In The Latin Teacher, Hedrick and Hedrick rely on humor and experience to outline the problems of new teachers, and they proffer concrete solutions to make the first-year teaching experience easier. They use the characters “Nellie Newbie” and “Vera Veteran,” to exemplify the naiveté of the new teacher and the wisdom of the veteran. Through these characters’ interactions they demonstrate successful strategies for professional mentoring relationships.

Introduction
Meet Nellie Newbie
Meet Vera Veteran
Nellie's First Day
Nellie's First Day 2

The Teacher Talks
Problems Faced by New Teachers
Consequences of Failure to Solve Problems Faced by New Teachers
Responsibilities of College Instructors
Responsibilities of Veteran Teachers

The Principal Talks
Responsibilities of the Administrator
Orientation
Mentoring
Scheduling Considerations

Conclusion
Another Look at Nellie and Vera
A Little Support
Conclusion
Authors