Mentor teacher competencies as perceived by experienced teachers, first-year teachers, and principals in Texas

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate, establish, and validate a mentor teacher knowledge and skill base that would relate directly to mentor teacher development. The instrument development process involved content validation, pilot and field testing of the questionnaire, and final design. The researcher-developed questionnaire, Analyzing the Competencies of the Mentor Teacher (ACOMT), reflects possible competency items within five dimensions (instruction, teacher reflection, teacher development, interpersonal skills, and direct support). Almost nineteen hundred responses from experienced teachers, first-year teachers, and principals in Texas were analyzed using descriptive statistics, an analysis of variance, post hoc analysis, and an omega squared statistic. This study, taking into account both the importance and experienced teachers' extent of current competence results, presents a total set of competencies for mentor program development. Statistical analyses revealed that neither the importance nor experienced teachers' extent of current competence varied greatly among the three groups on any of the mentor teacher competency items. All of the competencies' means were above 3.08 on a five point scale, and eighty-nine percent of these (65 of 73 competencies) were rated at least a 4.00. Regarding the experienced teachers' level of current competence, all groups rated the experienced teachers as currently competent on only eighteen of seventy-three competencies. This study established and validated a literature-based model of mentoring competencies which must be considered in total when planning mentor development. The current literature on mentor teachers, taken singly, does not establish a mentor teacher competency base and is not adequate in planning future mentor teacher development programs. This study, utilizing a large, statewide sample of almost nineteen hundred individuals, can provide no validation for the amount of time, personnel, and expense that is currently being delivered within the state of Texas regarding mentor programs. It was also revealed that participation/non-participation in an induction program or the amount of contact with a first-year teacher were not relevant when identifying the competencies of a mentor teacher. Results from this study can have a major impact in determining the focus or agenda of future mentor programs.