Many K-12 independent schools feature introductory teaching programs, like teaching fellowship or assistant teacher programs, as part of the faculty and school structure. The benefits of these programs for assistant teachers or pre-service teachers are well researched and documented in public school settings. Little, though, is known about the benefits of these types of programs in independent schools, and specifically, the benefits and disadvantages of being a lead teacher who mentors an assistant teacher in similar independent school programs. This study explores the experiences of lead teachers when mentoring an assistant teacher in an independent school setting. The study employs a survey of independent school leaders, semi-structured interviews of independent school mentor teachers, and focus groups of independent school mentor teachers to explore potential benefits. This research will provide independent schools with a clearer understanding of the complexities and efficacy of these unique assistant teaching programs. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]