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Peer Mentoring & Coaching

This course is designed to assist all educators in developing and utilizing effective practices to successfully mentor novice teachers. This course explores the benefits that experienced teachers can gain by collaborating with colleagues in peer coaching programs. It is important for new teachers to be provided with a support system that allows them to transition from theory to practice. Recent legislation in many states calls for mentoring new teachers in order to help them improve and strengthen their skills. Meanwhile, veteran teachers need to remain up to date on new teaching methods, stay energized in the classroom, and experience periodic professional renewal in order to avoid burnout. This course addresses the importance of peer mentoring as well as its best practices.

Carlow University ED 663 • Madonna University EDU 5830.23 • Mercy University EDUT 534

To arrange for district credit in Charlotte County, Florida, please contact our office directly.

The suggested text for this course is Mentoring in Action: Guiding, Sharing, and Reflecting with Novice Teachers, by Carol Pelletier Radford ISBN:9781506345116

Graduate participants earn 3 semester hours of graduate credit and will receive a transcript from one of our partner institutions below. Professional development participants will receive a certificate of completion for 45 hours of professional developments credit for face-to-face classes and 60 hours of professional development credit for online classes.

Charlotte County FL teachers will receive a certificate of completion for 20 hours of professional development.

Professional
Development

Course Schedule

1/14/25 - 4/8/25
3/11/25 - 6/10/25
5/13/25 - 8/12/25
7/8/25 - 10/14/25
9/9/25 - 12/9/25
11/11/25 - 2/10/26

Course Schedule

Zoom

3/14-16 & 3/28-30

Ediris Squitieri

Textbook List FAQs

Outline
Objectives
Partner Universities
Important Information
Student Academic Integrity

Print Online Course Outline Print Face To Face Course Outline

Outline

Session/Module 1: Introduction and Overview

Objective: Define the terms common to the course
Contents:

Course Requirements, Goals and Expectations
Introduction of Class Members
Setting Personal Goals
Define terms mentor, mentoring, protege, and coaching
Understand what mentoring is and is not
Roles of the Mentor

Session/Module 2: A Rationale for Mentoring New Teachers

Objective: Review the legal requirements for and research on mentoring
Contents:

NCLB Requirements for Highly Qualified Teachers
State Mandates for Mentoring
Determine who should and must be mentored
Research Supports for Mentoring and Teacher Induction Programs
Benefits for Mentors and New Teachers
Developing a Mentoring Program Plan (Course Project)

Session/Module 3: Qualities of Effective Mentors

Objective: Evaluate what makes an effective mentor
Contents:

Characteristics of Effective Mentors
Mentor Qualifications
Selection Process for Mentors
Mentor Eligibility
Matching Mentors and New Teachers
Concerns about Being a Mentor

Session/Module 4: Productive Mentoring Relationships

Objective: Develop the components for beginning and sustaining the mentor and new teacher connection
Contents:

Factors Related to Establishing Successful Mentoring Relationships
Assessing the Needs of Beginning Teachers
Setting Up the First Meeting Between Mentors and New Teachers
Stages in the Development of Mentoring Relationships
Expectations of the Mentoring Relationship
Ethical Guidelines for the Mentor/Protégé Relationship
The Issue of Confidentiality
The Role of the Administrator in the Mentoring Relationship

Session/Module 5: The Six Critical Focus Areas For The Novice Teacher

Objective: Explore the major needs of new teachers
Contents:

Pertinent Information Needed to Understand the School Culture and Climate
Core Knowledge and Skills Needed for Successful Instruction
Organizing and Managing Personal and Professional Life
Structures and Strategies to Organize Classrooms
Results for Classroom, Local and State Assessments
Developing and Sustaining Collegial Relationships in the School Community

Session/Module 6: Methods of Mentoring

Objective: Explore and implement strategies to strengthen mentoring relationships
Contents:

Support New Teachers Through Shared Experiences
Strengthen Facilitation and Communication Skills
Shared Decision Making
Reflective Practice
Record Keeping
Avoiding the Risks of Mentoring

Session/Module 7: Strengthening the New Teacher’s Classroom Instruction

Objective: Improve classroom instruction
Contents:

Differentiating Between Observation and Evaluation
Conferencing with the New Teacher
Objective Data Collection
Role Modeling
Peer-to-Peer Observations and Classroom Visits
Constructive Feedback
Ongoing Needs Assessment

Session/Module 8: Problem Solving Strategies

Objective: Resolve problems and challenges that develop in the mentoring relationship
Contents:

Identifying and Resolving Problems
Working with the Reluctant or Resistant Novice
Real Life Scenarios
Bring the Mentoring Relationship to A Successful Completion
Providing Ongoing Support After the Relationship Ends

Session/Module 9: Peer Coaching to Improve Classroom Instruction

Objective: Utilize peer collaboration to enhance teaching practices
Contents:

Define peer coaching
Partnering veteran teachers effectively
Commonly accepted peer coaching practices
Establishing an open door classroom
Observing peers to enhance practice
Using peer coaching for school improvement

Session/Module 10: Mentoring and Coaching Programs and Course Completion

Objective: Evaluate successful mentoring and coaching programs
Contents:

Recognized Mentoring Programs
Successful Peer Coaching Programs
Sharing Final Integration Projects
Course Evaluations

Objectives

Define and differentiate the terms mentor, mentee, protégé, mentoring and coaching.
Examine the purposes and benefits of mentoring and coaching.
Assess individual mentoring aptitudes and qualifications.
Examine state mentoring mandates.
Evaluate mentoring needs at a school
Identify the qualities of effective mentors
Develop a mentor selection process and application form
Assess the needs of beginning teachers
Establish goals of the initial meeting between the mentor and protégé
Establish realistic expectations of the mentoring relationship
Examine the phases of the first year of teaching

Assess challenges of the first year of teaching
Conduct an interview regarding mentoring experiences
Establish effective conferencing practices.
Utilize peer-to-peer observations and classroom visits.
Utilize ongoing need assessments
Determine needs of less experienced teachers
Create a strategy to help a beginning teacher
Examinehow peer coaching can enhance classroom practice and academic achievement
Assess and evaluate the peer mentoring process
Share final integration projects

Partner Universities

Our Partners are well-established regionally and nationally accredited colleges and universities, recognized for academic excellence and their commitment to teachers.

Important Information

Online 3-graduate credit courses are 13 weeks in length.

On-site weekend courses are held Friday evening from 6:00pm-9:00pm and Saturday/Sunday, 8:30am-5:30pm.

Weekday courses are Monday-Friday from 8:00am- 6:00pm.

It is the responsibility of the student to check with their state, county, district, or school to ensure that all requirements are being met by the course you're taking.

Check the Partner Universities page for specific university information as well as course numbers which are specific to the university partner.

Students are required to purchase their own textbook, the information for which can be found here. If no book is required it will be specified on the list. We have copies of many of the textbooks should you wish to purchase directly from TEI.

Professional development (PD) participants receive a certificate of completion from TEI for 45 hours of PD credit for face to face classes and 60 hours of PD credit for online classes. These certificates are mailed within one week of the end of the class and reflect the course title, dates of attendance, and credit hour information.

Student Academic Integrity

Participants guarantee that all academic class work is original. Any academic dishonesty or plagiarism (to take ideas, writings, etc. from another and offer them as one's own), is a violation of student academic behavior standards as outlined by our partnering colleges and universities and is subject to academic disciplinary action.