Editorial: A helping hand for new teachers

Friday, Aug. 14, 1998 | 11:24 a.m.

And for those who will be in their first teaching assignment, the year will feel like a wild roller coaster ride, both exhilarating and exasperating. Trying to ease this transition, the Clark County School District is implementing a district-wide mentor program for teachers, pairing a veteran with a rookie.

Sun reporter Benjamin Grove noted in a March story that some of the 30 new teachers he interviewed said they didn't get the advice they needed from more established teachers. Several felt they weren't succeeding and were without direction.

Mentoring isn't new and has been used by some local schools before, but it's good to see the school district establish this on a district-wide basis. Almost every student remembers a teacher who left an indelible impression, making him a better student and a better person. Sometimes these teachers created a turning point in the life of a student who otherwise might have failed to make something of himself.

In the same way that teachers have helped students achieve success, it's promising to see the school district's mentor program recognize that new teachers also need someone to lean on and help them get through what at times can be a difficult first year.