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New teachers bring fresh, innovative ideas and welcome energy to our school systems. They are often pioneers with technology. They frequently bring connections from other careers. That being said, I have yet to meet a teacher who describes his or her first few years as smooth and efficient! Mentoring beginning teachers – supporting them during these early years - is one of the most cost-effective investments we can make for improving student achievement.

Our work through Oregon’s Beginning Teacher and Administrator Mentor Program is tackling the challenges of teacher retention and teacher quality head on.  By pairing beginning educators with experienced mentors, we are speeding up the growth curve that characterizes a teacher’s early years. Participating teachers and their mentors collaboratively plan curriculum, analyze student achievement data, and brainstorm how to address challenges. Mentor teachers model lessons, co-teach, and provide valuable classroom observation feedback.

There is a growing body of research documenting the incredible impact mentoring programs have on teacher retention and student achievement. When you combine this with research on the impact of highly effective teachers, what we know about adult professional development, and the financial drain associated with losing teachers (37 percent of Oregon teachers leave the profession within the first five years), it’s clear that mentoring programs are an essential component of any innovative education system.

We're hopeful the Beginning Teacher and Administrator Mentor Program will be allowed to continue past its first year so that we can continue to learn, grow and support our teachers and students!

posted 3 years, 2 months ago
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