General Information on Mentoring
Statistics:
• “Teachers new to the profession are more likely to leave than their more experienced counterparts.” – Is There Really a Teacher Shortage? By Richard Ingersoll
• According to the National Education Association, in urban districts, 50 percent of newcomers leave the profession within their first five years.
• According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 88 percent of new teachers involved in mentoring programs that meet once a week report substantial improvement to their instructional skills.
Characteristics of Successful Mentors
• Experienced and successful individuals in their fields
• Able to understand and accept problems protégés are experiencing
• Show empathy
Characteristics of Successful Mentoring Programs
• Mentor programs fit within the mission and goals of the parent organization
• Programs and mentors have firm understanding of the needs of the target market on a macro- and micro-level through needs assessment analysis
• The mentor program will check regularly with mentors and protégés to ensure that the needs of protégés are being met
• Weekly or semi-monthly sessions between protégés and mentors
Protégé Possibilities
- Classroom management
- Classroom organization
- Timelines for tasks
- Rehearsal techniques
- Pedagogical knowledge and skills
- Instruments and equipment
- Paperwork (TAKS testing, purchase requisitions, tardy slips, report cards, etc…)
- Cooperating with parents and administration
- Fundraising
- Coordination of private lessons
- Recruitment
- Content, repertoire, programming
- Concert preparation
- UIL organization and preparation
- Campus and community involvement
- Parental contact
- Dealing with stress
Objectives for Music Education Resource Network (MERN) to be Successful
• Semi-annual updated list of active music educators obtained from region chairs and school districts to update database of new music educators
• Mentors and affiliates proactively contact new music educators
• Mentors provide developmental assistance to young educators
• The Foundation for Music Education will periodically check up on new music educators utilizing MERN to see that their goals are being accomplished with the help of their mentor
• Each mentor helps to prioritize their protégé’s ambitions and provide direction to achieve goals
• End-of-semester analysis from mentors and protégés regarding effectiveness of program and areas for
improvements
