By interviewing 12 first-year teachers twice over the course of their first year, the researcher conducted this phenomenological study to analyze the effects of supports provided to new teachers and if those supports created a greater feeling of self-efficacy or increased the likelihood that the new teachers would continue teaching. The researcher identified that an atmosphere of support and collegiality inside school buildings and the experiences garnered during the internship helped new teachers cope with struggles during the first year and grow much more so than any of the assigned or required mentoring activities they experienced. The researcher identified common traits mentoring designers needed to attempt to replicate, but discovered that one, explicit mentoring method did not prove effective across schools. [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.]