2.1 Mentors’ views of factors essential for the success of beginning  (Page 6/11)

Results

Research Question One

“What teacher involvement/support factors are perceived as necessary for mentors to achieve success in training first-year teachers?”

Teacher involvement/support items were 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 as shown in Table 1. A teacher-mentoring program that has well-defined goals was believed to be absolutely essential by 95.7% (n = 44) of mentor teachers. The following factor, creation of a climate that encourages teachers to seek assistance when needed, was given as absolutely essential by 91.3% (n = 42) of mentor teachers. On item 2, creating a professional portfolio that demonstrates growth as a teacher, 30.4% (n = 14) of mentors believed this factor to be absolutely essential.

Table 1

Mentor Responses to Teacher Involvement/Support Items by Percentages

Research Question Two

“What staff development training factors are perceived as necessary for the instruction of mentors?”

Staff development training factors were given in survey items 7 through 12 as shown in Table 2. Mentor teachers rated the highest percentage of responses to item 10 to be absolutely essential for the retention of beginning teachers. Staff development that provided strategies and activities to better serve students in populations was regarded to be absolutely essential by 60.9% (n = 28) of mentor teachers. Mentor teachers rated social functions to help beginning teachers build relationships with colleagues to be absolutely essential by 26.1% (n = 12). This item was the lowest rated item of the staff development survey factors that were absolutely essential to the retention of beginning teachers.

Table 2

Mentor Responses to Staff Development Items by Percentages