A Qualitative Analysis of Experienced Teachers’ Ongoing Need for Mentors

Abstract

Teacher mentoring strategies provide new teachers (and experienced teachers, too) with crucial supports when they enter the real world of the classroom, attempt classroom management and instructional skills, improve their goals to remain in the classroom and the teaching profession, and help students to learn. The central research question, “Do experienced teachers still need mentors?” Data collection included an individual interview with a former study participant. Data analysis was thematic analysis by manual coding. Themes emanated were e-mentoring programs, high-quality mentorship programs, mentor roles and responsibilities, middle school teachers’ attitudes toward the inclusion of students with disabilities, administrators’ support for mentoring programs, and feedback for special education teachers. The findings were administrative support with a negative co-teaching experience and learning independently occur with and without a mentor. A limitation was a veteran teacher who was interviewed. The implication was that veteran teachers, especially special education teachers need mentors from the first-year of teaching and beyond. Social change was improving induction and mentoring programs to ensure that novice and veteran special education teachers continue teaching and remain in the teaching profession for a lifetime.