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Mentoring Program

Why Mentor?

Despite the growing diversity of their populations, the ethnic composition of state and local educational leadership administration systems has remained virtually unchanged over the last few decades. For Latino and Latina leaders, access to information, visibility, and prospects to develop and grow as professionals are examples of opportunity dimensions that are not sufficiently available to them, even to this day.

We have to address the low number of Latina and Latino school and district administrators in a time of rapid ethnic and demographic transformation.

Experiences that Latinas and Latinos face as educational leaders are unlike those of the current dominant educational leadership group, and many of these experiences are a result of stereotypes that have been passed down from one generation to another, often persisting without a sense of the damage such false impressions can cause.

For these reasons, TALAS established the Latino and Latina mentoring program in Texas. The first meeting was held in 2014 in conjunction with the UT/TASA Summer Conference on Education.

Goals

Develop a structured mentoring program that will serve and support Latino school and district administrators

  • Provide a support system for Latino leaders serving as school site and district administrators
  • Provide networking opportunities for all members of the association
  • Provide additional mentoring opportunities for enriched staff development activities
  • Provide mentoring opportunities for aspiring Latino educators

Develop a cadre of Latino Educational Leaders who are:

  • Competent
  • Confident
  • Credible

Join the Program Today!

To submit your application, follow one of the links below. You may also contact Lucio Calzada, our Director of Mentoring, at 512.695.6713 or [email protected].

Guidelines

Participation

While the decision to participate in the mentoring program is voluntary, once accepted to the program, protégés and mentors are expected to attend all program events and activities.

Engagement

Mentors and protégés are expected to make a minimum of two contacts per month. Contacts may be in person and/or by telephone, Skype, Jigsaw, or email.

Commitment

Mentors and protégés must agree to a minimum two-year commitment.

Attendance

Mentors and protégés must commit to a minimum of four meetings with the entire cohort during a one-year period. All meetings will coincide with TASA’s scheduled conferences (TASA/TASB Convention, TASA Midwinter Conference, and UT/TASA Summer Conference on Education).

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Benefits

  • Diminished sense of isolation because mentoring is a mutual learning relationship
  • Faster learning curve and absence of cultural stereotypes
  • Greater access to strategic alliances through networking
  • Increased likelihood of success and sustainability of leadership position
  • Greater numbers = greater voice in educational policy decisions

It is an illusion that the hearts of men and women can be transformed while the social structure that makes those hearts sick are left intact and unchanged.