Teachers' perceptions of what was most (and least) supportive during their first year of teaching

Source: Mentoring and Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, Volume 15, Issue 1 February 2007, pages 25 - 37

Among the many strategies used to support teachers, mentoring was introduced in the early 1980s. It is now quite common in the United States. This investigation in mentoring used mail-in surveys to gather information from teachers who did and did not participate in a formal mentoring program. It reports their perceptions in terms of what was most supportive during their first year in the profession and what was least supportive the first year.

Among teachers who were mentored, that experience was identified as most supportive. Colleagues and administrative support were identified as most supportive for teachers who were not mentored. Least supportive factors were somewhat similar between the two groups. Dissatisfaction from administration, training, and lack of materials were identified. Recommendations for what would improve the first year were also offered. Implications for developing and refining mentoring programs are discussed.