International Journal of Applied Educational Studies

The Mentor Teaching Program (MTP) was designed to address the increasing problem of teacher attrition across the United States. Implementation of the program included the combined efforts of a committed mentor, a University Supervisor, and 2 MTP candidates. The main goal of the program was to develop a cadre of teachers better prepared to overcome the educational challenges present in today’s schools. The second goal was to increase teacher retention by providing better instructional training by significantly increasing field experience for MTP candidates. The program was implemented during the 06-07 and 07-08 school years. Mentor teachers (MT’s) were selected and assigned to the guided instruction of MTP candidates within a specified Title I School for a period of 1 academic year. Overall, results indicate that the program was successful in producing better prepared teachers that exuded higher levels of commitment to the scholastic achievement of students in today’s schools.

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