Mentoring Main Page

Participants at the Oregon Special Education Recruitment and Retention Project's regional workshops were asked to brainstorm solutions to overcoming barriers to establishing teacher mentor/support programs within their school and district.

• Welcoming new staff
  1. Identify mentors in each building both in regular and special education.
  2. Create a sensitivity around the needs of the beginning and mentor teacher.
  3. Match mentors/proteges with similar assignments.
  4. Schedule a beginning of the year inservice between the new teacher and their mentor.
• Collegiality
  1. Provide instruction on how to pose questions instead of problems.
  2. Establish a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities.
  3. Develop support groups for new teachers.
  4. Set-up opportunities to socialize.
  5. Facilitate opportunity to Email support to each other.
  6. Provide opportunities for teacher and mentor to get together without supervisors or an agenda.
• Work Control
  1. Extend the mentor teacher's contract allowing for preparation time at the beginning of the year.
  2. Train a substitute pool for use by the mentor and beginning teacher throughout the year in order to permit observations, meeting, professional development activities.
  3. Build additional days in the school calendar for mentor training.
  4. Utilize retired staff as substitutes and mentors.
  5. Use electronic/technology to improve access/communication.
  6. Substitute time spent on extra duties (ie. recess, lunch) for mentoring activities.
  7. Facilitate networking (e.g. computer, easy access to phones).
• Professional Development
  1. Summer institute or other opportunities for mentors and protégés.
  2. Provide professional development hours/credits for mentoring.
  3. Give permission to prioritize.
  4. Establish mentor "support group" (even across districts).
• Achievement and Collegiality
  1. Develop partnership with university training programs.
  2. District/ESD mentor - teacher on special assignment as a mentor who can serve multiple schools.
  3. Listen to staff concerns.
  4. Publish monthly Special Education newsletter for staff.
  5. Provide stress management programs/training.
  6. Provide wellness benefits (exercise facility or opportunities)
  7. Use humor!
• Resources
  1. Provide funds in personnel budget for mentor stipends.
  2. Build teacher support into the school's goals and budget.
  3. Build mentoring programs into the district's curriculum budget.
  4. Use ESD resolution money for mentors.
  5. Survey to determine in-house expertise for teacher support and training.
  6. Develop alternative funding sources (grants).
  7. Pilot a small mentor program to get started.