| In a recent article in the Salt Lake Tribune, we read about something that many educators have known for a long time. We are in the midst of a transitional time in our profession. In many schools, there have been a significant number of new teachers for a few years. In just a few years a majority of a given faculty could be completely turned over.
The excitement of change in this current condition also comes with some cause for concern. In some schools, the number of people in need of a mentor exceeds the number of mentors in the building. All this points to the need for educators to consider taking upon themselves the role of mentor and to be trained. Once trained, relatively new and mid-career teachers find that working in this role enlarges their own professional capacity, builds collegiality, and helps to ensure a consistent level of student achievement. Whether a person is assigned as a mentor or wants to be ready in case they are assigned, every teacher should consider participating in mentor training. It is reasonable to predict that a majority of teachers will at some point be asked to mentor a new teacher. In some cases, there have been teachers training as mentors while they are still being mentored. Although this may seem funny, such is the state of our education profession. We offer many chances each year for teachers to become trained as mentors. Look in JPLS to find more information on the options available to you. |
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Jordan Teaching & Learning