This paper describes a study of mentoring programs for beginning principals in two different urban school districts. In both settings, the goal of mentoring was said to be support for instructional leadership behaviors by novice principals. This represents an alternative to traditional mentoring schemes designed solely to ensure that first year…

In an effort to compare five models used in delivering inservice instruction to administrators, a survey questionnaire was developed. The goals were to identify the principals' evaluations and perceptions of these models, to summarize the findings of the study, and to present the implications concerning the design of inservice education and the…

Findings of a study that determined the benefits of mentoring as part of an administrator preparation program are discussed in this paper. In-depth interviews were conducted with nine practicing administrators, who worked directly with aspiring administrators who served as candidates in one cycle of the Danforth Foundation Program for the…

Early in their professional careers, school principals are found to have unique needs. This document provides a description of the ways in which these needs have been addressed as a result of the recent enactment of the Entry Year Standard program in the state of Ohio. First, the nature of the new Entry Year Standard is described, with particular…

An examination of literature in the field of staff development reveals five models of inservice for principals. The traditional model involves enrolling in courses at colleges and universities. Institutes are short-term specific learning experiences. Competency-based training identifies knowledge and skills needed and focuses on influencing…

Findings of a study that examined the effect of participation in Danforth Foundation-sponsored principal training programs on participants' perceptions of leadership and administrative behaviors are presented in this paper. The field-based program aims to increase minority representation in educational leadership. Interviews, on-site observation,…

This article looks at the problems and issues characteristic of the beginning years of principalship. Recommendations for strengthening the potential leadership contributions of incoming administrators are proposed. (MT)

Since beginning principals have increasingly complex responsibilities, collegial support for these administrators should be encouraged through "buddy" systems, principal centers, and structured inservice activities designed to promote interaction with district colleagues. Includes 14 references. (MLH)

Describes a recent study of principals' evaluations and perceptions concerning the quality of inservice learning experiences based on five alternative models. Findings disclosed participants' preferences for short-term institutes sponsored by a professional association and informal networking. More work is needed to design effective inservice…

Reviews and describes some major issues associated with implementing effective mentoring schemes to support educational leaders, drawing on the authors' experiences with developing such programs in the United States. Although significant differences exist practically and philosophically in U.S. and British educational management systems, mentoring…

Describes results of a study using indepth interviews with practicing administrators working directly with aspiring administrators enrolled in the Danforth Foundation Program for the Preparation of School Principals. Mentoring activities benefit both proteges and mentors. Encouraging experienced administrators to serve as mentors may be a powerful…

Discusses the unique needs of school principals early in their careers, describing ways the needs have been addressed through enactment of an entry-year program in Ohio that involves structured and formal mentoring activities. The program stresses that mentoring and induction should fit a more comprehensive program of professional development. (SM)

Briefly reviews the current status of research on mentoring as a form of professional development for school leaders. Presents alternative definitions of mentoring and reviews several recent studies on administrator mentoring. Discusses limitations in research design, methodologies, and findings, and charts possible new research directions. (19…

Describes a training program for principals who are mentors for other principals. After defining mentoring, the article considers fundamental assumptions about development of formal mentoring programs, then outlines a mentor training model. Evaluation indicates the program increased mentors' understanding of their mentor relationships and helped…

The Danforth Foundation Program for the Preparation of School Principals now being implemented at four American universities embodies two major emphases: (1) collaboration between universities and school systems and (2) experiential learning approaches. One important program aspect is mentoring relationships between candidates and experienced…