Understanding Differences between Formal and Informal Mentoring for Beginning Mathematics Teachers

• In Event: Policy Issues Related to Teacher Quality

Abstract

We used survey and interview data from a longitudinal study of 60 beginning mathematics teachers to examine the quality of teachers’ formal and informal mentoring and contrast the support teachers received from these different types of sources, one which falls under the purview of formal policy and the other which is more organic. We found that, on average, teachers seemed to consider informal mentors to be much better and more relevant than their formal mentors. Our analyses reveal that new teachers appear to employ informal mentors to address inadequacies in their formal mentoring. We use our examination of formal and informal mentoring to draw tentative recommendations for strengthening mentoring policies.

Authors

• Eric D. Hochberg, The University of Pennsylvania

• Morgan S. Polikoff, University of Southern California

• Laurie Joy Johnson, University of Pennsylvania

• Laura M. Desimone, University of Pennsylvania

• Andrew C. Porter, University of Pennsylvania