Mentor Teachers
College of the Desert currently has 16 Mentor Teachers through the CA ECE Mentor Program and several teachers at the McCarthy Family Child Development and Training Center who serve students for the lab placement courses. These teachers must meet rigorous requirements to be selected through an intensive selection process and if selected, meet monthly to hone their skills as Mentor Teachers.
The College of the Desert Mentor Program has determined it will keep the Mentor and Director Mentor application process open year round. We will meet twice a year, in January and in April to review applications.
Mentor Teachers must meeting the following minimum qualifications:
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No fewer than two years of experience teaching in an ECE environment (experience need not be all in one setting)
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Current employment in an ECE site with no fewer than three hours per day, five days per week spent with the same group of children
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Completion of a degree or certificate in Early Childhood Education, including at least one course in supervised student teaching or direct assessment
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Eligibility for the Master Teacher Level, or higher, of the California Child Development Permit Matrix
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Completion of an Adult Supervision (Mentor Teacher) course
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Submission of an appropriate Environment Rating Scale (e.g., ECERS-R, ITERS-R) on your site or classroom in preparation to discuss with Selection Committee members
A list of Mentor Teachers is made available to students enrolled in ECE practicum courses (ECE 46a and ECE 47) For more information about the Mentor Teachers and Mentor Teacher Program, contact the Mentor Coordinator at COD: Professor Wendy Hinrichs Sanders, e-mail: wsanders@collegeofthedesert.edu
MENTORS AVAILABLE FOR ANY FAMILY CHILD CARE TEACHER IN BIRTH-THREE YEAR OLD PROGRAMS.
The CA Early Childhood Mentor Program has a special program to help FAMILY CHILD CARE teachers serving children from birth to three years of age. Mentor Teachers through the COD program can assist anyone in the Coachella Valley teaching or directing programs that serve those children. If you are interested in receiving assistance in your TEACHING of infants and toddlers, click on this --> Request form and submit it to Professor Wendy Hinrichs Sanders at the address at the bottom of this page.
APPLY TO BECOME A MENTOR TEACHER
Mentor fact sheet
Mentor Application checklist
If you wish to apply to be a Mentor Teacher, complete the Mentor Application or apply for re-certification and then submit it to:
Professor Wendy Hinrichs Sanders, Mentor Coordinator
College of the Desert
43-500 Monterey Avenue BNC Rm 14
Palm Desert, CA 92260
