Exploring the Relationship Between Mentors and Novice Choral Teachers

• In Event: The Role of Mentoring in Supporting Teachers From Diverse Communities

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the utility of informal and formal mentoring provided to novice choral teachers. Participants were 58 choral teachers who were classified as novice or experienced based on years teaching. They were asked to share their perceived importance of understanding ten educational topics (e.g., classroom instruction, grading practices, etc.) and the amount of assistance provided in those areas. Three Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to compare the mentor and mentee perceptions. There were statistically significant differences on three topics within the mentor sample and eight topics within the mentee sample. Both mentors and mentees agreed that planning/organization and computer skills were important areas that did not receive enough attention.

Authors

• Felicia Turner, Baylor University

• Jennifer Callender, Baylor University

• Yady S. King, Vacaville Unified School District

• Daniel D. Smelker-Cheeseman, BASF Corporation

• Marcus Jauregui, Texas Woman's University

• Laila Y. Sanguras, Baylor University