Mentor Program Design
Mentor Training and Support
Sharing Workshops for New Teachers

Tom began his career as an English teacher in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  He has served as a consultant for organizations both in the United States (Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Wisconsin) and outside the United States (Bermuda, Finland, Jamaica, Sweden).  He has trained mentors for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, school districts and Cooperative Educational Service Agencies in Wisconsin, Baltimore (Maryland) County Public Schools, and the Ministry of Education in Bermuda.  In addition, Tom has facilitated Sharing Workshops for New Teachers at conventions and conferences, and for school districts.

Tom has specialized in mentoring and mentor programs for new teachers since 1989.  He has made presentations at meetings of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Educational Research Association, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Association of Teacher Educators, Chancellor Beacon Academies, International Mentoring Association, Joint Board for Teacher Education (the Bahamas, Belize and Jamaica), Kappa Delta Pi, Mid-Western Educational Research Association, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Council for the Social Studies, National Council of Teachers of English, National Foundation for the Improvement of Education, National School Board Association, National Staff Development Council, Performance Institute, and Phi Delta Kappa.  Tom is a member of the National Advisory Board for two National Science Foundation projects focusing on mathematics and science teacher induction in the United States and a judge for the NEA/Saturn/UAW Partnership Award recognizing exemplary mentoring programs.

Tom's articles have appeared in many publications, including American School Board Journal, A Better Beginning: Supporting and Mentoring New Teachers, Clearing House, Contemporary Education, Educational Forum, Journal of Staff Development, Kappa Delta Pi Record, Phi Delta Kappan, Mentoring & Tutoring, National Association of Elementary School Principals Streamlined Seminar, National Association of Secondary School Principals Bulletin and Practitioner, The High School Magazine, New Teacher Advocate, Principal, Principal Leadership, Pro Principal, Schools in the Middle, and The Teacher Educator.  Many of his conference papers are accessible through the ERIC system.  Tom has been interviewed by reporters from the Houston Chronicle, Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel, Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report, Catalyst for Cleveland Schools, and Studerandelöpsedeln, a publication of the Swedish teachers’ union, Läräförbundet.

Tom is an associate professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and directs the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Beginning Teacher Assistance Program.  From 1990 to 2000, the program was offered as a service to local school districts.  Today, the program focuses on building the capacity of school districts to design, implement, and evaluate their own mentor program for new teachers.