Dr. Jenny Bolander
Assistant Professor
SIU Edwardsville
After twenty-plus years of teaching, I decided to go back to school full time and earn my doctorate. I knew that I could never leave the world of education and would always be a teacher educator, but where I would land or what job I would pursue were unclear at the time. As luck would have it, a little over a year before completing my terminal degree, the Illinois State Board of Education hired me as a Principal Consultant in the Professional Development and Teacher Education Division that was responsible for state accreditation of teacher education programs at Illinois colleges and universities. Eventually my job was expanded to include being Director of Induction Initiatives and working with various stakeholder groups to bring induction/mentoring to the forefront in our state.
I know that I would not have been able to handle all the various levels of bureaucracy that come with working at a state agency if it had not been for the mentoring that I received from five colleagues in my tiny division. I had one official mentor assigned to me, but everyone in their own way mentored me through the social make-up of the agency with its the history and inner workings; the complications of dealing with the General Assembly, the administration and the faculty at higher education institutions; and the simple and mundane issues of parking, travel, paper work, etc.
Not only new teachers but also anyone entering a new job or a new workplace needs a system that provides collaboration with experienced workers, support through a mentor or mentors, and enhanced knowledge from additional professional training. I gained new ideas to use in my work with higher education faculty, as well as with other state stakeholders including administrators, teachers, Regional Offices of Education, teacher unions, and community colleges.
I saw my mentors as people I could trust and people who would help me feel less alone. My mentors helped guide my entry into the world of politics and education because they were knowledgeable about the "whole picture" of the State Board, the General Assembly, higher education and the agency. As a new division employee I went to my mentors with any topic about which I was unclear or with any situation where I was unsure of what to do. They listened to my concerns without being judgmental, while offering advice or answering questions as I bounced ideas off them. I would describe all of my mentors as "people who shared in molding a new hire into one with experienceÖ shared their strengths and weaknesses, wisdom and knowledge as well as ways to think smart about working in state bureaucracy."
Each mentor had expectations for herself in working with me and provided a positive role model through support and collaboration, made connections with agency resources, guided me with the curriculum and planning, shared ideas and materials, gave positive encouragement, assisted in learning the ropes of the State Board, was available and willing to work with a novice, gave another perspective on things, shared prior experiences, and was a good listener. My mentors all established relationships with me that allowed for open and honest communication as well as much-needed emotional support. Without these five wonderful women, I would not have survived the daily grind of education and politics. I have now left the agency to pursue a career in higher education, but I still carry with me the gift these women gave me, and in turn I work to carry on that legacy when working with a new colleague or new teachers.
|
|
