Mentoring First Year Agricultural Educators: Examining A State-Mandated Induction Program

Abstract

This study determined perceptions of mentoring within a state-mandated first year teaching program of agriculture teachers and their assigned resident committee members. The objectives were: 1) Describe the personal characteristics of first year teachers and committee members, 2) Describe the mentor relationships that exist, 3) Compare perceptions of mentoring among committee members, and 4) Determine if participants approve its continuance. Results indicated that residency committee members believed they did provide mentoring to the first year teachers in agriculture. First year agriculture teachers perceived the mentor teacher to be the committee member who provided the most assistance during their first year of teaching. To the contrary, mentor teachers believed they did not assist with agricultural education issues or technical agriculture areas. Mentor teachers, administrators, higher education representatives, and first year agriculture teachers favored the continuance of this program; however, improvements could be made to strengthen the mentoring component. Recommendations included involving teacher educators as higher education representatives more and expand the residency committee to include an agriculture teacher as the mentor teacher. Special efforts to develop rapport beyond mandatory meetings and scheduled observations should be made. In addition, informal mentoring must continue to meet the first year agriculture teachers' needs.