Mentor Teacher

Louisiana Mentor Teachers

Mentor Teachers are local educators who have the knowledge and skills to effectively coach and support new and resident teachers in their district.

The Mentor Teacher role is also an important step in the leadership pipeline for talented local educators.

Leadership Pipeline


Background

Mentor Teacher Background

Starting in July 2018, all teacher preparation programs in Louisiana will include a yearlong classroom residency alongside an experienced mentor teacher, and all preparation programs will include a competency-based curriculum that will provide teacher candidates with the knowledge and skills needed in order to be prepared for their first day of teaching.

What is a Mentor Teacher?

A mentor teacher is a classroom teacher who supports:

  • Aspiring teachers participating in yearlong residencies

  • New teachers

  • More experienced teachers who are in need of support

Mentors may co-teach with year long undergraduate or post-baccalaureate residents or may support teachers without co-teaching.


What is mentor teacher training?

In order to build a cadre of high-quality mentor teachers across the state, the Department offered statewide mentor training beginning in late fall 2017. Through an RFP process, the Department partnered with The Dana Center, housed at the University of Texas at Austin, and Learning Forward, a non-profit organization, to design and deliver mentor training. Currently there are 29 approved providers  of mentor training.


What will mentors be able to do by the end of training?


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Build strong relationships with their resident and new and developing teachers


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Identify and address the needs of residents and new and developing teachers based on teacher preparation competencies


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Deliver resources and coaching for resident and new and developing teachers to help them improve


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Track resident/new/developing teacher progress and facilitate resident/new/developing teacher self-reflection and improvement

Visit the Mentor Teacher library to access all Mentor Teacher materials.

Mentor Teacher training and Content Leader training will create opportunities for educators across the state to develop the skills and knowledge needed to better support other educators. Visit the Content Leader page for additional information about Content Leaders and their training.

Do you have questions about the content on this page?
If so, please contact BelieveandPrepare@la.gov.