Being an Effective Mentor

Kathleen Feeney Jonson is currently professor and director of the Master of Arts in the Teaching Reading program in the Teacher Education Department of the University of San Francisco. As the oldest of nine children, she says she was born to teach and mentor. In her 37 years as an educator, she has taught at the elementary and secondary levels and has served as a reading specialist, director of staff development, principal, and director of curriculum and instruction. She has conducted numerous workshops for teachers and administrators on such topics as integrating the curriculum, reading comprehension strategies, the writing process, portfolio assessment, peer coaching, and beginning teacher assistance programs. She has developed numerous curriculum guides, training syllabi, and program materials for educators and parents. Her professional experience includes teaching university courses in elementary and secondary curriculum and instruction, as well as serving as field coordinator working with student teachers, teacher-mentors, and university supervisors. She has published three books with Corwin Press, including 60 Strategies for Improving Reading Comprehension in Grades K-8 (2006), The New Elementary Teacher's Handbook, 2nd ed. (2001), and Being an Effective Mentor: How to Help Beginning Teachers Succeed, 1st ed. (2002).

Experienced teachers and administrators know how important it is to give beginning teachers the support and advice they need. This incredibly straightforward and useful guide will help mentor teachers to develop effective mentoring strategies, including how to provide direct assistance, demonstration teaching, observation and feedback, informal contact, and role modelling.

Preface to the Second EditionAcknowledgmentsAbout the AuthorPart I. Setting the Stage for the Teacher-Mentor1. Passing the Torch2. Set up for Success3. Remembering the First Days4. Beyond Survival5. Moving Toward ProfessionalismPart II. Effective Strategies for the Good Mentor6. Working as a Partner With the Adult Learner7. Stages in Teacher Development8. Practical Strategies for Assisting New Teachers9. Overcoming Obstacles and Reaping the RewardsPart III. Putting It All TogetherMonth-by-Month Mentoring ActivitiesYear-at-a-Glance ChecklistAppendix A: First-Day ChecklistAppendix B: Mentor-Mentee Action PlansAppendix C: Supervisory Beliefs InventoryReferencesIndex