News from KSEA:
Rising Stars: Meet Eleni Karakostas & Grace Fisher
Mentoring Educators for Tomorrow’s Success
The NEOEA-Retired Intergenerational Mentoring Program is a collaborative project between NEOEA-Retired and the Kent Student Education Association (KSEA).
It began as a collaborative project between the Ohio Education Association-Retired (OEA-R) and the Ohio Student Education Association (OSEA) with the full support and cooperation of the Ohio Education Association (OEA), the National Education Association (NEA), and NEA-Retired.
Approximately one in five teachers leaves the profession during the first three years of teaching. Members of both the NEOEA-R and the KSEA are concerned about these statistics and are dedicated to supporting the pre-professional to set the stage for success as a teacher. In linking with a student member, the retired teacher can share insights for success in the profession. The student member can gain from the experiences of the retired member. Both partners benefit from being involved.
The NEOEA-Retired Intergenerational Mentoring Program is an ideal way for retired educators to continue their commitment to public education in Ohio, to the children who attend our schools, and to the pre-professionals who will benefit from their experience.
Only NEOEA-R members and OSEA members from an affiliated campus chapter may participate.
If you need more information or would like to apply:
- Please contact Beryl Burkle – NEOEA Mentor coordinator
Download an informative OEA Ohio Schools article:
- Ohio Schools, April 2011 –
- OEA-R Preparing a Future (low res PDF)
- or visit OEA Ohio Schools Archive (high res PDF p.15-17).
- Visit the NEA.org website and search for “intergenerational mentoring” for more articles.
Project Goals:
- To provide an OEA-Retired member as a mentor to an OSEA student in a partnership that will continue through the student teaching experience and the first year of teaching.
- To provide a mentor as a sounding board.
- To utilize retired teachers to develop and train future teachers.
- To provide support that is non-evaluative.
- To help ensure the professional success and retention of promising new teachers.
- To mobilize OEA-Retired teachers as mentors for OEA-Student prospective teachers.
- Mentors will provide support, guidance and advice to help pre-professional teachers become effective in the classroom.
Mission Statement:
To establish and maintain an ongoing mentorship program between OEA-Retired and the OSEA that will continue through the member’s student teaching experience and first year of teaching.
Central OEA/NEA-Retired and Ohio State University-OSEA Intergenerational Mentoring Program: Experience of Age. Exuberance of Youth!
April 2012 – By Lee Schreiner, Central Retired
The Ohio Intergenerational Mentoring Program is designed to give assistance to students who intend to become teachers. The students who enter the mentoring program may be college freshmen or may be in the final stage of their preparation.
With the aid of a grant from the NEA and the support of the OEA, OEA-Retired in collaboration with the Ohio Student Education Association (OSEA) have developed an Intergenerational Program. The goal of the project is to match experienced, retired educators with student member education majors at participating colleges and universities.
Over the course of our careers as Ohio public school educators we each develop a unique teaching style and gain insight into our profession that few others can duplicate. Today, a new generation of teachers is preparing and is poised to enter the profession. The wisdom, knowledge, and guidance of an experienced/retired mentor can make a positive contribution.
At its foundation, mentoring is truly a friendly, helpful, and informal relationship. It can range from a moment’s notice intervention to a long-term and life-long relationship.
The founding site in Ohio was Kent State University with Miami University and Ohio University to follow. This year Central OEA/NEA-Retired is proud to take the reins in collaboration with The Ohio State University and the OSU-OSEA student chapter: Mary Giardina, President and Dr. Patti Brosnan, Student Advisor.
In our inaugural year we are proud to have 13 Mentor/MenteeIntergenerational Matches! Student Mentees and Retired Mentors must simply have OEA membership status and fill out an application to participate. A special word of appreciation goes to the following mentors and their mentee match: Sue Christian/Shannon Shaver; Barb Sullivan/Alysse Fireman; Barb Emerick/Kim Smith; Judy Wharton/Melissa Allen; Susan Stuckey/Amber Wadas; Stephanie Pentiuk/Kia Powers; Larry Pentiuk/ Jennifer Watson; Vivian Brown/Gianna Cirino; MarIa Gleason/Katy Land; Micki Soulen/Natalie Passarelli; Anita Beck/Mary Gianfagna; Sue Otten/Britny Fox; and Phyllis Bates/Mary Giardina.
The program goals are to help ensure the professional success and retention of promising new teachers; to mobilize OEA-Retired teachers as mentors for OEA-Student prospective teachers and those new to the profession; and to provide support, guidance, and advice to help less experienced teachers become effective in the classroom.