Please respond to the above prompt in a few sentences. We will share large groups as soon as you finished gathering your thoughts.
You may also write about it from the perspective of one who was mentored. For example, I was mentored in 1996/97. I also had the experience of mentoring 2 social studies teachers.
As a relatively new teacher (I just completed year 4), my experience is as a mentee, most recently through the teacher induction program.
ReplyDeleteMy school-assigned mentor was excellent and she completed a lot of observations and offered me a lot of feedback, however she was teaching a different environment (LS reading with very small groups to my whole-class required-for-every-9th-grader). I felt then (and still feel!) that it would have been more productive to have a mentor who was teaching a whole class even in a different subject (like English). I ended up going to the English teachers for advice and help on my own.
I also had a problem because I was placed into the induction program in my first full year teaching, which was NOT my first year teaching. I started at the end of October in my first year and they made the decision to wait to put me into induction until the following year. This led to a situation for me where I spent a lot of time in the year I completed induction saying 'this would have been really helpful last year' or 'maybe I could have avoided Mistake X if I'd had this last year' and other variations on the theme.
(This login is Jen.)
I have never been a mentor for a new teacher. I was mentored during the 2002/2003 school year. My mentor and I had to attend a few meetings in York after school. We were also given a binder that included some paperwork to complete. We had to log our hours spent together discussing how things were going. Once the number of hours had been completed, we turned it in with a few other checklist type pages to the administration office. The only other requirement I had to fulfill was to observe three other teachers and write a small paragraph about what I liked, learned, etc. The district did not provide my mentor and I much guidance. Many of our questions were answered by other teachers. Having a mentor was a great benefit to me. It's definitely helpful for first year teachers.
ReplyDeletetesting
ReplyDeleteI was mentored by a fantastic teacher. She taught me a lot about teaching from setting up my classroom, to management techniques, to dealing with parents. She helped me a great deal my first year of teaching and my second year until I got moved to a new building. I was always able to approach her and ask her any questions without feeling inadequate at my job. She had a positive way of answering my questions and making me feel good with what I already completed. However, there were times when I felt overwhelmed with her help. When setting up my classroom, she wanted our rooms to be identical down to where we kept our papers/books/materials for each day. I thanked her for her input, but felt my way of organization worked better for me. She didn't agree with that and actually moved my things around to match her room. I politely waited until she left and put it back the way I wanted it. This taught me that if I become a mentor to a new teacher, I want to share ideas/concerns/comments but in a way that just gives advice rather than controlling them. It is his/her classroom, not mine. I would just be there to offer my words of wisdom.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was mentored - many years ago - my mentor definitely took a hands-off approach. I believe he felt I just went through student teaching and therefore as long as he helped me with the nuts and bolts of Hanover (i.e. - see the secretaries to get needed supplies) that I would be good to go. He did help with a few discipline problems that first year, but never really discussed a specific classroom discipline plan.
ReplyDeleteSince being mentored - I have had the experience of working with 2 new teachers - one brand new and one transferring here after a year and a half experience. The mentee who had experience went real well. She was also in the science area and that helped. I also worked beside her and therefore was able to quickly respond to questions and she could easily bounce ideas off of me. She's still beside me after 15 years or so. The other mentee did not go so well. He was in the business department and not located close to me in the school - a big detriment. I did not set up nearly enough meetings with him and he simply became overwhelmed and walked away from teaching - This is a good example of how NOT to be a mentor teacher.
I was mentored in 1996/97 after working in the district for 3 years as a teaching assistant. I already knew most of the ins and outs of the program and what was expected of me in the district.
ReplyDeleteThen in 1998/99 I had the opportunity to be a mentor and I enjoyed that experience. I was able to help the new teacher with the ins and outs of the district. We attended several workshops throughout the year as part of the county wide mentor program. Those programs were basically the same as when I went through 2 years before. I would have liked it if they would have changed the presenters. For the new teacher having someone to talk to and share the concerns was a very positive thing. We also discussed what was working well and how to keep things going.
My first year teaching in 2002 was an experience I would discribe as "buckle up". My mentor was a great guy, but he worked a second job right after school unitl 10pm. We did not have much time to discuss, converse, or share many ideas. Most of the time that we talked, I created a list of questions and rattled them off to him at hyperspeed. Another problem was that we did not have a common planning time due to class schedules. However, I know he would have helped me anyway possible. The most effective time we spent together was going to several classes in the evening at Gettysburg High school, which gave us some time to share and reflect together.
ReplyDeleteJen- I agree with you in that it would have been more beneficial for you to have been a part of the mentor program your first year of teaching, even if it was not for the entire year. We had a pairing of two teachers in different grades a few years ago (K paired with 3rd grade). I know that was not very effective for either teacher. It is certainly beneficial for both teachers if they are in the same grade or at least teach common subject areas.
ReplyDeleteI do not have experience mentoring teachers in a mentoring program. I was mentored in my first year of teaching here at Hanover and I do not think it was a great experience. I had a lot to do as a new teacher and the last thing I needed was another meeting or more work! It did give me another teacher to go to if I had questions. I have enjoyed being a cooperating teacher, however, and I would definitely do that again. I also have enjoyed interacting and observing other teachers on a more informal basis.
ReplyDeleteDrew-
ReplyDeleteIt seems like our mentors were complete opposites. You didn't have much time with your mentor while I had a ton of time with mine. Sometimes too much! A common thread though is that they would do anything possible to help us become effective teachers.
Kevin - I agree that you should be in the same dept. and also in the same area of the building. I was at the other of the building when I was a mentee and was hard to get together with the teacher. As a mentor I was across the hall and it made it so much easier for her to come to me or for me to see what was going on in her classroom.
ReplyDeleteBryn - the experience with the mentor sounds interesting - It certainly is nice to get guidance but to be told everything (and that there is only one way to do things) does not seem to be productive. I think you would make a good mentor now - knowing suggestions to give, but certainly realizing they are just suggestions.
ReplyDeleteHey Kevin, Was that your last mentee? HAHA could have happened to anyone, not his cup of tea.
ReplyDeleteBryn -
ReplyDeleteI would be really frustrated if someone was trying to help me by telling me exactly how to do things. It sounds like your mentor was definitely someone who thought there was only one right way to do things.
Hey Bryant, sounds familiar. I think the program has changed a little. I didn't find it a real big help.
ReplyDeleteBryn, yeah I guess that is what really matters!
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