Mentoring Teachertoteacher

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Mentoring Teacher-to-teacher
Caring Is the Key

• Summarized and prepared for
• chapter programs by the
• International Professional Affairs Committee
• (2006-2008)

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When school begins

• New teachers are expected to perform essentially
  the same tasks as experienced veterans
  
• Trial-by-fire method welcomes them into the
  teaching profession
  

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When school begins

• Now, consider that the National Commission on
  Teaching and Americas Future (2000) found
  
• 25 of new teachers leave within their first
  three years
  
• 30 leave within their first 5 years nationally
• 50 leave within their first 5 years in urban
  areas

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Mentoring Teacher-to-teacher

• Making connections and being mentored is
  mentioned as the 1 Protective Factor affecting
  resiliency the ability to rebound and adapt to
  adverse situations.
• (Werner Emily E., and Ruth S. Smith, Overcoming
  the Odds High Risk Children from Birth )
  

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Mentoring Teacher-to-teacher

• A caring one-on-one relationship with another
  adult encourages
  
• Self-motivation
• Competency
• Flexibility
• Independence
• These are the same factors that promote
  resiliency.

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The Story of Mentor from Homers
Odyssey

• Mentor is charged by the King of Ithaca,
  Odysseus, to care for the household and serve as
  teacher and overseer of his son Telemachus while
  the king fights in the Trojan War. Later, Mentor
  accompanies Telemachus in his search for his
  father so father and son can protect their
  throne. In time, the word Mentor became
  synonymous with trusted advisor, friend, teacher,
  and wise person.
• As Ithacas throne was Telemachus birthright,
  each of us has a birthright to be all that we can
  be. Mentors are those special, caring people in
  our lives who, through their deeds and words,
  help us move toward fulfilling that potential.

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Reflect for a moment on these known facts

• Name the five wealthiest people in the world
• Name the last five Heisman Trophy winners
• Name the last five winners of the Miss America
  contest
  
• Name ten people who have won the Nobel or
  Pulitzer prize
  
• Name the last half-dozen Academy Award winners
  for best actor and actress
  
• Name the last decades World Series winners

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How did you do?

• The point is that few of us remember the
  headlines of yesterday. There are no second-rate
  achievers. They are all the best in their
  fields.
• But, the applause dies. Awards tarnish.
  Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and
  certificates are buried with their owners.

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Heres another quiz See how you do on
this one

• List a few teachers who aided your journey
  through school
  
• Name three friends who have helped you through a
  difficult time
  
• Name five people who have taught you something
  worthwhile
  
• Think of a few people who have made you feel
  appreciated and special
  
• Think of five people with whom you enjoy spending
  time
  
• Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have
  inspired you

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Easier?

• The lesson
• The people who made the difference in your life
  are not the ones with the most credentials, the
  most money, or the most awards. They are the
  ones who care.
• People dont care how much you know, until they
  know how much you care.
  
• John C. Maxwell

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Informal Mentors

• Many states have mandated, formal mentoring
  programs.
  
• Society members, however, can become informal
  mentors. Their role could be trusted friend,
  experienced colleague, and sharer of wisdom,
  suggestions, and humor.
• Delta Kappa Gamma members have the
  characteristics necessary to become mentors or
  dealers of hope. If you can bestow that gift
  on others, they will be forever grateful.

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The Many Roles of a Mentor

• Supporter
• Listener
• Resource
• Advisor
• Coach
• Colleague
• The word mentor, in historical usage, connotes
  trust, confidence, and unwavering commitment to
  another. It is often used interchangeably with
  counselor, guide, tutor, or coach. These suggest
  deep and long term relationships, rather than
  superficial and short term.

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What kind of support does a new teacher need?
ASK!

• First-time teachers dont just start a new job
  once, they experience a whole year of firsts
  starting school, report cards, parent
  conferences, holiday parties, curriculum writing,
  etc.

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Additional Responsibilities of a mentor

• Build trust and support
• Meet regularly and often, formally and
  informally
  
• Communicate about the school culture, climate,
  policies, procedures
  
• Interpret the curriculum and establish priorities
  in teaching
  
• Function as a sounding board and a mirror
• Be non-evaluative
• Model professionalism
• Provide a supportive, positive, and optimistic
  climate

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The mentee may be

• Young adult in a first teaching position
• Older adult making a career change
• Experienced teacher returning after several
  years absence
  
• Experienced teacher in a new assignment
• The mentee needs a mentor who is
• Accessible
• Wise
• Flexible
• Accommodating

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Small, but easy, mentor actions

• Smile A LOT
• Spend time with the mentee
• Give more positive feedback than fault-finding
• Offer encouragement
• Use eye contact
• Your candle loses nothing when it lights
• another. John C. Maxwell
• No person has ever been honored for what (s)he
• received. Honor has been the reward for what
• (s)he gave. Calvin Coolidge

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Chapter Mentoring Activities

• Educate chapter members so they understand the
  challenges new teachers face and the importance
  of providing support and encouragement for them
  
• Develop a plan linking retired teachers with
  novice teachers establish a chapter committee to
  solicit retired teachers as volunteers in a
  classroom one hour a week
• Invite new teachers to chapter meetings focusing
  on educational issues

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Chapter Mentoring Activities

• Hold a welcome tea for new teachers in schools
  represented in the chapter or district
  
• Serve brunch/snacks at a beginning of the year
  teachers meeting, telling about your chapters
  desire to mentor and asking how to help
  
• Collect books to donate to the staff collection
  or a new teachers library

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More Mentoring Activities

• Invite new teachers to chapter, area, state, and
  Society events
  
• Provide a Welcome Basket for new teachers
  including things not usually supplied by the
  school (stickers, post-its, colored chalk, etc.)
  
• Compile chapter members experiences and helpful
  hints publish them in a booklet for new teachers

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More Mentoring Activities

• Compile information on exciting activities, songs
  and art projects to give to new teachers invite
  new teachers to a chapter meeting to demonstrate
  techniques and some of the ideas
• Give tips for surviving first day, first week,
  first month, first conferences, etc.
  
• Provide Saturday or after school workshops for
  new teachers

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Individual Member Mentoring

• Help a new teacher get ready for the first day
  and week of school
  
• When you are getting supplies for your classroom,
  get supplies for a new teacher
  
• Have lunch with a new teacher
• Volunteer to cover yard duty/recess when a new
  teacher feels stressed or needs a break

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Individual Member Mentoring

• Be a Big Sister to a new teacher
• Retiring soon? Give your materials and ideas to
  a new teacher at your school
  
• Be available to listen to the ideas and
  frustrations of a new teacher

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Retired Member Mentoring

• Volunteer in a classroom as a story reader or
  chaperone for field trips
  
• Make a weekly visit in a classroom to give
  one-on-one attention to a needy student
  
• Volunteer in a classroom at strategic times of
  the year help with setting up the classroom,
  test practice or student assessments at the
  beginning or end of the year

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Meet, Greet, and Share . . . A Sample Program

• Schedule a brief after-school meeting for chapter
  members and new teachers
  
• Ask each person to bring 1) a funny classroom
  memory or 2) a favorite teaching resource
  
• Share memories, as well as resources, while
  enjoying snacks and beverages together
  
• Ensure time for thorough resource discussions,
  including how or when they have been used,
  practical tips for their use, and how/where to
  locate them

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Build-on Ideas for Meet, Greet, and Share

• Capture memories and resources in a journal for
  future reference, sharing, expansion, and
  publication
  
• Gather and share 3 X 5 card reactions to the
  statement What I know now that I wish I had
  known then for feedback, discussion, or journal
  inclusion
• Use Meet, Greet, and Share for a mentor and
  mentee support group meeting

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Questions for Discussion

• In the opinion of chapter members
• What are a new teachers greatest needs?
• How can a mentor fill those needs?
• How can our chapter, as a whole, help new
  teachers?
  
• How can individual members help new teachers?

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More Questions

• Who will lead our mentoring efforts?
• Who will mentor new teachers from with the
  schools? How?
  
• Who will support new teachers from outside of the
  school? How?

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Lets Create Our Plan

• Who will be responsible for organizing our
  mentoring efforts?
  
• What activities will we begin with?
• Who will contact and coordinate with the
  schools?
  
• What is our timeline?
• How will we evaluate the success of our mentoring
  efforts?

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For More Complete Information

• Visit the
• International Professional Affairs Committee Page
  
  
• On the website
• www.deltakappagamma.net
• Numerous articles and PowerPoint presentations
  are available for you at that site.

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Mentoring Teacher-to-teacher

• THE END

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