"The Mentoring Year is rich with experience and new ideas. I endorse it without reservation." Heidi Hayes Jacobs President, Curriculum Designs, Inc. Adjunct Associate Professor, Teachers College, Columbia University "This book contains explicit, step-by-step guidelines to build a program in the real world of schools. The authors demonstrate great empathy for teachers and administrators who confront the challenges facing public schools. They respect the demands placed upon contemporary educators." Rick DuFour Coauthor of Professional Learning Communities at Work "The ′No Child Left Behind′ legislation requires strong teacher indoctrination. The Mentoring Year provides a comprehensive mentor program that gets down into the deep tissue areas. It lays out a grid to link standards to the workplace." Marie Archibee, Supervisor, Professional Development Department of Curriculum Instruction and Technology Nassau BOCES, NY "The authors′ organized step-by-step approach in creating an effective mentoring program has provided me the necessary tools to build a strong in-house mentoring program for all my staff." Joe Novak, Principal Mill Valley High School, Shawnee, KS Use this as a rich and ready-to-go turnkey mentoring program or tailor it to building or district priorities! Promote key characteristics of good mentors; support the needs of new teachers; generate reflection and collaboration. Along with strategies for these mentoring essentials, this program adds critical focus on student learning. Overflowing with rubrics for measuring growth towards best practice, checklists, tools and templates, this program provides every needed element for first-year induction. Further, it provides deep resources to support multi-year professional development and preparation for National Board Certification. Ready-to-go seminars for mentor/mentee communities focus on important themes including assessment, classroom management, instruction, goals, writing a professional development plan, standards, and curriculum. Agendas, timetables, activities, and clear responsibilities for all participants save time and support success. Grounded in The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) standards, this program works in any school, district, or state to build expert teachers and lift the level of professionalism throughout the learning community. Resources and special features: Encourages a learning community, team building approach Includes complete plans and materials for mentor/mentee seminars Designed for flexible use either sequentially or around local priorities Depth and adaptability for use as preservice text, new teacher mentoring, and extended professional development. Mentee/Mentor, Administrator, and Coordinator Checklists Mentor for success, student achievement and teacher retention with The Mentoring Year!