A Good Mentor is Very Important
Here's Why!!

A good mentor is a HUGE bonus for you and can be for your mentor as well - trust me, I know from personal experience.

Several years ago I was a mentor to 3 new teachers, recent graduates from teacher's college. It was a very busy year for me but I loved it and they had each other to lean on as well.

What is a Mentor?

A mentor must be someone that you respect and admire - preferably a teaching professional at your school with a lot of experience.

A mentor is your role model - someone who can provide you with guidance and support with daily concerns and issues that may come up.

A good mentor must commit the time, have the patience and willingness to provide you with their insights and get you started on the right track.

Role of a Mentor - Why You Need a Good Mentor?

As you start out in your teaching career, you will be overwhelmed, feel overloaded and totally stressed out! Just know that that is normal - even experienced teachers such as myself feel the same at some times.

But if you find a good mentor and use my teaching strategies as a guide, I truly believe that your first year or two or three will be an easier transition.

Here's a common scenario!

Finally, you have your dream job - You are a TEACHER!

You have a school and a grade, maybe not your first or second choice but it's "your foot in the door".

Shortly before the school year starts you have the opportunity to visit your school and your very own classroom. You walk around slowly, (perphaps smiling and crying at the same time)looking at the empty student desks,bookshelves,cupboards and bulletin boards. A thousand things go through your mind.

You may feel butterflies and knots in your stomach. what are you thinking about? So much is swimming around in your head - no associate teacher, host teacher or coach teacher to stand by your side and guide, advise and support you, the curriculum, the students - the troubled ones and those with behavioural issues, the parents, the administration!!

You silently scream - "Oh.. My.. God..!" It's ONLY ME - I AM ALL ALONE - How am I going to do this by myself?

Finding a Mentor

Remember, you are never alone! That's what is so wonderful about the teaching profession. There is always someone you can turn to, but it's up to you to ask - Be proactive - Don't be Afraid to Ask!

A small percentage of new teachers do leave the profession after a few years because they couldn't cope. But that won't be you - I truly believe that if you find a mentor, the right and good mentor for you, you will be successful. Of course now that you've discovered my website I can also guide, advise, support and instruct you - in fact, be your mentor as well!!

Seriously though, I feel that implementing, reinforcing and maintaining my teaching strategies will be of great value to you throughout your teaching career.

Finding a mentor is up to you. You can choose someone that you feel really comfortable with, preferably a teacher in the same division as you, or you can ask the vice principal or principal for assistance.

Again, I can't stress this enough - just ASK - everyone at one time has been in the same boat as you - You are lucky - you have a choice to have a mentor. There are even in-services for mentors and mentees.

In each school there is also a Federation Representative, also known as a steward. Find out who it is and meet with him/her. You can speak in confidence about anything or anyone.

The Result

As the months fly by, you will become more confidant, developing your own teaching strategies and your own style of teaching. You will then love the teaching profession and continue to feel the passion as I still do.

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