Date of Award

1-1-2012

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Organizational Unit

Morgridge College of Education

First Advisor

Kent Seidel, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Linda Brookhart

Third Advisor

Susan Korach

Fourth Advisor

Marian Bussey

Keywords

Academic growth, Closure of growth gap, Mixed methods study, Multilinear correlation, New teacher mentoring

Abstract

While much research has explored the positive correlation between mentoring programs and resulting reduction in teacher attrition, the relationship between mentoring activities and student learning remains equivocal. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible relationship between frequency and depth of mentoring activities in which high school teachers in their first three years of teaching report engaging, on the 2011 Colorado TELL (Teaching, Empowering, Leading and Learning) Survey, and examining concurrent student achievement growth and shifts in growth gaps as measured by the Colorado Growth Model in those teachers' schools. This mixed methods study also entailed open-ended interviews of five high school teachers in their first three years of teaching regarding their mentoring experiences. Responses were coded and themes were captured to add depth of understanding regarding the dynamics of mentoring of teachers and their students' achievement. As 50% of teacher evaluation in Colorado will be anchored to student academic growth by 2014, the relationship between mentoring and student learning is especially salient for school districts implementing mentoring programs, as well as for teachers who are relying in part on mentoring to help them positively impact student learning.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

David Shadwell

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

en

File Size

110 p.

Discipline

Educational leadership, Educational administration

Download



Share

COinS