ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the role and influence of mentors as teacher leaders in inducting beginning teachers to the profession. Different types of mentoring have also evolved over time with a paradigm shift away from the buddy system toward mentors who are purposely selected, prepared, and matched to a particular beginning teacher. Explicit in the standards were specifics about the mentoring component in induction programs. The next most common activity for mentors and beginning teachers was talking about the strengths and/or needs of specific students. One open-ended question asked mentors to describe noteworthy successes they achieved through mentoring. In reflection on the Teacher Leader Standards, there are clear connections among the roles, responsibilities, and actions of these mentors and how their efforts contributed to the profession through their leadership. The chapter addresses how teacher leadership entails fostering a culture to support educator development as well as understanding the principles of adult learning.
