Reaching out to the next generation
Retiree mentors help pave the professional path for novice teachers 

Brigid Gerace believes that people should devote themselves to a good cause. Hers is helping new teachers make a smooth entry to the profession. As a retired member of the Chicago Teachers Union and a former elementary school teacher, Gerace spends most of her time sharing what she has learned with beginning classroom teachers.

An AFT report, "Meeting the Challenge: Recruiting and Retaining Teachers in Hard-to-Staff Schools,"  says that mentoring can keep new teachers by helping them to survive and thrive in these school environments.

There are numerous union-supported programs nationwide that rely on active and retired members to mentor teachers new to the profession.

"The profession has changed," notes Gerace. "In a lot of ways, it's harder for teachers today. Many feel isolated in the classroom because they have no time to network with their colleagues. After 34 years of teaching I have a lot to share from my little bag of tricks."
Gerace mentors new teachers through the Golden Apple Teacher Academy, run by the Chicago-based Golden Apple Foundation, which each year honors 10 area teachers for excellence in teaching; Gerace was honored in 1991.

"New teachers come to the profession full of energy. They start off excited but get disillusioned very quickly," says Gerace. "My job is to make sure that they get off to a good start and don't sabotage themselves. I try to help them to understand how to manage the classroom as well as their fears."

Gerace retired from teaching first- and third-graders in 1999, but returned to mentor because she was concerned about the high attrition rates for new teachers in Chicago. Having worked for several years with AFT's Educational Research and Dissemination (ER&D) program through CTU's Quest Center , Gerace wanted to help.

Gerace currently is working with five new teachers, helping them to set goals and observing their progress.

"Mentoring gives me an amazing sense of satisfaction and a feeling that I am still contributing to the profession," Gerace says, also noting that she hopes her contributions will persuade other retirees to become mentors.

"Retirees are the most effective mentors" because we've been where new teachers are now," she explains. Gerace knows that mentoring may not be for everyone, but she believes retirees are a great resource in helping meet the needs of public education. "There are all kinds of gaps in the public school system that need to be filled," she says.