Mentors

Mentor Expectations

Teacher educators planning to support students presenting at the "Future Is Now" session are expected to...

• ​communicate with Nick Thompson before inviting student presenters,
• ​submit presentation information when requested,
• assist their student(s) in preparing for the presentation(s),
• help their student(s) put together and submit a one-page handout,
• ask their student(s) to bring 25 copies of the handout to the presentation,
• promote the "Future Is Now" session prior to the GCTE Annual Convention,
• attend the GCTE session in support of the student presenter(s), and
• remind students to upload their presentation handouts when requested.

Student Information

A program will be created and provided for presenters and attendees by the session chairperson(s). A letter of invitation can be provided for student presenters by Nick Thompson if needed for funding purposes.

Presentation Content

The content of students' presentations is up to the individual teacher educators and their student(s). Topics for student presentations cross a broad spectrum, including but not limited to the following categories:

• ​​Pedagogy & Assessment
• Theory & Practice
• Research & Inquiry
• Literary Study & Textual Analysis
• Media & Digital Literacies
• Social Justice Issues
• Teaching Diverse Learners
• Language & Literacy
• Reading & Comprehension
• Writing & Revision
• Speaking & Listening
• Interdisciplinary Teaching
• Clinical Experiences

It is important to remember that student presenters are encouraged to focus on a single 21st-century teaching idea or research-driven pedagogical practice given the relatively short time for presentations (10-12 minutes per presentation). ​Teacher educators may also want to encourage their students to consider the convention theme, which can be found under in the "Call for Proposals" on the convention website.

Helpful Reminders

• Identify potential students
  • Focus on completed or soon-to-be completed class assignments, capstone projects, theses, and/or research projects
  • Identify and invite prospective, current, and/or former students
  • Consider undergraduate and graduate students (no doctoral students)
  • Consider elementary, middle, and high school pre-service teachers or recently graduated first-year teachers
  • Invite students to submit a proposal or application for faculty review if limited funding is available
• Promote GCTE as an opportunity for students’ professional growth
  • Motivate students to become members of GCTE
  • Encourage students to attend the conference
  • Support students in weighing the benefits and costs of missing classes, jobs, & other responsibilities
• Promote GCTE as an opportunity for students to find a professional community
  • Introduce students to NCTE journals, practitioner articles, research articles, policy briefs, resources, blogs, etc.
  • Familiarize students with GCTE and conference websites
  • Engage students in conversations with and/or about English education scholars prior to the convention
• Secure funding
  • Help students apply for internal/external funding
  • Encourage students to engage department, college, and/or university administration who might be supportive
  • Budget for costs such as student registration, travel, lodging, and food
  • Support fundraising efforts (e.g., GoFundMe) if necessary
• Prepare students to present at the "Future Is Now" session
  • Help students to develop presentations with a focus on practitioner, inquiry, or research experiences
  • Discuss with students what it means to present at a roundtable session​
  • Help students understand their audience: novice and experienced English teachers
  • Allow students to practice the 10-12 minute roundtable presentation with peers and/or department faculty
• Publicize student involvement prior to the GCTE Annual Convention
  • Publicize through department/college newsletter articles, social media, etc.
  • Encourage friends and colleagues to attend the "Future Is Now" session
• Scaffold the GCTE experience before the Annual Convention
  • Support students in their travel planning
  • Help students navigate the GCTE Annual Convention program
  • Model the convention experience by discussing your own planning process
  • Encourage students to keep a journal of new ideas and conference experiences
  • Instruct students to balance personal and professional experiences during the conference
• Engage students during the GCTE Annual Convention
  • Exchange contact information with student presenters so you can stay in touch
  • ​Introduce students to friends and colleagues
  • Provide social and networking opportunities
  • Connect students with peers from other universities
  • Encourage students to get out of their comfort zone as they consider which sessions to attend
  • Promote the use of social media to connect with other convention attendees
• Support students as they reflect on the GCTE experience
  • ​Promote reflection through writing
  • Promote reflection through sharing ideas and resources with students and faculty upon returning to campus
  • Promote reflection through social media engagement
  • Encourage students to write thank-you notes to funding sources
  • Encourage students to write a proposal for next year's conference
• Spread the news of student success
  • Highlight student achievements in your department/college newsletter
  • Highlight student achievements on your department/college website
  • Highlight student achievements on social media