What Proteges Need from Mentors

It Differs from New Teacher to New Teacher

What a protege needs most from a mentor varies significantly over time and differs from new teacher to new teacher.  Fifteen years ago, beginning teachers wanted help with classroom discipline and student motivation. Today many beginning teachers are more concerned with the challenge of time management. Mentoring programs must not assume that the needs of beginning teachers are static.

Successful mentors speak of helping proteges:

Expand their repertoire (skills, strategies, and knowledge useful in different teaching situations and settings) by

1. Observing many different teaching styles


2. Comparing notes with other beginning teachers

3. Consulting at length with one or (preferably) more mentors

Progress in three stages

1.  Focusing on practical skills and information

-Where to order supplies
-How to organize a classroom
-Where to find instructional resources
-What kind of assistance the teacher association can provide

2. Concentrating more intently on the art and science of teaching
and on polishing classroom management skills.

3. Gaining a deeper understanding of instructional strategies and ongoing professional development that is based on the assessed needs of students.

For more information on mentoring programs, see the NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education's Creating a New Mentoring Program.

Source: NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education, 1999. Creating a Mentoring Program.  

Copyright 1999 NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education