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Program Information/Resources |
Congratulations on your selection to participate as a mentor teacher with the Mississippi Teacher Fellowship Program (MTFP). We hope that you will find this experience to be equally rewarding for both you and your mentee or "Fellow".
The purpose of the mentoring component for the MTFP is to improve the retention of our Fellows in challenging Mississippi school districts by providing them with additional support and guidance from an experienced teacher in their actual K-12 school. Current research shows that we are losing many of our nations' teachers within the first few years of their teaching profession. Mentoring and induction are key tools in improving this retention rate and are needed now more than ever.
As a selected members of the MTFP, our Fellows agree to teach in a Mississippi critical shortage district for a minimum of three years. In exchange, we pay full tuition scholarships for a master of education or educational specialist degree and reward our Fellows with a computer.
Additionally, I invite you to search our entire website for further information regarding the MTFP and to learn more about our Fellows in the program.
Again, thank you for your participation in this exciting program. We look forward to working with you!
Whitney Webb
MTFP Program Manager
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Please remember that the MTFP Program Office is available to assist you with any questions regarding your involvement with our mentoring component, including financial compensation which should be issued to you each semester by the University Supervisor of the graduate institution in which your mentee (MTFP Fellow) is enrolled.
MTFP Program Director: Dr. Whitney Webb
Toll-free Office Number: 1-888-611-5160 |
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MENTOR ADVICE TO NEW TEACHERS
*Start with a tougher behavior management than
you actually plan to use.
*Take one day at a time.
*You can't cure all the ills of the world in 9 months.
*Don't be afraid to ask questions.
*I learn from you, too.
*It is better to over plan than under plan.
*Be responsible to kids.
*Don't worry about bothering me.
*Make time for you and your family!
*Be honest and open about frustrations and feeling overwhelmed.
*Do your best.
*Don't be afraid to take risks.
*Learn from mistakes.
*Don't be intimidated by people or systems.
*Don't let yourself be victimized.
*Keep you main purpose in mind-educating students!
*Prioritize.
*Be flexible.
*You can't learn everything the first year; becoming a teacher is a
developmental process that takes place over an entire career.
*Find a way to get involved in the community; read the local paper,
attend school and community activities.
*Treat everyone with dignity-separate a student from the action.
*Keep smiling and have a positive attitude.
*Remember humor.
TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE MENTORING
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Maintain regular contact. Mentors should assume they are the givers in the relationship. Consistent contact models dependability and builds trust. At least weekly contact is recommended.
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Always be honest. Trust and respect are the foundations on which mentorships are built.
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Avoid being judgmental of a protégé's life situation. Acceptance without conditions communicates that your concern comes without strings attached.
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Avoid excessive gift giving. Don't do for a protégé what he/she can do for him/herself. Your greatest gift is to help a person discover his/her own solutions to problems.
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Don't expect to have all the answers. Sometimes just listening attentively is all people need.
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Help your protégé access resources and expand support networks. Discuss the importance of maintaining positive relationships.
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Be clear about your expectations and your boundaries. Set up ground rules and communicate them.
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Avoid being overwhelmed by your protégé's problems. Remain calm and dispassionate to help protégés solve problems.
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Respect confidentiality. Good friends do.
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If the relationship seems to stall, hang in there.
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Additional
Resources
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