[Ninetwo]

New teacher with no official mentor. I was assigned one, but the district never contacted her about mentor meetings, requirements, or anything having to do with the job. So she hasn't had any idea of what her responsibilities are or what she should be teaching or helping me with. I really like her and consider her a friend. She does help me when I go to her. I feel like I am missing out on a huge amount of things I should be learning. How do I ask for help on things I don't even know I should be doing? I feel extremely cheated out of my first year training and feel that other first year teachers now have an advantage over me. I feel I am only surviving instead of growing. I don't want next year to be the survival mode.

[dubby]

The feeling of survival is normal for most new teachers and may last another year or two. You are definitely growing, it's just that all the stress is overshadowing the gains you have made.

Your mentor should seek out what the other mentors should be doing. In general, they should meet with you once a week or more, help you with planning, classroom management issue, and steer you through the schools operations. A really good mentor should also help you learn how to reflect effectively as well.

Teaching is not about competing against other new teachers, you should meet up with them and find out what they're dealing with and what they're working on with their mentor. One thing I have learned in education is that you have to be aggressive in getting the support you need.

[BioEducator87]

At least you were assigned a mentor! I wasn't assigned a mentor my first year teaching, and I started in the middle of the school year. Talk about being thrown to the wolves! I still don't have an assigned mentor in my current 2nd year of teaching...I had to get my own. No support or help from administrators my first or second year either. SMH

[PollyCarp]

Howdy, OP.

Although you might be missing out on training or knowledge that other first-year teachers are getting through more officially organized programs, you still have a good deal of knowledge about what is and what isn't going well in your class. Don't sell yourself short!

As you advocate for other supports, don't forget to just go to your mentor and say, "Hey, I'm having trouble with x. What do you recommend?"

You might also see if your admin can give you or your mentor a sub day so that you or they can observe the other. You can either pick up some great new ideas or your mentor can target some things you might not have noticed in your day-to-day teaching.

Hang in there!

[brownbear]

My state requires 30 mentoring hours per year. New teachers are mentored for 3 years.