New Teacher Mentoring Support

MMEA Advancing Music Education Committee under the leadership of Dr. Aaron Wacker, with funding support from Missouri Music Educators Association and the Country Music Awards Foundation produced the following video which helps underscore the benefits of having a content-specific mentor in music. (5:00)

When a school hires a teacher who is new to the profession in the areas of DANCE, MEDIA ARTS, MUSIC, THEATRE or VISUAL ARTS, having a content-specific mentor helps ensure teacher success and retention. Although a mentor outside the content area can help new teachers learn local procedures, a content-specific mentor provides essential guidance about pedagogy, management and logistics that others cannot. MAAE works collaboratively with our allied statewide arts education organizations to help connect teachers new to the profession with an experienced mentor. This helps us fulfill our mission to promote arts education experiences for ALL Missouri students of the highest quality

Please contact director@moaae.org or complete this short survey and we'll help you connect those new teachers in need with a mentor in their specific arts discipline.

STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS AND DETAILS OF MAAE's MENTOR SUPPORT PROGRAM

When a teacher is identified as in need of additional support, MAAE will refer that new teacher to the leadership team of the appropriate arts discipline.
Missouri’s arts education organizations in dance, music, theatre and visual arts will provide mentoring services to teachers new to the profession. Teachers new to the profession are defined as those who have entered into their initial teaching contract within 24 months of the time of the mentor request.
The mentor/mentee relationship is NOT intended to replace any existing mentoring programs, but to work with the arts education organizations and existing mentoring programs to coordinate and unify the mentoring process for fine arts educators in Missouri.
The inspiration for this initiative included new teacher feedback, and an examination of the Iowa Arts Mentoring Program sponsored by the Iowa Alliance for Arts Education
The mentor services will be provided at no cost to the school district
The encounters between mentor and mentee may take different forms within each organization
- Music - formal intermittent mentor professional development training, informal ongoing dialogue between mentor/mentee, access to professional learning networks and resources
- Theatre - informal ongoing dialogue with mentor/mentee and professional networking
- Visual Arts - informal ongoing dialogue with mentor/mentee, access to professional learning networks
- Dance - informal ongoing dialogue with mentor/mentee, access to professional learning networks and resources and training,
The encounters will be mutually arranged between mentor and mentee and may be by phone, email, in-person or video conference.
If an arts ed organization sponsors professional development conferences, we strongly encourage the school or district to provide support for release time so they may attend the conference.

The arts education organizations have no plans to reimburse travel expenses for any mentoring encounters.
The frequency of the encounters will be determined by each mentor/mentee partner, but the target frequency is at least one opportunity for interaction per month throughout the academic year.
The mentee will not be required to join the corresponding statewide arts education organization to utilize this service. However, the mentee will be encouraged to join the arts ed organization, and enjoy the additional benefits of membership, as well as receive administrative support for their involvement in content-specific professional development.