TO: Members, Indiana Professional Standards Board
FROM: Members, Teacher Induction Committee
DATE: June 21, 2000
SUBJECT: Recommendations for Mentoring Program
The Teacher Induction Committee (TIC) has for the past two years been developing standards, training guidelines, and rules that will enable a process for building the capacity of trained standards-based mentors to support beginning teachers. A report from the National Foundation for the Improvement of Education indicates that a strong mentoring program lowers the attrition rates of beginning teachers to the profession. With the advent of the new performance-based system of licensure, the TIC views it essential to adequately train mentors to support the beginning teacher throughout the two-year induction program. The vision of this effort is to access beginning teachers to the accumulated knowledge and expertise of their colleagues in ways that contribute to student success.
The TIC has disseminated the Standards for Mentors and the Guidelines for Mentor Training Programs to education stakeholders for feedback. The draft documents have been edited to represent the constructive comments received.
Recommendation:
(1) adopt the Standards for Mentors draft document;
(2) adopt the Guidelines for Mentor Training Programs draft document;
(3) establish a cadre of IPSB trained Trainer of Trainers;
(4) establish state approval of mentor training programs;
(5) identify models of mentor training programs;
(6) provide for certification of mentors to support beginning teachers; and
(7) identify sample induction models to support beginning teachers and mentors.
Professional Standards Board Action: _______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________