An Analysis of the Mentoring of First-Year, Experienced-Based Licensed Teachers in the CESA 7 District of Wisconsin

Abstract

Beginning in 2015, Wisconsin opened teaching positions to new teachers who have considerable experience in different industries instead of having a traditional four-year education degree. These new teachers have considerable experience in their field but are still new teachers and need mentorship and guidance. Experience-based teachers licensed can be considered subject matter experts but lack the theoretical knowledge and pedagogical skills necessary to be effective in the classroom. New teacher mentoring is vital for any new teacher. However, teachers with experience-based licensure do not have the typical educational experience of student teaching and need different mentoring processes than traditional first year teachers. Mentoring new teachers must consider the previous experiences of the new teacher and adjust the mentoring and guidance accordingly. Specific mentoring practices for different types of new teachers will ensure the success of the new teacher and the success of the students. Incorporating evidence from teachers holding an experience-based license and data from a survey, this study demonstrates that mentoring is effective towards new teacher’s preparedness in the classroom their first year of teaching. The research data also shows that there is more research to be done in the area of new teacher training and in mentoring relating to classroom successes.