One of the most valuable forms of input is to have a more experienced teacher spend time in your classroom and then offer “tricks of the trade” he or she learned over an entire career. That is what the IMEA Mentor Program has to offer. Although targeted to newer teachers, any IMEA member can request help. Services will be provided if funding is available.

Service to Teachers

IMEA Mentoring Program is targeted to new or inexperienced music teachers in school districts without a music administrator, but also more widely available as mentor time and funds allow. The service is meant to include school visitations and online or phone communications by a respected retired or highly experienced music educator.

Services could include, but not be limited to, encouraging attendance at IMEA conference, advice on literature selection, observing classes/rehearsals, classroom management advice, modeling rehearsal techniques of “tricks of the trade,” program/concert/festival preparation, advice on festival and All-State processes, organizational tips and acting as a general resource.

Process

Currently being updated. Please check back.

Funding

IMEA members are encouraged to contribute to the Mentor Fund on your conference registration form.

Request a Mentor or Volunteer to be a Mentor

To request a mentor or to volunteer to be a mentor, contact the IMEA Mentorship Chair

SDE 2023-24 Funding Request

This link is to the IMEA 2023-2024 Funding request for the Mentorship Program from the Idaho State Department of Education.

School Visits

• Three visits are recommended (more if teacher is really struggling).

First visit early in year; plan to stay the entire day to observe and give input/advice during prep, lunch and/ or after school.

Follow-up visits are based on what you see in the first visit. If teacher is, return soon (within a couple weeks). If not, maybe wait until holiday program/concert prep is well under way. Not necessary to stay entire day, but you may. Focus on weak areas and leave plenty of time to debrief. Feel free to conduct a portion of the lesson/rehearsal to model teaching concepts or classroom management.

Save one visit for 2-3 weeks prior to festival for H.S. teachers. Do mock festival: they perform, you clinic and help improve the performance, much as the adjudicator will do.

Interim Communications

• Communications after the visit are important. On your drive home, you will likely think of things that should have been said. Follow up with e-mail or phone calls on an on-going basis to answer questions, give encouragement.

Music Festival

• Festival is the cause of a great deal of angst for a beginning teacher. Knowledge is power. Here are ways to help.

Describe the festival process in detail

Help select literature during an early visit

Show the new teacher how to download festival forms from the IMEA website.

Determine their festival district and find out who the festival chair is.

Determine their festival dates

Encourage use of the rubrics to evaluate progress in rehearsals prior to festival.

Explain process and deadline for State Festival entries.

Counsel

• An important part of your mentoring is simply to provide advice and counsel. Be sure to understand that the new teacher is free to use your advice or ignore it, which reflects only on the choices the new teacher makes, not on the quality of the advice.

• Mentor Expense Form (pdf)

• Mentor Introduction Letter (docx)