Supporting High Quality Teacher Preparation: Results from a Mentoring Program for Special Education Faculty - Two Years Later

Abstract

Two years ago, we presented a newly formalized process for systematically inculcating new faculty into our department, which up to that point had relied solely on the generosity of the department chair, seasoned faculty, and other new faculty for advice, support, and the sharing of ideas, resources, and knowledge about the specifics of the university, college, department, and academe in general. The mission of our mentoring program was envisaged as providing visible and consistent support for new and early career faculty development. The program that was established was conceived as a reciprocal learning relationship characterized by trust, respect, and commitment in which a mentor would support the professional and personal development of another by sharing his or her life experiences, influence, and expertise. How we would move forward, what future mentee and mentor meetings would look like, and how much information could or should be shared and when, were among the many questions we asked as we embarked on this journey together. This paper presents the results of that mentor-mentee partnership.