Date of Award
2004
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services
Advisor
Melanie Kevorkian
Committee Member
John Lustig
Committee Member
Maryellen Maher
Keywords
beginning teachers, elementary schools, mentor teachers, mentoring, professional development, school administrators, school-based mentoring programs, staff development, teacher certification, teacher retention, teacher turnover, teachers, training seminars
Abstract
This applied dissertation was developed to prevent teacher turnover. Teacher retention was a problem at the applied dissertation school site. For a 3-year period (1999-2002), 31% of the teacher population severed services from the applied dissertation school. In 2001-2002, the applied dissertation school retained 64% (37 out of 56) of the teachers.
The writer implemented a school-based mentoring program to attract and retain qualified teachers. Monthly focused group sessions were conducted with beginning teachers (teachers with 0-3 years of teaching experience) or teachers who were new to the school building. The program was structured and organized to (a) conduct small focused group discussions, (b) provide professional development specific to the personal and the professional needs of participants, (c) develop an administrator’s calendar to meet and communicate regularly with participants, (d) restructure and establish guidelines for mentors and the school mentoring team, and (e) identify and recommend potential mentor teachers. Participants completing the course received one credit of staff development.
An analysis of the data revealed that beginning teachers and teachers new to the school building needed ongoing support and guidance from their peers and from the administrators. The most successful professional development training seminars were the sessions geared specifically to participants’ personal and professional needs and the needs of their students. The restructuring of the mentoring team empowered leadership among the mentoring team.