Mentoring Matters: Roles, Responsibilities, and Relationships

1. Mentoring Matters: Roles, Responsibilities, and Relationships Alabama Teacher Mentoring Program: Training #1 Alabama Governor’s Commission on State Department of Education Quality Teaching

2. Objectives Participants will • become familiar with two parts of the Framework for the Alabama Teacher Mentor (ATM) program • begin to establish a vision for successful induction of beginning teachers • commit to mentoring • review skills in communications, especially those that promote reflection • join a network of mentor-teachers

3. Agenda: Mentoring Matters • Overview: Goals, Agenda, Norms, Warm-up • Introduction to Alabama Quality Teaching Standards (AQTS) • The Mentor Mission: Rationale for Mentoring • Major Challenges: Reflecting on the “First Year” of Teaching. Arenas of work for the mentor • Expectations of Mentor Role; Training Overview • Developing Relationships/Fostering Reflection

4. Group Norms • Be a learner—be open to new ideas. • Respect others—listen to understand. • Ask questions—seek clarification. • Keep things confidential within the group. • Have fun!

5. Bingo Find someone to sign and answer each of the squares on your Bingo card. (No one can answer more than one of the squares on your card.) Complete all squares to score “Bingo”!

6. Why Mentoring?

7. Why Mentoring? • More importantly, to provide a “helping hand” so that beginning teachers develop into effective teachers —as soon as possible.

8. Why Mentoring? • Of the in-school factors that affect learning, the quality of teaching is the most important by far. Marzano, Robert J. What Works in Schools: Translating Research into Action. 2003. • What teachers do—and don’t do—affects student learning outcomes. • Mentors can help beginning teachers develop into quality teachers.

9. Setting a Vision of Quality Teaching • If you walked into that teacher’s classroom, what would you see to let you know that he or she was effective? • What would the teacher be doing? • What would they have done before and after each lesson that contributed to their effectiveness? • What would you see in the classroom that would make you know, “THIS IS QUALITY”? Write legibly and use just a few words. List each idea on a separate post-it.

10. In your groups • Share-Around your ideas. • One person begin by sharing one Post-it idea. • Move around the table, with each person sharing one idea. • Look for commonalities. In the middle of your table, on easel paper, create “clusters” of ideas that are similar. • Name each cluster.

11. Alabama Quality Teaching Standards • Developed by the Governor’s Commission on Quality Teaching, 2007 • Based on research about effective teaching • Adopted by the Alabama State Board of Education

12. Alabama Quality Teaching Standards • A framework for thinking about quality teaching • Provides a common reference, shared vocabulary • Relates to ALL levels of teaching (K-12) and ALL content areas

13. Uses of Alabama Quality Teaching Standards • Teacher preparation • Supervising student teachers • Teacher recruitment and hiring • Mentoring beginning teachers • Structuring professional development

14. Alabama Quality Teaching Standards • Standard 1: Content Knowledge • Standard 2: Teaching and Learning • Standard 3: Literacy • Standard 4: Diversity • Standard 5: Professionalism

15. AQTS: JigsawCooperative Learning • At your table, number off from 1 to 5. • Your number matches the standard to which you are assigned to learn more so that you can share with other members of your group.

16. AQTS: Jigsaw In your expert groups, • Review your assigned standard. • Read the description, the rationale, and the key indicators. • Create a definition (in your own words) for this standard. • What would it look like? What evidence would you look for? How would you know if it is in place? • Look for sample ideas you generated in the last activity. • Be prepared to present to the other members of your original table group.

17. Alabama Quality Teaching Standards Standard 1: Content Knowledge Teachers have deep knowledge of the academic discipline they are teaching, facilitate students’ understanding of the subject, and know the state standards and district curriculum for subjects taught.

18. Alabama Quality Teaching Standards • Standard 1: Content Knowledge • Academic Discipline(s) • Curriculum

19. Alabama Quality Teaching Standards Standard 2: Teaching and Learning In a classroom environment conducive to learning, teachers use “best practice” instructional and assessment strategies appropriate to the students.

20. Alabama Quality Teaching Standards Standard 2: Teaching and Learning • Human Development • Organization and Management • Learning Environment • Instructional Strategies • Assessment

21. Alabama Quality Teaching Standards Standard 3: Literacy Teachers model and teach effective oral and written communication, integrating basic reading, math and technology as appropriate.

22. Alabama Quality Teaching Standards • Standard 3: Literacy • Oral and Written Communication • Reading • Mathematics • Technology

23. Alabama Quality Teaching Standards Standard 4: Diversity Teachers differentiate instruction in ways that exhibit a deep understanding of cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds; second language learning; special needs; and learning styles.

24. Alabama Quality Teaching Standards • Standard 4: Diversity • Cultural, Ethnic and Social Diversity • Language Diversity • Special Needs • Learning Styles • General

25. Alabama Quality Teaching Standards Standard 5: Professionalism Teachers engage in continuous learning and self-improvement through collaboration with colleagues.

26. Alabama Quality Teaching Standards • Standard 5: Professionalism • Collaboration • Continuous, Lifelong Professional Learning • Alabama-Specific Improvement Initiatives • School Improvement • Ethics • Local, State, Federal Laws and Policies

27. Checking For Understanding • Numbered Heads Together • Number off at your table from 1-5. • Use your handout, “Standards in Action.”

28. Checking For Understanding • As I direct your attention to a statement, get with others in your home group to decide: To which of the standards does this relate most closely? • Be ready to respond and give a rationale for your selection.

29. Mentoring Mission • To help support beginning teachers as they develop the skills and confidence to become quality teachers

30. Why Mentors? • “Induction” for beginning teachers relates to support, guidance, and orientation programs; can be in the form of classes, workshops, seminars, or mentors • Since 1990’s, mentoring has become the dominant form of induction.

31. Some of the Facts: Beginning Teachers • “In teaching, new entrants, fresh out of professional training, assume the exact same responsibilities as 20-year veterans…” “Support for Beginning Teachers must Become a Top Priority” Working Toward Excellence: A Newsletter of the Best Practices Center, Fall 2001.

32. Some of the Facts: Beginning Teachers • Attrition in the first five years among beginning teachers is between 40%-50% --Ingersoll and Kralik, 2004

33. Some of the Facts: Beginning Teachers • Initiation of new teachers has traditionally been “sink or swim” In a survey of 1st and 2nd year teachers in Alabama: • < 40% said they had received help in establishing relationships with colleagues and managing class time • > 80% wanted assistance through professional development and an assigned mentor teacher (2000)

34. Final Word • Read the excerpt from “Support for Beginning Teachers Must Become a Top Priority.” • As you read, select three ideas that are interesting or seem important to you. Underline or highlight them so you can refer to them later. • Be prepared to talk about why you think they are important.

35. The Final Word In your group… • Select a facilitator, who will keep your group on track—following the protocol. • Select a timekeeper, who has a watch with a second-hand and can multi-task (listen and talk and keep track of time.) • Select a volunteer, who agrees to introduce an idea first.

36. The Final Word The protocol… • One person volunteers to “lead off”—taking up to three minutes to talk about one idea. • Moving in clockwise fashion, every member, in turn, responds for up to one minute. • The opening speaker has one minute for “the final word.” • Repeat the above process for the next person.

37. The Final Word • Listen actively. • Be open to what each speaker is saying. • Take notes. • Speak only when it is your turn.

38. Debrief the Final Word • Why might we have used this process rather than (1) lecture or (2) read and discuss at your tables?

39. Mentoring Mission • What can we do to ease the difficulties that beginning teachers face during the first year?

40. About the major challenges that beginning teachers will face this year. It may help for you to remember your first year as a teacher—and the feelings and difficulties that you confronted at that time. Individually, make a list of the challenges that you expect teachers will face. List at least three. ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ Let’s think together… Challenges Faced by Beginning Teachers

41. Give One…Get One • Stand up and find a partner. • Listen as your partner shares one of his or her ideas. If you don’t have that, add it to your list. • Be sure to share at least one idea with your partner that is new to his or her list. • If you both have the same items, create a new idea that you can both add.

42. Give One…Get One • Move to a new partner every time the leader calls time. From each partner, get a new idea to add to your list…and give one from your list.

43. ? Needs of new teachers ? ? What Help Do New Teachers Need?

44. Alabama Teacher Mentoring Program: Spheres of Activity Classroom School Personal

45. Application of the Spheres of Activity Classroom School Personal

46. Expectations for Mentoring: “Say Something” • Find your handout, “Expectations for Participants in Alabama Teacher Mentoring Program.” • Now find a partner. • Read through the first section, “Every new teacher in Alabama can expect to:” • When you finish, turn to your partner and say something about what you read; listen as they say something to you about what every new teacher in Alabama can expect.

47. Expectations for Mentoring • Now read the second section, “Every teacher mentor in Alabama can expect to…” • Say something to your partner about what you read; listen as they say something to you about what every teacher mentor in Alabama can expect.

48. Expectations for Mentoring: What is “Ongoing Training?” • Mentor consultants (from the Regional Inservice Centers) and mentor liaisons (from the LEA) will provide training to mentor teachers.

49. Expectations for Mentoring: What is “Ongoing Training?” • Network of learners: • Participating in face-to-face training opportunities • Sharing experiences • Learning from and supporting one another • Staying current and on target with responsibilities

50. Expectations for Mentoring: What is “Ongoing Training?” Proposed sessions: • Roles, Responsibilities and Relationships (1 day, August) • Coaching for a High-Performance Learning Environment (4 hours, October) • Assessing for Increased Student Achievement (3 hours, December) • Increasing Student Engagement (3 hours, February) • Connecting Students to the Content (3 hours, April/May)