Surviving and Partnering

Ch 4 & 6

"Thus, an effective mentor should not only understand the fears of a beginning teacher but also review the basics of teaching required at all levels of experience and be prepared to assist the mentee with suggestions and support."p. 56

Beyond providing a understanding ear, a good mentor should also be able to provide a certain level of advice and concrete suggestions for improvement. It is important that a mentor is experienced and is willing to relate.

"The distance between theory and reality is greater when it comes to classroom management than for any other single area of teaching." p. 66

How true!!! I found this to be the most difficult thing when beginning to teach and I was upset that I wasn't prepared to handle 30+ students. How can you teach someone to have classroom management without being able to work with them directly in the classroom?

"... encouraging the mentee to become independent." p. 103

This is key in a mentoring relationship. Being able to provide a positive relationship for the mentee in such a way that they feel prepared to move on and be successful by themselves. As a mentor, I tend to think that my job is never done and they will always need help, but I need to transition my mind to think about how they will be successful when I am no longer available.