e-Mentoring program connects seasoned pros
with novices

Teachers often tell their students that "there’s no such thing as a stupid question." But do teachers—especially new ones—heed their own advice?

Recognizing that inexperienced teachers will have questions they might not feel comfortable asking their more-seasoned peers or local mentors, Education Minnesota introduced e-Mentoring during the 2003-04 school year.

The Internet-based program, which was used by more than 200 novice teachers last year, pairs new teachers with master teachers in the same content areas, grade levels and school settings—urban, surburban, rural.

The program gives everyone who has access to a computer "some help that might otherwise only be available in the larger districts," says retiree Barbara Pihlgren-Warner, who has been an e-Mentor since the program’s inception.

One common question Pihlgren-Warner gets is about how to set boundaries "to get the workday to end every day." After 40-plus years of teaching in a number of environments, subject areas and grade levels (including early childhood, special education and students with learning disabilities), Pihlgren-Warner, who retired from the Minneapolis public school system in June 2004, is just the person to answer that question.

Working with the parents of students and addressing issues with administrators also are common topics, she says.

"The teacher who is doing the e-Mentoring is removed from the [situation] so you can be more candid."

"They like having a resource outside their [district]," says Louise Covert, the e-Mentoring program coordinator, because teachers can feel free to ask questions without worrying that they are being evaluated.

The program offers discussion forums, private virtual conference chat rooms and downloadable resources, including lesson plans and organizational tools. Pihlgren-Warner says her mentees often write her at night when they are having trouble sleeping.

"Because I am retired, I can respond pretty quickly," says Pihlgren-Warner. "It’s kind of like having a hot line for your Maytag washing machine."

The program is for members only, and is a component of the union’s Membership Vitality Program, which is Education Minnesota’s approach to engaging new, potential members.

"The program becomes stronger each year," says Covert, a former middle school and high school English teacher. She notes that "new teachers who are in isolated areas of the state where they may be the only science teacher, for example, are very grateful" for this extra resource.

See JoAnn run
Retiree discovers a surprising new career

Until she retired from Florida’s Dade County school system almost five years ago, JoAnn Sampson never had run a day in her life. Perhaps she should have given it a try sooner. In the past three years, running has earned her five gold medals and one silver as a senior athlete.

Sampson, a former elementary school teacher and member of the United Teachers of Dade (UTD) retiree chapter, discovered her hidden talent quite by accident.

"I was reading the paper and saw an ad for the Senior Games," she explained. She sent for an application and when she received it, she noticed the application listed dozens of events. "I checked the first event listed," says Sampson. It was the 100 meter race.

She panicked a bit when she realized she only had four months to train. "I had never done any sort of racing," says the Hallandale Beach resident.

Advised by a friend, Sampson began walking. She did it faithfully seven days a week. A month later she added yoga to her routine and began doing short sprints to build her speed.

Sampson brought home the gold in that first race. The win qualified her for the Senior Games state championship where she won the silver. So began a new career for a woman who never set foot on a track until her 60s.

"This just lets me know that God gives us all a talent. I’m so grateful and blessed," she says. "I feel a lot better than I did when I taught school. I’m competing and meeting all kinds of people.  It keeps me feeling young."

Although running is her new love, teaching is still in her heart. Sampson, who taught at Fredrick Douglass Elementary School, recently renewed her teaching certificate and does some substitute teaching from time to time. She also keeps her fellow retirees up-to-date on her medal count. "Anytime she wins a race I share it with our members in the newsletter," says Daneen Regna, who heads the UTD retiree chapter.

This past summer, Sampson traveled to Honolulu to take part in the USA Championships, where she ran with some of the fastest women in the 60 to 64 age range.

She placed sixth and picked up a few pointers from several racing veterans.

Even though she placed sixth, her time of 17:38 qualified her for the World Masters Championship in San Sebastian, Spain. Lack of funds kept Sampson from attending that race, however.

Right now she’s training for her next event, saving money and looking for sponsors to keep her racing.