Mentors' responsibility in professional development

Mentor's Responsibility

The purpose of this work is to research Mentor's responsibility to those they are held up as examples before such as is the case in regards to parents, school counselors, teachers and the like. This work chooses mentors of teachers which are other, more experienced teachers within the same school.

The characteristics which are typically assigned to one considered a mentor in a formal capacity are those of voluntary relationships that are purposeful and may be with or without time limitations and is a relationship supported by the organization. This relationship is between individuals where one is more experienced than the other. The relationship is to the benefit of all involved in terms of "personal growth, career development, enhancement of lifestyle, spiritual fulfillment, goal achievement" (Mentors Peer Resources, 2005) and other mutually agreed upon areas of the mentor and the mentored. This relationship is focused on "interpersonal support, guidance, mutual exchange, sharing of wisdom, coaching and role modeling." (Mentors Peer Resources, 2005)

Veteran Teachers Mentoring Colleagues in New York City Schools

The teachers in New York City schools have benefited greatly from the lead teacher program called CC9 which is supported by the New York University Institute for Education and Social Policy. It is stated that CC9 has "played such a central role that some of its members sat in on the negotiations between the teachers' union and the Department of Education to work out the sensitive details of how lead teachers would be hired and what they would be paid." (Herszenhorn, New York Time, 2004) According to Norman Fruchter, Director of the Institute for Education and Social Policy, "The problem of how you improve low-performing schools at its core is a problem of teacher capacity and teacher quality more than any other single variable. This has the potential to significantly improve teacher quality in these schools." (Herszenhorn, New York Times, 2004)

II. Methods of Choosing Mentors

Stated in the work of Mullinix (2002) is that in terms of recruitment of mentors the applicable strategies "appear to range from opportunistic appointment to promoting self-nomination to tying mentorship status to a developmental career ladder." Further stated by Mullinix (2002) is that these strategies are "buoyed primarily by support, incentives, and compensation mechanisms, are a less prominently reported thread in the literature than the selection criteria and desired characteristics for mentor participation in programs..." Stated is that:"One of the most influential criterions for selection of mentors is their reputation as effective classroom teachers. Some additional common characteristics of and criteria for selecting mentor teachers are: a clearly articulated vision of teaching and learning, knowledge of content, accomplished curriculum developer, professional interests, expressed educational philosophies, and compatible personalities (1986; Feiman-Nemser, 1996; Tillman, 2000). Awareness and facility with mentoring processes are seldom among selection criteria, but are often handled through mentor training mechanisms." Mullinix, 2002) Orientation is based on the five phrases of Ellen Moir's which characterize first-year teacher experiences which are:

1) Anticipation

2) Survival

3) Disillusionment

4) Rejuvenation

5) Reflection

The inclusion of mentoring program in a school is that which shows a clear commitment to students and staff and to traditional values of excellence. Confirmation of the importance of leadership, performance of staff and of a "robust and supportive collegiate community." (SOF Web, 2004)