Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Education (Ed.D.)

Department

Administrative and Instructional Leadership

First Advisor

Joan I Birringer-Haig

Abstract

School districts often implement teacher mentor programs to support educators new to teaching. The components of mentor program frameworks require further research to determine their effectiveness in supporting new teachers. This non-experimental correlational study used Kram’s Mentor Theory and Bandura’s Self-Efficacy theory to determine if there is a significant influence of mentor programs on new teacher self-efficacy, classroom environment, instruction, and preparation and planning. The participants were teachers who have served as a mentor or mentee from suburban school districts in the northeastern United States. This study used a survey to collect participants’ demographic data and mentor program characteristics. Data were analyzed through multiple regression and correlation analyses, as well as the coding of an open-ended question for emergent themes. Results found that common planning time, professional development, individual meetings, a manageable workload, administrative support, clear expectations, common grade level, years of experience, cross visitation and small group meetings time had a significant influence on participants’ perceived self-efficacy and classroom environment, instruction, and preparation and planning. There were no significant differences in self-efficacy scores of mentor and mentee teachers. The present study offers insight to school building leaders as to the most effective elements to include in their mentor programs, which will increase new teacher self-efficacy.

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