Areas of Advice Seeking Among Beginning Teachers in a Mentoring Program

This study examined advice-seeking by beginning teachers. Researchers surveyed 128 beginning teachers and their mentors who were participants in the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's Beginning Teacher Assistance Program, a university-based program that offers support to small-and medium-sized local school districts. Beginning teachers were asked to predict how often they would turn to their mentors for advice or help in 18 areas. Mentors were asked to predict how often their proteges would seek advice or help in the same 18 areas. Data analysis indicated that beginning teachers and their mentors generally overestimated how often they would come together to seek or give advice or help regarding the 18 areas represented in the survey. Help with policies and procedures and general support and encouragement remained prominent areas over the course of a year's program. The focus of mentoring tended to default to the areas of information about policy and procedures and support and encouragement. (SM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Ganser/MWERA 1999, p.