A Delphi study to identify principal practices of Montana's Office of Public Instruction formal mentoring program for principal interns

Abstract

The literature describes many different formal principal mentoring programs and the mentoring activities in which new principals are asked to participate. Common program features that have been identified for implementing effective formal principal mentoring programs include socialization, reflective practice, mentor/protégé matching, the training, program understanding, and mentor commitment (Daresh, 1995 & 2001; Gray, Bottoms & O'Neil, 2007; Bangert, 2012; Wallace, 2007). Although the effective formal mentoring program characteristics for new and aspiring principals have been identified by the literature, there have been no efforts to determine how Montana's Formal Mentoring Program for new and aspiring principals incorporates these important program elements. The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify and describe the program characteristics of Montana's state-mandated formal mentoring program for new principal interns that mentoring experts agree are necessary to create a supportive learning experience for new principals.