1. In Classroom Mentor Teachers: An Addition to Mentor Teachers
- Author
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Carney, Paul, Crilley, Elizabeth, Fala, John T., Tully, Christopher, Strouse, Kathryn, and Viviano, Thomas
- Abstract
There have been numerous studies done on the impact that mentor teachers and new teacher induction plans have on the new teachers' success in the first couple of years. A lot of these studies were done in an attempt not only to determine how to attract good teachers, but to retain them. It is our hope in this article to also determine if by having a classroom coach and teacher mentors in place, we can mold these new teachers into a strong cultural fit. This article looks at what impact an inside-the-classroom coach would have in addition to the benefits previously obtained from having mentor teachers that teach their own classes. Recent retired teachers and administrators serve as great untapped resources and have the time available to spend in the classroom while the traditional mentor teachers have their own classroom responsibilities and are unable to give the new teachers their undivided attention for a longer period of time. The school in this study, the Middle Bucks Institute of Technology (MBIT), has a two-year induction plan utilizing the skills of three mentor teachers and one classroom coach to provide support to five new teachers. Two of the mentor teachers are each assigned to mentor two new teachers and one mentor teacher is assigned to mentor one new teacher. The new classroom coach circulates among the classroom of the five new teachers during instructional time to observe and advise.
- Published
- 2012