(Last year 2000, on a 5-point scale the administrators gave their mentors an average score of 3.85, the mentors rated themselves with an average score of 3.63, and the novice teachers gave their mentors an average score of 3.53)

This Fall 2001, we developed a different evaluation Survey to give to both the mentors and the mentees. The results indicated that most answers were agree and strongly agree.  To the question, “The mentoring program addressed my specific needs by…”  they responded in the area of communication (freedom to discuss problems and needs and constructive criticism); support and encouragement (reduced stress & helped to locate resources); Value of experienced teacher (see the classroom through the eyes of an experienced teacher; examples of paperwork and evaluations); and Professional development (observed alternate teaching strategies and procedure for dealing with conflict).  These suggestions will be used in planning for mentoring activities in Fall 2002.

For the most part, the answers to the questionnaire were positive.  On a scale of 1-4, the overall average was 3.47.  Upon looking at the individual schools, 21 Century scored 2.8 on seven questions and a 2.5 on one question indicating areas for improvement: 3 areas in Professional Expectations, 1 area in Professional Relationships, 2 areas in Educational Development,
2 areas in Professional Development help in acquiring resources needed, and help in becoming a more reflective teacher.  Normal Park had two areas indicating need for improvement with 2.75 and 2.50 scores.  The areas dealt with opportunity to know community members and having regularly scheduled conferences with mentors.
 
 

Summary of Novice and Student Teacher Perceptions Fall 2001 about

The Urban IMPACT Mentoring Program in 7 urban schools
Novice and Student Teacher Survey Follows the Summary

1.  Most answers to the survey were agree and strongly agree.

2. What I appreciated about the mentoring program:

Communication

• Mentor was open-minded; easy to talk to
• Opportunity to discuss openly frustrations and anxieties
• Constructive criticism
• Listening
• Honest and understanding; could ask questions
• Freedom to discuss problems and needs
• Someone willing to listen and give advice
• Someone else to confide in other than cooperating teacher

• Was available any time
• Willing to help as much as possible
• Made things less stressful
• Positive and professional
• Caring support
• Specific person to assist me
• The ability to go to one person for feedback
• Time was focused and helpful
• Made sure I understood what was going on

• Best actions concerning kids
• Talk about problems in the classroom and get responses on how to handle them
• Addressing performance/benchmark skills, evaluations and paperwork
• Support and encouragement from an experienced teacher
• Having someone who has been there
• Time and respect from a professional
• Advice about problems and concerns
• Teachers’ experiences

• Observed alternate teaching strategies
• Classroom time
• Providing information and material
• Helpful, shared resources and ideas

Communication

• Telling me the truth
• Listening; answering questions
• Answering questions and questioning me
• Giving advice and suggestions
• Communicating; working out problems before they become bigger problems

• Opportunity to see classroom through eyes of teacher
• Classroom management assistance
• Providing me an experienced, veteran teacher
• Showing diversity in presenting lessons
• Giving examples of work/papers (concerning evaluation)
• Guiding me through student/parent/teacher conferences

• Allowing me to teach lessons
• Suggesting different teaching strategies
• Insights in using art across the curriculum
• Teaching kids and working in small groups
• Effective instruction for all students
• Procedures for dealing with conflict
• Modeling appropriate behaviors and attitudes

Support and encouragement

• Locating resources
• Worked with me
• Pulled other teachers to work on discipline in my class
• Providing an outlet to vent frustrations

4. My suggestions to improve the Mentoring Program:

Time

• Full day with mentor
• Provide more time* (mentioned quite often)
• Time made available to meet
• A day to be with mentor to address concerns
• A formal time to review

• Mentors need to be more informed on their expectations as a member in PDS
• Encouragement to attend in-service sessions, new teacher orientations, new teacher workshops
• Link me with community resources available to address the diverse needs of my students
• Help me to balance my own life responsibilities with the demands of teaching
• Help me become a more reflective teacher
• How to interpret NCE and TCAP scores

• Help me to develop a repertoire of effective instructional strategies
• Workshops (incorporating Art across the disciplines)
• Successfully incorporating cooperative learning in classroom

• Structured program with topics; practical information
• Informal “get togethers”
• Regularly scheduled visits
• Set of items to go over
• More seminars
• Regularly scheduled conferences
• Informal meetings with other faculty
• Observing other faculty
• Make it fun

Cooperating teachers

• Not all teachers should be cooperating teachers; careful selection; put us with good teachers
• Teachers need to be prepared for PDS students
• Teachers and students need to know their positions
• Teachers need to work more closely with PDS students

• Mentors need to be informed on their expectations as a member in PDS
• Assign all students to mentors

• Less work from UTC professors
• More time in the classroom

• Formal schedule
• Structured integration of PDS students in classroom
• One-on-one meetings with cooperating teachers/mentors
• Stay in my major area

Surveys
 

University of Tennessee, Chattanooga and Hamilton County Schools
URBAN IMPACT

Novice/Student Teacher Perceptions of the Mentoring Experience

This survey has been designed to help us determine the effectiveness of our Mentoring Program in addressing your needs as a student teacher.  Please rate the following components of our program in terms of their impact on your growth as a professional this year.  For each statement, please circle the number that most accurately reflects your perception. If you did not experience an item, circle “NA.”

Scale:
 1   =   strongly disagree
 2   =   disagree
 3   =   agree
 4   =   strongly agree
 NA  =   did not experience

Mentors at my school helped me understand the professional expectations for teachers related to:
 1. Fulfilling classroom responsibilities.
 2. Assuming grade level or departmental responsibilities.
 3. Assuming appropriate school level responsibilities  (e.g., extra-curricular, committees).
 4. Addressing standards (national, state, system, INTASC).
 5. Knowing and following school and school system policies and procedures (e.g., paperwork, Special Education requirements, emergency procedures).
 6. Completing the TN Teacher Evaluation Process (e.g., professional expectations, evaluation criteria, paperwork, timelines).

Mentors helped me learn how to establish and maintain effective professional relationships:
 7. With students.
 8. With parents and caregivers.
 9. With community members.
 10. With colleagues.
 11. With administrators and other school/school system leaders.

The following mentoring activities helped me develop as an educator:
 12. Regularly scheduled conferences with mentor(s) to plan, discuss issues, or celebrate accomplishments.
 13. Informal conferences with mentor(s).
 14. Informal meetings with other faculty.
 15. Observing mentor(s) and other faculty members.
 16. Coaching by my mentor (e.g., observations, promoting reflection, providing feedback, encouraging new strategies).
 17. Learning opportunities at the school (e.g., sharing of effective strategies, workshops, special sessions on topics of interest to novice teachers, study groups).
 18. Informal “get togethers”.
 19. Encouragement to attend system-wide learning opportunities (e.g. in-service sessions, new teacher orientations, new teacher workshops).

Mentors impacted my professional development by:
 20. Serving as professional role models.
 21. Accepting me as a professional colleague.
 22. Making time for me when I needed assistance.
 23. Providing the specific support and assistance I needed.
 24. Listening to my concerns and helping me identify solutions.
 25. Being flexible and open-minded in assisting me.
 26. Helping me get to know other faculty and staff.
 27. Linking me with faculty who could assist me in addressing my concerns.
 28. Helping me acquire the resources I needed.
 29. Helping me develop a repertoire of effective instructional strategies.
 30. Helping me design a supportive learning environment and effective classroom management system.
 31. Helping me learn strategies to address the diverse needs of my students.
 32. Helping me develop interpersonal and relationship building skills.
 33. Helping me understand the organization and culture of the school.
 34. Helping me understand the school community and its issues, strengths, and resources that impact our students.
 35. Linking me with community resources that are available to address the diverse needs of my students.
 36. Helping me learn to balance my own life responsibilities with the demands of teaching.
 37. Helping me become a more reflective teacher.
 38. Making me aware of my development as an educator and assisting me in setting goals for my continued professional growth.
 

2.  What I most appreciated about the Mentoring Program:
 

3.  The Mentoring Program addressed my specific needs as a new teacher by:
 

4.  My suggestions for improving the Mentoring Program would be:
 
 

This survey has been designed to help us determine the effectiveness of our Mentoring Program in addressing your needs as a beginning teacher.  Please rate the following components of our program in terms of their impact on your growth as a professional this year by circling the appropriate number.  If you did not experience an item, just circle “NA.”
Scale:
 1   =   ineffective
 2   =   minimally effective
 3   =   somewhat effective
 4   =   very effective
 NA  =   did not experience

Understanding expectations for professional performance
 1. Planning for instruction
 2. Teaching strategies
 3. Assessment strategies
 4. Involvement in activities beyond the classroom (e.g., extra-curricular, school improvement planning)
 5. School policies and procedures
 6. The evaluation process

Establishing Effective Professional Relationships
 7. Understanding the diverse needs of students
 8. Working with parents and caregivers
 9. Collaborating with community members
 10. Working effectively with colleagues
 11. Working with administrators and other school/school system leaders

Addressing the Diverse Needs of Students
 12. Holding and communicating high expectations for my students
 13. Designing a classroom environment and management system that promotes the learning of students with diverse backgrounds and abilities
 14. How to incorporate students’ diverse life experiences into classroom activities
 15. Designing lessons and units that demonstrate my ability to align standards, student needs and abilities, and resources
 16. Incorporating a variety of assessment strategies (e.g., pre-assessments, projects, performances, portfolios, rubrics)
 17. Connecting content to the “real world”
 18. Incorporating “culturally relevant” teaching strategies
 19. Accommodating students’ varied ability levels and learning styles

Understanding the Organization and Structure of the School
 20. Informal policies and guidelines that are part of the school culture
 21. Faculty resources available to teachers (e.g., special education teachers, counselors)
 22. My roles and responsibilities with students with special needs (e.g., special education, 504 laws, M-teams)
 23. How to collaborate with other teachers on school-wide initiatives (e.g., school improvement planning, committees)
 24. How to access to resources needed to address the diverse needs of students

Mentoring Activities
 25. Regularly scheduled times with mentor(s) to plan, discuss issues, or celebrate accomplishments
 26. Informal/unscheduled meetings with your mentor(s)
 27. Informal meetings with other educators in the building
 28. Observations of mentor(s) and other faculty members
 29. Informal sharing of effective strategies (e.g., lesson plans, classroom management strategies, parent involvement tips, websites, research)
 30. Coaching by my mentor (e.g., observations, promoting reflection, providing feedback, encouraging new strategies)
 31. Periodic workshops at the school on timely issues (e.g., parent conferencing, classroom management)
 32. Special sessions on issues of interest or need for beginning teachers at the school
 33. Department or grade level meetings
 34. Study groups on topics of common interest
 35. Informal “get togethers”
 36. Encouragement to attend system-wide workshops
 37. School-wide activities to support new teachers (e.g., community mapping, meetings, receptions)

Mentors
 38. Provided the support and assistance I needed.
 39. Were willing to listen to my concerns and help me identify solutions.
 40. Helped me acquire the resources I needed.
 41. Had or made time to work with me when I needed assistance.
 42. Served as professional role models.
 43. Provided feedback that helped me grow as a professional.
 44. Helped me solve my problems constructively.
 45. Helped me get to know other faculty members.
 46. Helped me learn how to manage paperwork (e.g., grades, record keeping, forms).
 47. Provided guidance in how to work effectively with parents or caregivers.
 48. Were flexible and open-minded in assisting me.
 49. Maintained positive assumptions about me as a competent teacher.
 50. Helped me learn how to demonstrate my growth as an educator.

2. What I appreciated most about the Mentoring Program.
 
 

3. Suggestions for improving the Mentoring Program.