The Perceptions Of Protégés Regarding The Impact Of The North Dakota Teacher Mentoring Program On K-12 Pedagogy

This study explored the perceptions of the protégés concerning the impact of their participation in the North Dakota Teacher Mentoring Program during the 2005-2006 school year. Data concerning mentor-protege relationships from across the entire state of North Dakota were used to answer the research questions. The research questions were developed using the North Dakota Teacher Mentoring Log (NDTML). The NDTML is divided into three major categories. They are goals, activities, and focus. The tables developed from the information gathered from the categories illustrated the importance of a mentoring program and the impact it has had on the teaching community of North Dakota. The information was collected through an online survey and the required monthly mentoring logs as submitted by the mentor to the program coordinator. The online survey focused on individual personal information and perceptions, while the monthly mentoring log documented the actual mentor-protégé activities. Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, the external evaluator for the program, provided the information from the mentoring logs for analysis for this study. The primary objective of this research project was to gather information concerning the effectiveness of the North Dakota Teacher Mentoring Program. A secondary or by-product of the original objective was the information that reflects on and may influence the decision making process of the legislature, institutions of higher learning, administration, teaching staff, and all educational stakeholders. This study may support the belief that the majority of teachers, both mentors and protégés, participating in the North Dakota Teacher Mentoring Program during the 2005-2006 school year benefited from this experience both professionally and personally