Teacher to Teacher: A Guidebook for Effective Mentoring

This is a book about the growth and change that can be achieved by teachers, new and experienced, when they work together. Adults learn best when they are interested. They need opportunities to practice and time to integrate and modify new ideas to fit their belief system. Most of all, they need input from a sympathetic peer-a mentor who is there to help a protege through the rough spots. This is the kind of guidance Teacher to Teacher provides.

Teacher to Teacher is a complete course in effective mentoring, with broad and practical suggestions on:

• establishing and nurturing a positive mentoring relationship
• helping proteges with classroom management
• what proteges need to know about learning in order to help students
• the role of reflection in teaching
• working with parents
• the importance of reading aloud
• peer coaching.

Fraser describes the principles that have guided her own work mentoring new and experienced teachers, including the need for mentoring to be responsive and tailored to fit the needs of individual learners; grounded in sensitive, skilled observation; and the importance of establishing a close and honest relationship. Although her book is directed to teachers who work as mentors to other teachers, classroom teachers looking for new insight into their teaching practice will find its practical suggestions just as useful.