Mentor systems benefit beginning teachers, the school district, the students, and experienced teachers. Research and the Utah Teacher Evaluation Project suggest a number of essential characteristics of a mentoring system, which are discussed. (MT)

This article describes a program, designed by the Brighton Central School District (NY), which utilizes recently retired teachers as mentors for newly hired teachers. Selection of retirees, program outcomes, and implications of this program for the school district are also discussed. (IAH)

Describes an on-site staff development program within one school district's secondary schools. The Secondary Instructional Specialist Program trains teachers to provide on-site assistance to other teachers. The assistance considers district, school, and teacher needs and goals. The paper includes recommendations for staff developers. (SM)

Staff development is crucial in creating successful mentoring relationships in schools and districts. Four major tasks for staff developers when creating programs for mentors are: selecting and training mentors, matching mentors with proteges, setting goals and expectations, and establishing the program. Implications for staff developers are…

When Prince George's County Public Schools created a teacher mentor program, administrators also created a system for evaluating it with clear expectations and goals at the outset. Precisely defining objectives enabled leaders to see their progress, determine what needed to change along the way, and build support for the program.