The Roles of Site-Based Mentors in Educational Leadership Programs.
This study focused on whether the roles of site based mentors in an educational leadership program were successfully completed. Three hundred eleven internship candidates' portfolios were reviewed to determine whether mentors essentially performed the tasks of collaboration, supervision, and evaluation of their protegees portfolios. ********** They have a normal head ... eyes to view the good and bad that happen in their surroundings; ears to listen for cues that ensure only the best for all in their presence; a nose that "smells" trouble, but strives to share the breath of success; a mouth that encourages, corrects, speaks when necessary and is silent when appropriate. They have one head with all the normal sensory parts, but wear multiple hats as organizers, schedulers, arbitrators, chaperones, and disciplinarians. Their "hats" include instruction, modeling, evaluating, and visioning. They are male and female. Who are these individuals and what do they do? To school districts they are educational leaders ... principals, curriculum directors, and superintendents. They are the leaders of their organizations and are ultimately charged with ensuring success for the pupils and teachers they serve. To universities' educational leadership programs they are mentors. They are the heart and soul of successful internship programs for candidates who are seeking to enter the career path of educational leadership (Darling-Hammond, Myerson, LaPointe & Orr, 2010). American Heritage College Dictionary (1993) defines mentor as "a wise trusted council or teacher (p.851)." For individuals who are seeking careers in educational leadership as principals, program directors and superintendents, it has been determined by the university programs who prepare them that mentors are essential to the process. It is mentors who provide authentic leadership experiences for leadership candidates by placing them in leadership situations within the school setting (Dickinson, McBride, Milligan & Nichols, 2003). Mentors who wear many hats also have multiple expectations from their proteges. When surveyed in regard to how mentors perceived their roles Alsbury and Hackman (2006) indicated that "most mentors responded with the same four points, including: (a) listening, rather than advising; (b) asking reflective questions rather than giving answers; (c) maintaining frequent contact with the protege while taking responsibility for initiating the communication; and (d) providing encouragement, empathy, and support as opposed to specific content knowledge and skills (Alsbury and Hackman, p. 181)." According to Burkman, Garrett-Staib, and Laub, (2011-2012), greater challenges for educational leadership programs could possibly be preparing individuals for leadership roles in rural school districts. There appears to be a disconnect for aspiring leaders who are in rural locales: Rural public school educational leaders are confronted with a variety of unique governance challenges, causing many of them to leave public education. Retirements, employment opportunities in suburban and urban school districts, and an underdeveloped pool of qualified applicants to draw from leave many rural school districts with a void of effective educational leaders. Clearly, it is difficult to achieve effectiveness in rural schools when constant change in school leadership occurs. As such, it is becoming increasingly clear that today's rural school educational leader must possess skills and competencies beyond the traditional gate-keeping chores and logistical demands that occupied most of the typical school day of the past. (p.66). Agencies that accredit educational leadership programs recognize the importance of internships and the mentors who supervise them as essential components. National Policy Board for Educational Administration (2011) mandates that all of their endorsed programs provide at least 350 hours of sustained internship experiences to candidates who are enrolled and seek graduation from universities' educational leadership programs. …