Skip to content

Mentoring Program

The WCBVI Mentoring Program began in 2016 as a way to support new and returning teachers of the blind and visually impaired and orientation and mobility specialists in Wisconsin. 

The mentoring program matches newly licensed teachers of the visually impaired (TVIs), first year TVIs and Orientation & Mobility specialists (O&Ms) who have completed an approved program, and TVIs and O&Ms who are new to the state or re-entering the profession, with experienced vision professionals in Wisconsin schools.

This program strives to provide a mentor through the first year of employment and for one entire school year beyond the completion of all training and certification requirements.

“Thank you so much for this program! The greatest benefit was the increase in my confidence to use the skills that I have learned”.


“This experience has been so helpful in many ways. As a new teacher with little experience, my mentor shared a lot of valuable information that I had not gotten  anywhere else. This enabled  me to grow professionally as well as personally”.

Why do new TVIs and O&Ms need a mentoring program?

The mentoring program is designed to train credentialed participants in the practice of mentoring teachers new to the field, and to assist the new teacher in the transition from novice to professional. 

Working with students who have visual impairments is unique because the Teacher of the Visually Impaired or the Orientation and Mobility Specialist: 

  • Works with students aged birth to twenty-one with a wide range of visual, cognitive, and physical abilities.
  • Is often the only vision professional employed in a school district, frequently isolated from colleagues who could provide knowledgeable support. 
  • Might be collaborating with other teachers, health professionals, and administrators who might be unfamiliar with the needs of this low-incidence population.
  • Is meeting the demands of a fast-paced job that requires flexibility and creativity with unique students, environments, and schedules.

Please visit our events page for information regarding Outreach upcoming events.

For questions about the WCBVI Mentoring Program, please send an email to: wcbvi.outreach@wcbvi.k12.wi.us