Mentors Would be Helpful for All Beginning Teachers

Our District in Knoxville had the paperwork for the Mentoring/Induction Program. It was from the ISBE website and while it looks good in written form on paper, it isn't of benefit to say we offer such a program when not much is being done with it. As a first year teacher or just a teacher new to the district, having a good mentoring program could be extremely helpful. If it is left to the new teacher to seek out people in the building to ask questions when questions arise, it may not happen in a timely fashion. During the first few months of the school year there is so much to do that the student teaching experience may not have prepared the new teachers for. Just keeping up with daily demands of the profession can be difficult without having to search out someone to answer the questions that come up. Not wanting to look inadequate or confused or seeming like a bother to someone may keep the new teachers from seeking the help they may need. There are many seasoned teachers in our building who would be willing to offer advice from their years of experience. Many of us have checked in on the new teachers that we get to our building but, I think if there is an assigned mentor with specific meeting dates that the mentoring process would be more effective. With new teachers leaving the profession after only a few years, it could only strengthen the field of teaching to offer the support and encouragement that these new teachers need when they feel overwhelmed during the first few years of teaching. Administration needs to make mentoring a priority so new teachers are not left to struggle and feel alone.