RESPECT teams retired teachers with new and aspiring teachers
Kennesaw State University has developed a program designed to address the overwhelming problem of…
Georgia (Feb 18, 2003) — RESPECT teams retired teachers with new and aspiring teachers
Staff
Abstract
Kennesaw State University has developed a program designed to address the overwhelming
problem of new teacher retention in Georgia. In a collaborative effort − Project RESPECT
− Kennesaw State's Center for Active Retirement Education‚ Bagwell College of Education's
Teacher Resource and Activity Center and the Cobb/Marietta Retired Educators Association
sponsor an on−going mentoring program that teams pre−service and new teachers with
experienced retired teachers. The program is currently recruiting retired teacher
volunteers for mentoring positions with KSU education students.
RESPECT stands for Retired Educators Supporting Professional Excellence in Classroom
Teaching. The primary goal of RESPECT is to increase the connections between the retired
teacher community and the learning community of KSU education students and first−year
teachers. Retired teachers know better than anyone the enormous challenges facing
the teaching profession today.
Unfortunately‚ after students complete the required training and become teachers‚
many leave the profession after only a year or two due to the burdens imposed upon
them from both inside and outside the classroom.
RESPECT's sponsors envision a structure of support for students‚ extending from the
college student's first year in the teacher preparation program through the first
year of teaching‚ so that new teachers are part of a network that will prepare them
for the rigors of classroom teaching and provide crisis intervention as needed.
Retired teachers participating in RESPECT may sign on to help in just one area of
teaching‚ or may help in a broader range of education−related activities. This is
an opportunity to share experiences and accumulated knowledge about classroom management‚
lesson planning‚ center development‚ parent conferences‚ art projects or any other
topic relevant to the new educator.
Mentoring an education student can be a face−to−face event or more casual phone and/or
e−mail interaction. Whatever the individual level of involvement‚ whether mentoring
one aspiring educator or conducting workshops for the benefit of many‚ the Teacher
Resource & Activity Center will facilitate contacts and support the efforts of volunteer
mentors.
For more information or to volunteer for this program‚ contact Diana Poore‚ director
of KSU's Teacher Resource and Activity Center‚ at 770−423−6623 or dpoore@kennesaw.edu.
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Kennesaw State University is a comprehensive‚ residential institution with a growing
student population of 15‚600 from 118 countries. The fifth largest out of 34 institutions
in the University System of Georgia‚ KSU offers 55 undergraduate and graduate degree
programs.
A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the second-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 126 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
