimate decision on who mentors is made by the Association leaders and administrators who sit on the district's Mentor Steering Committee. Mentors receive a $600 stipend.

Jome, a mentor himself, is thrilled that such a significant emphasis has been placed on the mentor program.

"Becoming a mentor is one way to pay service to our profession, to keep it viable," he says. "It demonstrates to everyone how committed we are to making sure every child has a quality teacher. That is a strong and very important message to convey."

Beginning Teacher Network

Francis Howell Education Association/Missouri-NEA
St. Charles, Missouri
Contact: Chris Guinther
(636) 926-8643
mosped@aol.com

When Chris Guinther transferred from teacher to curriculum and instruction facilitator for the Francis Howell School District in 1993, her top priority became helping new teachers succeed. Since then, she has helped implement a successful new teacher mentoring program as well as a Beginning Teacher Network (BTN), both co-sponsored by the district and local Association.

As part of her job, Guinther visits with mentors and new teachers on a regular basis. She also sits on a Professional Development Committee that oversees the mentoring program. Mentors and new teachers are given up to three release days to meet together, and mentors receive a $350 stipend.

But, says Guinther, the mentoring program wouldn't be such a success if not for the Beginning Teacher Network.

"Mentoring is a great thing, but I think even more powerful is the opportunity to collaborate with your peers, which the BTN encourages new teachers to do," she says. "First-year teachers have told me that it is the isolation of their job that is so demoralizing. They need a place where they can talk confidentially with other new teachers."

At monthly BTN meetings, topics range from motivating students and prioritizing tasks to mainstreaming special education students. Sessions teach both classroom survival skills and life skills such as financial management. Each meeting is facilitated by a veteran teacher, and the conversations that take place are strictly confidential.

"By bringing new and experienced teachers together," Guinther notes, "the beginners start to see that they're not alone, that all teachers feel frustrated and overwhelmed from time to time."

Guinther says the new teacher support is definitely working.

"Many of our new teachers have friends in other districts who are already planning on leaving the profession," she says. "Our beginners credit the mentoring and BTN for helping them stay in the profession. They feel comfortable in the classroom and in their new careers. If they start losing that comfort level, then they talk about it with us. That's what makes the difference."

Teacher Assistance Program

Sweetwater Education Association
Rock Springs, Wyoming
Contact: Linda Merrell, Sweetwater Education Association president
(307) 352-3400
sea@rock.sw1.k12.wy.us

"We've been constantly revising as we progress," says Sweetwater Education Association President Linda Merrell.

The idea for her district's Teacher Assistance Program (TAP) originated during bargaining in 1997. But the program has evolved substantially since then.

"After receiving federal class size funds last year, which can be designated to fund mentor stipends," Merrell notes, "we revised the program."

Every teacher now new to the district, with less than three years of experience, is assigned a TAP mentor. TAP assistance is also provided to experienced teachers who request help with their professional growth and development.

A committee of seven people runs the program — four appointed by Merrell and the Association and three appointed by the district superintendent. This committee selects mentors, assigns them to participating teachers, provides both mentor and new teachers with training and professional development, and evaluates the progress of each mentor/new teacher pair on an ongoing basis.

Mentors — who are not full-time release — are trained to use a variety of peer assistance techniques like cognitive coaching, clinical observation, and conferencing skills. They are given $1,200 stipends for their work.

Mentors and new teachers must meet together a total of 75 hours — 50 in the first semester alone. Communication can be done via phone, E-mail, and face-to-face contact. Each mentor conducts at least three new teacher observations, and, together, the pairs participate in seven workshops throughout the year.

"By reaching out and getting lots of people involved from the beginning, we received tons of resources that helped us develop our program," says Merrell.

Merrell's local UniServ director provided the planning team with information about mentor programs in other school districts. The NEA local affiliate president in Boulder, Colorado shared copies of its mentoring program proposal. And Association members from Laramie, Wyoming drove three hours to Rock Springs to share their expertise with the Sweetwater fact-finding committee.

"My advice is to reach out and contact those of us who have done mentoring," says Merrell. "There's also great information on the Internet and through the NEA Professional Library. It's definitely worth it."

"Best of the Best" Student Mentor Program

Clarksville-Montgomery County Education Association
Clarksville-Montgomery County, Tennessee
Contact: Ron Pendergrass, Clarksville-Montgomery County Education Association UniServ director
(931) 358-5744
rpendergrass@tea.nea.org

Robyn Brumblay, Clarksville-Montgomery County Education Association president
(931) 552-3186

UniServ director Ron Pendergrass. " It focuses on the preparation of pre-service teachers. Many mentor programs are a collaborative effort, but ours goes one step beyond: We also collaborate with a major university."

Now in its second year, the program is supported by NEA Urban Grant funds and aid from both the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System and Austin Peay State University. Students who participate apply to the program after their sophomore year and must commit to more than 1,000 hours of classroom observation in two years. In their final semester, students "take over" their mentors' classrooms.

"The time commitment is big, but so is the payoff," says Pendergrass. "Normally students go through 10 or 12 weeks of student teaching and then are thrown into classrooms. Through our program, students are actually being educated in the classroom — like a lab — where they meet most of their core curriculum requirements on the job."

The students are placed in one-to-one relationships with mentor teachers throughout the program and get a small stipend for participating. Mentors receive a $500 stipend per semester as well as adjunct faculty status at Austin Peay, tuition-free graduate courses, and discounts at the university bookstore.

Both mentors and new teachers receive in-depth training about their responsibilities in the program, and everyone involved meets together once per month to debrief and participate in workshops. Mentor teachers, building principals, and university professors all take part in evaluating the students.

"These students are working incredibly hard," says Pendergrass. "It's our hope that they'll get to know us and, with luck, ease right into full-time positions after graduation."

Pendergrass is thrilled with the positive feedback from everyone involved.

"We're currently talking with the state education department to see how we might use our program model as an alternative means to teacher certification," he says. "We're also hoping to use what we're learning to develop a mentoring program for practicing teachers."

New Teacher Mentoring

Paradise Valley Education Association
Paradise Valley, Arizona
Contact: Gloria Siciliano, Paradise Valley Education Association president
(602) 992-8110
pvea@aol.com

Paradise Valley Education Association President Gloria Siciliano always knew she wanted a new teacher support system in her district. She also knew getting such a system wouldn't be easy, so she did some legwork before approaching district administrators.

"We knew if we had some money going in," says Siciliano, "administrators wouldn't see a new teacher support program as such a stretch." In 1997, her local applied for and won a $4,000 NEA urban grant.

The local was then able to get a matching commitment from the school district. Local and district leaders went to Seattle and Columbus, Ohio to learn first hand about new teacher support systems.

"We spent several days with Association leaders in each city," says Siciliano. "That was February 1998. It then took us about a year to decide exactly how our program would look and where we would get the funds to make it happen."

The result is the Paradise Valley School District Mentoring program, which officially began in August 1999. The program is mandatory for new teachers.

Five full-time release mentor teachers, or "consulting teachers," meet with new teachers, or "associates," on a one-to-one basis — at least once every two weeks. New teachers are also provided with monthly seminars and monthly newsletters.

Consulting teachers meet with each other once per week to touch base about their progress. All have at least five years experience in the district, in addition to their masters degree or National Board Certification. They have each agreed to return to their classrooms within two years.

"This is so much more than a mentoring program," says Siciliano. "New teachers are getting help in goal setting, lesson planning, and aligning their curriculum with Arizona standards. They also have someone to turn to when they have questions. The result is a stronger teaching force for our kids. Everyone is just thrilled with our progress."

Adds Siciliano: "It's also strengthened the relationship between the district and the Association. I'm now getting 'good news' calls from building principals about how much the consulting teachers are helping the new teachers. That's something I definitely didn't anticipate, but it's a welcome change."

Next: How To Establish New Teacher Support Systems