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Introduction
Introduction
Developing mentors is arguably one of the most important investments a school district can make. Outstanding mentors become the face of the district and the profession for new teachers. In the accompanying model, mentors are also full-time classroom teachers. These peer mentors are teaching just like the new teachers (mentees) and able to relate to them in a way that administrative mentors cannot.
Developing mentors is arguably one of the most important investments a school district can make. Outstanding mentors become the face of the district and the profession for new teachers. In the accompanying model, mentors are also full-time classroom teachers. These peer mentors are teaching just like the new teachers (mentees) and able to relate to them in a way that administrative mentors cannot.
While many of the duties of mentors and coaches overlap, mentors fill unique and specific roles .In the traditional sense, coaches provide academic support and have a tether to evaluation of new teachers. Importantly, mentors lack this evaluation connection while still providing professional (and personal) support for mentees. They both provide guidance, moral and professional support, and aim to increase the success of new teachers. The intention of this toolkit is to provide mentors with a high-quality mentoring process AND develop their skills as mentors specific to support new STEM teachers in their school building.
While many of the duties of mentors and coaches overlap, mentors fill unique and specific roles .In the traditional sense, coaches provide academic support and have a tether to evaluation of new teachers. Importantly, mentors lack this evaluation connection while still providing professional (and personal) support for mentees. They both provide guidance, moral and professional support, and aim to increase the success of new teachers. The intention of this toolkit is to provide mentors with a high-quality mentoring process AND develop their skills as mentors specific to support new STEM teachers in their school building.
Mentoring Process
Mentoring Process
Ask: What types of support do new STEM teachers need as they embark on their first year?
Engage: Use this new STEM teacher self-assessment with your mentee to identify a baseline for their STEM instruction and development.
Action: The self-assessment will drive new teacher and mentor work throughout the year.
Ask: How can a mentor support a new teacher in setting goals and reflecting on their progress?
Engage: Explore this section to understand how to have a goal setting conversation with your new teachers and create a coaching work plan.
Action: Use the new teacher self-assessment to be a jumping off point for a goal-setting conversation with your new teacher!
Ask: How can a mentor provide actionable feedback to develop a new teacher's reflective practice and improve their instruction?
Engage: Review a variety of feedback techniques to use with your new teacher based on their experience and growth.
Action: Support new teachers in their progress toward their goals through coaching conversations, resource sharing, observational cycles, and facilitative questioning to build reflective practice .
Mentor Development
Mentor Development
Ask: What is the experience of a new teacher like?
Engage: Read over the research based development phases of the first year of teaching to understand the unique needs of new teachers.
Action: Develop your knowledge of new teacher needs and use them during your mentor support, this is crucial to the success of your new teacher!
Ask: How do I grow in my own mentoring practice?
Engage: Mentor development is incredibly important. Review these tools around mentor best practice.
Action: Identify a tool or strategy that aligns to an area of growth for your own mentoring. Try out the strategy with your new teacher and reflect on your impact as a mentor.
Ask: What tools and resources are available to increase my mentoring capacity in STEM?
Engage: Review the STEM specific resources to increase mentoring capacity.
Action: Identify a resource to target an area of focus for both mentor and mentee. After using the resource, reflect on how it...
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