WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MENTOR? PERCEPTIONS OF MENTOR TEACHERS IN A MENTORING PROGRAM

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to describe a district-wide, new teacher induction and mentoring program in one metropolitan public elementary school in Georgia. Based on the literature reviewed, there is a lack of research on the effects of mentoring programs in elementary schools, and specifically the effects of mentoring on the mentor teacher. Research questions are: (1) How do mentor teachers experience an induction and mentoring program? (2) What meaning do mentor teachers ascribe to their role in new teacher induction? Data was collected from four mentor teachers through a background survey and individual interviews during the school year. Analysis was conducted to determine the meaning ascribed and the effect of the mentoring program on the mentor. The findings highlighted several challenges associated with being a mentor. The biggest challenge for mentors was finding time to engage in mentoring activities while also fulfilling their regular teaching duties. Another challenge was having multiple mentees or having multiple new teachers on the same team or grade level. Additionally, some mentors felt ill-equipped to meet their mentees’ needs. The need for proximity of mentors to mentees was also addressed. Furthermore, this research brought to light the meaning mentor teachers ascribe to their roles in mentoring and new teacher induction, specifically how they built relationships with their mentees and how they provided guidance and support to their mentees. This research can help school districts improve retention of new and experienced teachers by improving the effectiveness of the mentor/mentee relationship.