We have to do something to prevent so many young teachers from leaving the profession, and I am convinced that mentoring programs are at least part of the solution. I was thrilled today to read about a new mentoring program in Texas that pays retired teachers to work during the year with 5 new teachers.
Mentor offers lessons to new teachers in Lewisville ISD
While mentoring is not a new approach to helping young teachers, this is the first time I have seen a program that actually pays retired teachers to return to the schools to share their expertiese. Most mentor programs ask current teachers to mentor younger teachers without providing extra pay or a reduction in duties. As a result, mentors are limited in how much help they can provide, and new teachers are more reticent to ask for help since they realize how much work mentors already have to complete.
Most mentoring programs also require mentors to attend staff development, complete forms, and follow a specific procedure for when and how they should mentor. This mentoring program seems much more flexible and appears to allow the mentor and new teacher to figure out together what do do. Capitalizing on the retired teacher’s experience and skills may be the best mentoring program available.
I look forward to seeing the effectiveness of this program and whether or not it prevents new teachers from leaving the profession.
What an exciting new program! I would love to be involved in a similar mentoring program.
