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Mentoring Program

WCBVI Mentoring Program 

The WCBVI Mentoring Program began in 2016 to support new and returning Teachers of the Blind and Visually Impaired (TVIs) and Orientation & Mobility Specialists (O&Ms) across Wisconsin. 

The program pairs experienced vision professionals with: 

  • Newly licensed TVIs. 
  • First-year TVIs and O&Ms who have completed an approved preparation program. 
  • TVIs and O&Ms who are new to Wisconsin or re-entering the profession. 

These professionals are matched with mentors currently working in Wisconsin schools. 

The program strives to provide mentoring throughout the first year of employment, with the option to continue for a second year. If a protégé is still enrolled in a preparation or training program, mentoring support continues until all training and certification requirements are met. 

Feedback About the Mentoring Program 

“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: 

  • Prepare credentialed participants to serve as effective mentors. 
  • Support new professionals as they transition from novice to confident practitioners. 

Working with students who are blind or visually impaired is unique because the TVI or O&M: 

  • Works with students from birth through age 21, representing a wide range of visual, cognitive, and physical abilities. 
  • Is often the only vision professional in a school district and may experience professional isolation. 
  • Collaborates with teachers, related service providers, and administrators who may be unfamiliar with the needs of students with visual impairments. 
  • Manages a fast-paced role that requires flexibility, creativity, and adaptability across varied students, environments, and schedules 

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