TOWARD MASTERY OF THE CRAFT: MENTORING TO IMPROVE PRACTICE IN NOVICE TEACHERS.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Learning to teach by listening to a lecture is a little like learning to ride a bicycle by reading a book. Teaching is a practitioner's art and any teacher training program must include real world “practical experience” as part of its regimen. This profoundly important element of the induction process of any new teacher should include the active participation of a successful, proficient mentor teacher.
Three goals of mentoring beginning teachers have survived the conceptual analysis of teacher mentoring and teacher induction offered over the past decade. These goals are to provide beginning teachers with guidance and support from mentor teachers, to promote the professional development of beginning teachers and to retain beginning teachers.
Interest in mentor programs for new teachers is strong but there are also those who view such programs with caution. Mentoring has in some cases proven to be a less than ideal reform tactic, especially when programs have been implemented with too little conceptual understanding of mentoring, unrealistic expectations and poorly thought out implementation strategies.
Beginning teachers experience a unique developmental process when entering the classroom as first time educators, a process that veteran teachers are uniquely situated to understand. Prepared mentor teachers or support providers have the potential to be sensitive, patient, creative and nurturing while offering needed support, guidance and advocacy for novice teachers in their charge.
This study investigates the multivariate Issues affecting the mentoring of new teachers and includes a thoughtful review of contemporary literature that informs the topic. It examines mentoring as a sociological phenomenon and explores its relationship to issues of race, class, gender and power. The narrative endeavors to offer observations and suggestions that address the often daunting task of preparing and training mentor teachers or support providers. Though the focus of this study is primarily on mentor teacher orientation, the information presented here is intended to be beneficial for all education leaders, program coordinators, mentors and novice teachers and anyone involved in the mentoring process of new teachers.