Consistent with research findings on effective alternative certification programs, Florida's Alternative Certification Program features consistent support from experienced peer mentors. While pedagogical theory provides the academic foundation for career-changers new to the education profession, guidance from accomplished practitioners quickly translates theory into effective practice. Coaching from master teachers eliminates the frustration of trial and error learning. Knowing that a friendly colleague is nearby and ready with expert advice fosters the confidence that ensures success and satisfaction during the first year in a new career. Sharing assignments from on-line learning activities with an experienced on-line peer tutor elicits expert feedback that can be immediately applied in the new teacher's classroom. The steady presence of peer mentors and tutors prevents the alienating sense of isolation that can otherwise drive first-year teachers away from a career in education.
Effective peer mentoring, whether face-to-face or on-line, requires specialized skills. The needs of adult learners who are on-the-job as first-time teachers are quite different from those of both K-12 students and college student interns. Successful on-line tutoring infuses a warm and inviting human presence into the computer world of distance learning. Veteran teachers who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments with students in the classroom may or may not have acquired these unique abilities.
Florida's Alternative Certification Program includes an on-line training program to ensure that experienced peer mentors and on-line tutors approach their job as supportive colleagues with appropriate knowledge and skills. The training program for peer teachers includes the following topics:
Effective support from well-trained, veteran peer mentors in Florida's Alternative Certification Program results in multiple benefits for the entire school system. New teachers from other fields learn first-hand from accomplished professionals, experienced teachers further their own professional development, and a collaborative school community is nurtured to better support student achievement. |
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