“Once the new teachers and mentors saw how easy it was to maneuver through the program itself and the questions they were being asked, they could really respond to it. It allowed them to look deep within themselves and come up with their own beliefs and perspectives. They could channel those beliefs and perspectives in the classroom, which would of course translate into more student achievement.”
Challenge
Prince George’s County Public Schools, a large district in Maryland serving 137,000 students, faced the convergence of an aging workforce and an inability to retain teachers. The district needed to institute an aggressive program to train, mentor, and support the large numbers of new teachers being hired as older and experienced teachers retired.
Solution
Effective Mentoring is an online course created to supplement and support one-on-one mentoring activities. Designed specifically for adult learners, Effective Mentoring features education’s top experts plus real classroom examples that allow teachers to see how to implement their learning with their students. The assessments and implementation-centered activities help teachers think deeply about the principles and strategies being taught. The rich tracking and reporting features allow administrators to see exactly how teachers are progressing in their course completion.
Benefits
Ultimately, Effective Mentoring aids in the retention of new teachers and mentors; and it also encourages connectivity.
Supports and Supplements Existing Mentoring Programs
The Effective Mentoring online course supports existing training efforts with new teachers. Plus, even experienced teachers can learn from the content and classroom examples to become more online proficient by using the course.
Online Structure is Easily Accessible and Cost Effective
The program’s online structure makes it both cost effective and easily accessible. Neither trainers nor substitutes are necessary to
implement Effective Mentoring, saving district funds in these areas.
Easy Maneuvering Encourages Use
Sheila Perkins, Faculty Support Team Mentor Teacher notes, “Once the new teachers and mentors saw how
easy it was to maneuver through the program itself and the questions they were being asked, they could
really respond to it. It allowed them to look deep within themselves and come up with their own beliefs and
perspectives. They could channel those beliefs and perspectives in the classroom, which would of course
translate into more student achievement.”
Meets State Accreditation Requirements
Effective Mentoring meets state accreditation requirements for advanced professional certification.
To learn more about Effective Mentoring click the following link:
http://schoolimprovement.com/store/index.cfm?action=ViewDetails&ItemID=122
