Nature of Work

The mentor performs a unique function in the total educational environment.  Mentors should possess a willingness to commit to a mentoring relationship and must have had successful teaching experiences through effective planning and classroom instruction, developing and utilizing instructional materials and techniques, and identifying and effectively using available school and community resources which would be relevant to the role of mentoring.  Mentors must possess effective oral and written communication skills to identify and address the needs of the initially licensed teacher (ILT).  Mentors should be able to apply learning theory and research findings to classroom instruction.  Mentors should also display a positive attitude and be a facilitator who enables the ILT teacher to discover and build on new skills.

Duties and Responsibilities

Demonstrate the skills necessary for the establishment of productive helping relationships

Identify and address the needs of the novice teacher

Recognize the importance of individuals becoming independent as they grow professionally

Encourage independence through professional growth

Use active listening skills as a means to improve communication

Respond effectively to verbal and/or written reflections

Provide guidance and assistance as the ILT teacher assumes new roles and responsibilities

Assist the new or beginning teacher in analyzing observation data

Create an awareness of the resources available in the school, community, and LEA

Work collaboratively with the school, community, and LEA to identify strategies for promoting growth in the beginning teacher

Use appropriate data collection strategies and instruments for the purpose of identifying areas of strengths and areas needing improvement

Assist in the development of a formal growth plan

Provide guidance to beginning teachers in developing and utilizing materials and techniques for instructional presentations

Help beginning teachers relate course objectives to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study

Assure that lesson plans relate to content goals and to the needs and interests of diverse learners

Assist beginning teachers in applying learning theory and research to plan and implement effective classroom instruction

Help beginning teachers evaluate and use instructional activities to meet diverse learning styles

Assist beginning teachers in the disaggregation of student assessment information and the needs of the diverse student population

Help beginning teachers use a variety of formal and informal assessment strategies to measure student learning

Hold regularly scheduled meeting/observations with the ILT and document those sessions