Art Educators of Iowa Mentoring
for 1st Year Teachers

In the summer of 2007, AEI members met with the Iowa Alliance for Arts Education to form a partnership program that will provide an opportunity for every first year art teacher to have a mentor in the same content area. 

Mentors are volunteers who are AEI members.  They are either currently teaching art or have retired from teaching visual art.

The AEI Mentor Program is designed to enhance, not supplant, any established district/state mentoring programs.  The program is discipline specific.  Mentoring is tailored to the specific teacher and teaching situation.  There is an opportunity for first year art teachers to attend the fall AEI conference, to begin to establish a professional network, and to have a veteran teacher visit the classroom and share insights with the first year teacher.

• Monthly email or phone contacts.
• Two or more “face-to face” visits with your mentor(s).
• Optional classroom visit from your mentor or an observation mentor.
• Up to $250 to use to attend the AEI Fall Conference. New teachers IN THE MENTOR PROGRAM can register for the conference and join AEI for free.  The conference committee will then apply to IAAE to be reimbursed for their registration and dues.  New teachers can apply to be reimbursed for mileage and motel fees.  The total amount cannot exceed $250.
• Mentors will receive stipends for observation visits to first year teachers.
• No cost to the local district.

Use the forms available here to apply to have a mentor or to be a mentor.

First year teachers, apply for a mentor.   AEI members, apply to be a mentor.

Mentoring Reimbursement Form Google Document Word Document
IAAE Observation Summary Google Word
AEI Mentor Yearend Summary Google Word

For more information,
contact Chris Noel, AEI Mentoring Chair             csnoel@yahoo.com