Social Network Analysis of the New Teacher Center Mentoring Program

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the patterns of mentoring relationships embedded in the New Teacher Center (NTC) mentoring program. The NTC program is a centralized mentoring program and the study sought to explore the patterns of relationships established in this program. Participants included novice teachers and their mentors participating in the NTC mentoring program from a large, urban school district in the Midwest. Data was collected through multiple sources, Social Network Analysis surveys, interviews, observations, and document review. The Social Network Surveys specifically focused on the professional support the novice teachers received through their relationships and the emotional support they received through their relationships. UCINET and NetDraw were used to analyze the Social Network Analysis surveys, and content analysis was used to analyze data obtained through interviews, observations, and document review. Findings revealed: 1) The majority of the novice teachers' network connections were for professional support. However, these relationships are not cohesive and unreciprocated. 2) While participants sought advice from their mentors, the NTC program had limited representation within the novice teachers' networks with minimal connection between and within the novice teachers. 3) Participants found their building-based relationships more convenient and easier to access than their mentoring relationships. 4) Most participants appreciated and benefited from their mentoring relationships, and supplemented the resources they received from their mentors with their building-based connections and external resources, such as social media, family, and friends. 5) While some social capital was generated between mentors and their teachers, these relationships were not being maximized to the full potential available within the mentoring program. The researcher concluded that novice teachers generated support through both formal and informal sources within their social networks and maintained stronger relationships with colleagues than with their mentor. While the centralized mentoring program delivered additional benefits, the program was not being maximized to its fullest potential, leading to potential resources being missed. These conclusions led to recommendations for reform efforts by school districts and recommendations for future research in this area.Educational Leadership and Policy Studie