Mentor’s Belief Inventory

Teachers’ conceptual flexibility	Style of instructional leadership that usually fits best	Interpersonal behavior of instructional teacher might look like this
Stage 1 Teacher
Teacher prefers high level of structure. Example: I have tried the only way I know how, and it just did not work. What do I do?	Direct (high) Maximum responsibility on mentor, minimum responsibility on new teacher Provides high level of structure	Presents, clarifies, listens, directs, standardizes, reinforces Example: I know you feel that the lesson did not go well. I have taught it this way... Here is a sample lesson that you can follow.
Stage 2 Teacher
Teacher prefers moderate degree of structure. Example: There seems to be a need to shift how I am teaching this. I have some thoughts about how, but I am not sure. Have you got some ideas?	Collaborative (medium) Shared responsibility between mentor and new teacher Provides moderate level of structure	Listens and reflects, then clarifies, presents, analyzes problems, encourages mutuality in planning and in standardization Example: This is one possibility. What do you think? Could I have been misreading this?
Stage 3 Teacher
Teacher prefers low level of structure. Example: How students deal with conflict and how they actively assimilate new learning are two key concepts for this next unit. I have put together several lessons using a variety of approaches. What do you think?	Nondirective (low) Minimum responsibility on mentor, maximum responsibility on new teacher Provides low level of structure	Listens, reflects, clarifies, encourages, requests new teacher to analyze problem, standardizes using new teacher’s criteria Example: It seems clear that you would like to teach conflict resolution skills through active learning... Tell me more about that.
Adapted from Sue Martin, Nancy Brennan, and Ken Bergstrom. Mentoring: A Resource and Training Guide for Educators. Madison, WI: Learning Innovations, 1993.

Teachers’ conceptual flexibility

Style of instructional leadership that usually fits best

Interpersonal behavior of instructional teacher might look like this

Stage 1 Teacher

Teacher prefers high level of structure.

Example: I have tried the only way I know how, and it just did not work. What do I do?

Direct (high)

Maximum responsibility on mentor, minimum responsibility on new teacher
Provides high level of structure

Presents, clarifies, listens, directs, standardizes, reinforces

Example: I know you feel that the lesson did not go well. I have taught it this way... Here is a sample lesson that you can follow.

Stage 2 Teacher

Teacher prefers moderate degree of structure.

Example: There seems to be a need to shift how I am teaching this. I have some thoughts about how, but I am not sure. Have you got some ideas?

Collaborative (medium)

Shared responsibility between mentor and new teacher
Provides moderate level of structure

Listens and reflects, then clarifies, presents, analyzes problems, encourages mutuality in planning and in standardization

Example: This is one possibility. What do you think? Could I have been misreading this?

Stage 3 Teacher

Teacher prefers low level of structure.

Example: How students deal with conflict and how they actively assimilate new learning are two key concepts for this next unit. I have put together several lessons using a variety of approaches. What do you think?

Nondirective (low)

Minimum responsibility on mentor, maximum responsibility on new teacher
Provides low level of structure

Listens, reflects, clarifies, encourages, requests new teacher to analyze problem, standardizes using new teacher’s criteria

Example: It seems clear that you would like to teach conflict resolution skills through active learning... Tell me more about that.

Adapted from Sue Martin, Nancy Brennan, and Ken Bergstrom. Mentoring: A Resource and Training Guide for Educators. Madison, WI: Learning Innovations, 1993.