Staff developers recently spotlighted critical issues facing schools or districts trying to develop or improve beginning teacher mentoring programs. This article excerpts their suggestions, explaining how to build and support effective mentoring programs via: selecting mentors and matching mentors and mentees; mentor training; bringing a focus to…

Five veteran teachers reflected on the positive influences of mentoring younger colleagues. Interviews indicated that three areas enhanced the colleagues' professionalism (creating their own schedules, expanding their view of teaching, and continuing their professional growth). This paper presents insights about mentoring, noting programmatic…

This paper is intended to supplement the relatively scant amount of information available to principals on mentoring and mentor programs for beginning teachers. Suggestions include: learning the basic principles of effective new teacher mentor programs with respect to design, implementation, and evaluation; understanding the local new teacher…

Presents a history of beginning teacher mentoring, discussing what has been effective and suggesting that the best mentor programs provide funding, time, and expertise. Tips for success include: integrate mentoring with the school community, define "new teacher" and "mentor" broadly, maximize mentor training and ongoing support, and continue…

This paper reports the results of a mailed survey of beginning and mentor teachers who participated in the Wisconsin-Whitewater Beginning Teacher Assistance Program (BTAP) between 1988 and 1999, a university-based mentoring program for K-12 teachers. The program features graduate credit for required mentor training and beginning teacher…

A Wisconsin study examined the perceptions of participants in a state-mandated mentoring program for beginning teachers. A researcher obtained names and addresses of beginning teachers, counselors, and librarians as well as personnel serving as mentors to beginners. A total of 14 mentors and 15 beginning teachers, counselors, and librarians agreed…

Focusing on the benefits of mentoring for beginning teachers, this article reviews the common goals and organizational formats for mentoring programs, outlines basic knowledge and skills necessary for effective mentoring, suggests resources useful in preparing teachers to serve as mentors, and examines issues about mentoring for staff developers.…

Reports a study of 24 teachers who were mentors for beginning teachers, using information from the second of 2 meetings with each mentor to discuss mentor roles and the benefits of and obstacles to mentoring. Results indicated that teachers considered mentoring valuable, even when under less than ideal circumstances. (SM)

This paper posits that metaphor, in addition to embellishing language, promotes a comprehensive understanding of complex concepts and phenomena and provides teachers with a powerful way to talk about their work. The main body of this document, which includes an extensive review of the literature, considers the use of metaphors for mentoring in the…