Mentoring Beginning Teachers: Guiding, Reflecting, Coaching
Publication Type:
Web ArticleYear of Publication:
2000Abstract:
Cossondra George, a Michigan teacher, says that “this short book is packed with advice for mentor teachers, much of which is more appropriate for mentors to pre-service teachers rather than for new-teacher mentors.” But, she says, much of it can be transferred.
Citation: Boreen, J., Johnson, M.K., Niday, D. & Potts, J. (2000). Mentoring beginning teachers: Guiding, reflecting, coaching. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
Full Text:
by Jean Boreen, Mary K. Johnson, Donna Niday & Joe Potts
2000 (144 pages/hardback)
Stenhouse Publishers
ISBN: 1-57110-309-0
$17.50
Reviewed by Cossondra George
Newberry Middle School
Newberry, MI
This short book is packed with advice for mentor teachers, much of which is more appropriate for mentors to pre-service teachers rather than for new-teacher mentors. However, many of the suggestions can be adapted for most mentoring situations, and indeed, are simply sound educational practices.
The chapter I found most interesting was Chapter 6, "How Do I Encourage Reflection?" Neither when I student-taught, nor as a beginning teacher, did I have anyone suggest reflection as a viable means of developing my teaching skills. This book, on the other hand, highly recommends reflection for both the mentor and mentee, suggesting that:
"Reflection is essential to a fully lived professional life. Among teachers, the finest are those who consider their progress in the classroom, who ponder effective teaching strategies and devise creative classroom activities, who practice reflection to set personal and professional goals, who think on their feet as they teach. These educators are the exemplars and leaders and mentors in our schools."
I found this reflection chapter particularly intriguing, in light of the growing popularity of "blogging" among many teachers (a phenomenon that began after this book was written). Boreen and her colleagues advocate the use of some type of interactive written dialogue between the mentor and mentee. In today's Internet environment, blogging is probably the cutting edge choice!
The book suggests various ways to observe your mentee without evaluating her. The relationship between mentor and mentee must be one based on trust, where the mentee feels comfortable admitting failures, and seeking counsel on his teaching practices without fear of disclosure to others — in particular, administrators. The observation suggestions offer non-threatening ways to observe and comment on the teaching methods of the new teacher.
The authors believe that "Effective mentoring requires a philosophy that encourages questioning, recognizes territoriality, and models continual learning." Emphasis on understanding and respecting personality differences, philosophies, and preferences is critical to a successful relationship between mentor and mentee.
Other areas addressed by Mentoring Beginning Teachers include: knowing how to guide mentees to their own solutions to problems; modeling good relationships with administrators; helping with classroom management, and encouraging professional development. Suggestions for choosing mentor/mentee pairs are offered, as well as guidelines for developing goals, both short and long term, dealing with unprofessional behaviors in mentees, and classroom management issues.
This book was not an "exciting" read, but was filled with much useful information for both partners in a mentoring relationship. Having been mentored by many great teachers when I was a pre-service and beginning teacher, both formally and informally — and having mentored several new colleagues — I found the book to be a useful resource. It is short and concise, and set up in an easy format which could be used as a reference throughout the school year.
Stenhouse also offers a pair of videos based on the authors' concepts (available separately for $195). These would be a useful tool, especially in districts that do not provide training for mentors. Much of the information found in the book (and in another book co-authored by Boreen, Mentoring Across Boundaries) can be reviewed here. I found the scenarios presented in the videos more interesting than simply reading the book alone. A viewing guide that accompanies the videos (downloadable at the Stenhouse website) includes several useful tools mentors can use during observations.
