Mentoring programs for beginning teachers are designed to retain good teachers by providing them with psychological support and instructional assistance and introducing them to the cultures of the school and the district. Being a mentor also figures prominently in veteran teachers' professional development. An examination of the literature reveals…

Beginning school teachers (N=13), beginning school librarians (N=2), mentor teachers (N=13), and a mentor counselor were interviewed to elicit their perceptions of the personal and general educational benefits of a state-mandated mentoring program. Cited benefits of mentoring for the beginner included: (1) encouragement and support, particularly…

This study was conducted to examine perceptions of effective mentoring by both beginning and experienced teachers. Fourteen mentors and 15 beginners agreed to participate. Tape recorded interviews were conducted with each individual; questions related to: (1) the mentor's prior experience and the beginner's teacher preparation; (2) specific…

This paper offers suggestions on how to help new teachers during their first year of teaching by offering a mentorship program with an established teacher on the school staff. A mentor is someone to whom the first-year teacher can turn during all the turbulence that is part of beginning any career, but especially for a beginning teacher in a…

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 looks at six mentoring programs in Wisconsin for beginning teachers. Four of the programs (Beloit, Kenosha, Plattesville, and West Allis-West Milwaukee) are district programs in which teachers assume mentoring responsibilities in addition to teaching. In the Milwaukee School District program, veteran teachers serve as full-time mentors,…