Q. Is teacher mentoring just a fancy name for an older teacher looking out for a younger teacher?

A. Teacher mentoring can range from an informal buddy system with the teacher next door, to an assistant in a formal induction program. Age has nothing to do with mentoring. Mentoring is an experienced teacher helping an inexperienced colleague.

Q. What's the best way to match teachers with mentors -- principals assign, draw from a hat, mingle at an orientation and then pair up, or what?

A. There are several factors to consider when matching novice teachers with mentors. Ideally the mentor should teach the same grade level or subject and at the same site. Having said that, I should note that I have successfully mentored teachers at different grade levels, subjects and sites. Issues such as classroom management and communication with parents will cross all grades, but the extent of the mentor's assistance will be increased if the mentors share curricular knowledge. Mentorships should always be voluntary and preferably paid.

Q. How many years experience do you think someone should have before they become a mentor? Should younger people be mentors to older people? Sometimes younger people actually have more experience, such as when people who have changed careers and have entered the teaching profession later in life.

A. Age is not a factor in someone's capability to be an effective mentor. However, more experienced adults entering the profession might have some different needs from 23 year old college graduates. For instance, they might have experience raising children of their own or running staff/department meetings; however they are still likely to need assistance in areas such as lesson planning, assessing and diagnosing student learning, and engaging students in learning.