Upcoming Trainings
This school year the Maine DOE will be offering upcoming opportunities for mentor training! The sessions will be offered virtually. Educators are welcome to select either session below that works best with their schedule. The session will take place via Zoom, a link will be sent to participants following registration. This training is offered at no cost, all materials will be available electronically. Educators will receive contact hours for participation. We encourage interested participants to discuss the opportunity, along with local training requirements, with their mentor chairperson prior to registering.
Upcoming Sessions
May 9, 2023 8:30am – 3:30pm (with a built-in lunch break)
Customized Resources and Supports
Mentor Resources
The Maine Department of Education has developed mentor training modules to support districts when training new mentors. Specific mentor requirements can now be found in Rule Chapter 180.
Mentor Requirements:
- Hold a Professional license
- Have an effectiveness rating of at least effective
- Districts may establish additional criteria for the selection of mentors and scope of responsibilities
Mentor Responsibilities:
- Complete a minimum of two observations annually
- Provide ongoing support and feedback
Resources
- Maine's Definition of Effective Mentoring
- A Note about Adult Learners
- Sample Next Steps Rubric
- Mentor Modules: Free online resources for new teachers and school leaders. For more information review the Mentor Modules Facilitator's Guide.
Special Educators
Maine’s Alternative Certification and Mentoring Program is a partnership between the Maine Department of Education Office of Special Services and the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development.
MACM offers intensive, structured mentoring and coursework for new conditionally certified special educators to work toward professional certification.
The goal is to provide new special educators with experienced mentor teachers to provide modeling and coaching, as well as access to resources and promising practices.
New Conditionally certified special educators receive mentoring from an experienced special educator and take both semesters of Special Education Mentorship, a two-part online graduate course designed to meet the needs of new special educators. This seminar course counts toward credits needed for professional certification.
MACM partners with local school districts to provide a special education-specific mentoring option to support the district’s existing teacher support system.
More Information on MACMAdministrators
The Maine Principal's Association has developed a comprehensive mentorship program for novice principals and assistant principals. The program recently expanded to offer supports to experienced educators in new positions who desire a mentor/coach.
Mentor Responsibilities
- Have weekly contact with the protégé. Monthly in person meetings are required
- Visit the protégé’s school and provide observation feedback
- Assist in the development of a written learning plan
- Submit a reflection regularly
- Attend required trainings and meetings
Resources
Resources for prospective mentors and protégés can be accessed below.
- Protégé application for new administrators
- Great Beginnings Program for new administrators
- Application for experienced people who want to become a mentor to a new administrator
Assistant Executive Director Maine Principal's Association
207-622-0217, ext. 126
hcouturier@mpa.cc