(Canyon)—The Division of Education at West Texas A&M University is looking after its own—even after graduation.
The division is developing a web-based mentoring program in which faculty members can assist and support graduates in their careers as new teachers. The program, tentatively named B.R.I.D.G.E. (Buffalo-Region 16 Initiative to Develop Great Educators) will be field tested with the summer 2006 PACE (Panhandle Alternative Certification for Educators) students and in full operation by spring 2007, when student teachers are placed in schools.
“This is an exciting opportunity for the university to continue supporting our graduates and enhancing their entry into the teaching profession,” Eddie Henderson, professor of education and head of the Division of Education, said. “Many school districts provide a one- to three-year induction program for their new teachers; our program will offer additional resources to bridge the gap between the university and the school district.”
Region 16 Education Service Center is working with the division to provide the technology for the program. The web-based mentoring program will offer a variety of resources and links for new teachers as well as the ability to communicate with experts on the WTAMU campus. Visitors to the B.R.I.D.G.E. site can ask faculty members on campus questions about specific issues, and broader discussions also will be possible with a bulletin board for communication with peers and colleagues.
“The WTAMU mentoring program will address primarily classroom instruction,” Henderson said. “Our goal is to support our graduates, who are beginning teachers, to be successful in their classrooms. “Being a teacher is a difficult job, and new teachers especially need the availability of the resources this program will offer.”
Jim Rutledge, instructor of education, started working on the project last fall, developing the site and pulling all the resources together. He’s also gathering a list of faculty members to use as resources for any questions new teachers may ask. The list will include education faculty, Region 16 personnel and faculty members from other departments across the WTAMU campus.
“The mentoring program will be great once it gets up and going,” Rutledge said. “Once it is up, it will facilitate the flow of communication and be a great means of support for our new teachers.”
According to Henderson, the WTAMU program will be tailored to meet the needs of new teachers and utilize the vast resources available.
“A significant percentage of teachers leave the profession in the five years following graduation,” Henderson said. “We anticipate that the added resources provided by this mentoring program will lead to higher retention rates.”