Mentoring as Collaboration

Mary Ann Blank has spent most of her professional life as a teacher educator at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and as an educational consultant to numerous school systems in Tennessee and other states. Her current work is providing leadership, professional development, and assistance to schools and school systems in the areas of curriculum and instruction, teacher evaluation, and school improvement. At UT, she teaches courses in instructional theory and design, curriculum development, and analysis of professional practice. She is the clinical professor supervising and instructing teaching interns at Alcoa Elementary Professional Development School. She is collaborating with Cheryl Kershaw and others on a Title II teacher quality grant, focusing her work primarily on enhancing the practice of outstanding teachers in many of Knox County's inner-city schools. She is also a Dimensions of Learning trainer and works with educators in Loudon County Schools on systemwide implementation of this interactive and differentiated model of planning and instruction. Another of her responsibilities is as a developer and copresenter with Kershaw on Mentoring for the Tennessee Academy for School Leaders. In the past, Blank has presented at national meetings of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), and others professional organizations. She has written a number of published articles and is a coauthor of several texts. Carol Kershaw has served as director of University of Tennessee's Urban Impact initiative, which was funded through a federal grant seeking to improve teacher quality. She previously taught English and remedial reading at Fulton High School for nine years. A graduate of Bearden High School, Kershaw earned a doctorate in curriculum and a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Tennessee. She earned a bachelor's in English education from Arizona State University.

List of Reproducible Figures List of Figures and Tables Foreword by Robert Eaker Preface: Why We Wrote This Book, and Why Educational Leaders in Classrooms, Schools, and Districts Need It! Acknowledgments About the Authors Part I. Mentoring: Putting the Research Into Practice 1. Introduction 2. Getting Started: Teacher Mentor Program Components Self-Assessment Part II. Designing or Strengthening Your Teacher Mentoring Program 3. How to Promote a Schoolwide Commitment 4. How to Build on Common Goals 5. How to Coordinate Your Program With a Mentor Core Team (MCT) 6. How to Define Roles for MCT Members 7. How to Select Mentors and Assignments 8. How to Ensure New Teachers' Commitment to Mentoring 9. How to Coordinate Support to New Teachers 10. How to Promote Professional Learning and Schoolwide Collaboration 11. How to Provide Time, Resources, and Support to Mentors Part III. Implementing Your Mentoring Program 12. How to Develop a High-Performing MCT 13. How to Identify & Address the Professional Development Needs of Mentors 14. How to Identify & Address New Teacher Needs 15. How to Meet New Teachers' Social, Emotional, and Professional Needs: Mentor Strategies 16. How to Coach New Teachers for Instructional Effectiveness: Coaching Strategies 17. How to Ensure Your Mentor Program Is Achieving Desired Results Part IV. Assessing the Impact of Your Mentor Program 18. How to Collect Meaningful Data on an Annual Basis 19. How to Use Data for Program Improvement 20. How to Address Challenges and Celebrate Success Part V. Growing and Sustaining Your Mentor Program: Mentoring at a Higher Level Resources References Index

"The level of detail is impressive. I have trained mentors for many years, and I still found many new ideas in this book." -- Frank J. Masci, Assistant Professor of Teacher Preparation "A researched-based, how-to compendium for classroom, school, and district leaders who want to provide meaningful mentoring opportunities. School leaders can pick and choose from the strategies and tactics included in the book to get things accomplished." -- W.C. Wolf Jr., Emeritus Professor "This is the book for administrators who want to retain their novice teachers and strengthen their pedagogical abilities to ensure student academic success. Blank and Kershaw provide the complete guide to planning, initiating, managing, and solving the dilemmas associated with mentoring." -- Dave F. Brown, Coauthor, What Every Middle School Teacher Should Know "This comprehensive compendium of helpful resources and strategies could only have been compiled by scholarly clinicians who over time have successfully addressed the myriad problems and challenges encountered in implementing and sustaining an effective program of induction. Blank and Kershaw have put together a handbook that should be on the desktop of anyone managing an induction program, preparing mentors, or serving in a mentoring role themselves." -- Kenneth R. Howey, Research Professor