Mentoring Experiences of Beginning Teachers: Perceptions of Traditionally, Alternatively, and Foreign Trained Teachers.

School districts are faced with teacher shortages and have turned to alternatively certified and foreign trained teachers to staff classrooms. To increase retention rates of qualified teachers, districts use different methods such as mentoring programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in mentoring experiences and mentoring expectations between traditionally certified teachers and non-traditionally certified teachers. It analyzed perceptions of mentoring experiences of beginning teachers and compared them to what beginning teachers felt should be in a mentoring program. The study proposed to determine if different routes to certification led to differences in experiences and/or expectations. Data were collected from beginning teachers, as defined by teachers under induction or annual contracts, who were asked to complete an online survey. This included speech therapists and guidance counselors. The study was limited to four school districts in the midlands of South Carolina. The results showed that there were no significant differences across mentoring dimensions in perceived mentoring experiences; however, there was a significant difference in mentoring expectations. The one variable with a significant difference measured the mentor having knowledge in the mentee's subject area. The results did not show a statistically significant difference between experience and expectation for the variable "knowledge" based on certification. Recommendations included continuation of mentoring programs as well as the need to conduct additional research to determine other areas that affect teacher retention.