The ideas presented are ideas every good teacher thinks about, considers and contemplates every year, no matter how long they've been teaching. I can support a new teacher by being “honest and helpful, never hurtful and insensitive." It is important for teachers new to the building/district to understand that they don’t need, nor are they expected, to know everything right away. Mentors have a responsibility to build trust with their interns so that they can learn and grow in a comfortable and supportive environment. My strengths include being being a supportive and earnest listener and being willing to do whatever is necessary to help the intern succeed. The article, Why New Teachers Need Mentors, states that the mentor should be a confidant, an observer and a confidence builder. The first year of mentoring is just the beginning, like a dot on a very long timeline. If tended to and carefully cared for, the intern- mentor relationship should last for many many years.
