Mentor Guidelines for
National Board Certified Teachers

Please read the mentor guidelines below before logging mentor hours.

The Spirit of Mentoring
Mentoring is a relationship between two equals, one of whom is committed to making personal and professional improvements (Quality Teaching in a Culture of Coaching by Steven G. Barkley). The mere presence of one or more non-NBCT teachers in the room as you give a presentation does not constitute mentoring. Mentoring is a conscious action which provides specific feedback to the mentee and focuses on their specific needs. Please keep this in mind as you submit mentoring hours.

All mentoring hours are subject to audit by the State of Florida and monies given to you can be rescinded if you do not meet specific criteria. Should monies be rescinded, it is possible this will be reported to National Board who may call your certification into question. If you are in doubt as to whether or not to use certain mentoring hours, please contact Pamela Windspirit, Charlotte County's Dale Hickam Excellent Teacher Facilitator.

What Counts as Mentoring?

  1. Instruction in helping teachers work more effectively with the families of their students. (To be eligible to receive the mentoring bonus, mentoring in this area is REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.) Your mentor log should reflect this requirement -- highlight or underline please.
  2. Mentoring new teachers, current teachers, and NBCT candidates.
  3. Giving a teacher workshop or inservice.
  4. Mentoring above and beyond the call within your department or team if you are a team leader or department chair.
  5. Mentoring on teaching techniques.
  6. Mentoring new or beginning teachers or helping new teachers orient themselves to their teaching situation.
  7. Assisting other teachers with ESOL or ESE audits.
  8. Time spent reviewing National Board candidates portfolios and discussing with a candidate.
What does not count as Mentoring?
  1. Mentoring National Board Certified Teachers.
  2. Editing National Board Candidate Portfolios.
  3. Mentoring pre-service or non-Florida teachers (Florida law).
  4. Mentoring for which you are already being paid a stipend (for example a Peer Teacher stipend).
  5. Mentoring during leave for any reason.
  6. Mentoring during student contact time (Florida law).
  7. Prep time for mentoring.
  8. Travel time to mentor.
  9. Parent meetings.

How do I submit Mentor Hours for Payment?

NBCTs who wish to mentor for the 2008/2009 school year should be advised that the legislature has cut funding for the Dale Hickam Excellent Teacher Program and that funds will not be available to pay a mentor bonus this year.

Click any of these documents to download a copy:
Mentor Guidelines