ASMP celebrates 20 years of mentoring ³ÉÈËӰƬ teachers
The ³ÉÈËӰƬ Statewide Mentor Project recently marked its 20th year of mentoring first- and second-year teachers in schools all over ³ÉÈËӰƬ.
The project provides individualized support to first- and second-year teachers, with the aim of developing an effective teaching force that is responsive to the diverse academic needs and cultural backgrounds of all ³ÉÈËӰƬ. ASMP operates under the K-12 outreach umbrella at the University of ³ÉÈËӰƬ Fairbanks’ School of Education.
Education leaders, superintendents, administrators, mentors and mentees gathered Oct. 12 in Anchorage to celebrate and share stories. The gathering included representatives from ASMP’s long-term partners, the University of ³ÉÈËӰƬ and the ³ÉÈËӰƬ Department of Education and Early Development.
ASMP got its start in 2003, when the University of ³ÉÈËӰƬ obtained funding for a pilot project that provided one mentor to serve teachers in five school districts. By April 2004, the program had grown to include 22 full-time mentors. In the 2004-05 school year, mentors worked with more than 300 early-career teachers in 31 ³ÉÈËӰƬ school districts.
As of this year, ASMP has trained 157 mentors and served nearly 5,000 new teachers in 500 schools in 215 communities across all 54 ³ÉÈËӰƬ school districts. As districts struggle to fill teaching positions, the program is seeking to expand its service to teachers new to the state and from overseas.
ASMP’s goals are:
- Improved quality of instruction
- Increased teacher retentions
- Improved student achievement
More information about ASMP is available .