Working with Novice Teachers: A Handbook for Mentors

Working with Novice Teachers: A Handbook for Mentors 2012 2013 Hallsville R-IV School District John Robertson, Superintendent

Mentoring Novice Teachers Handbook Introduction The Induction Program for Novice Teachers Hallsville R-IV Schools has implemented a systematic and intensive induction program that offers multiple layers of ongoing support to all teachers new to the district. This program provides structured professional development, peer mentoring, coaching, and collaboration to new faculty members. The district Professional Development Committee, building principals, mentors, lead teachers, central office personnel, and other faculty members all play key roles in implementation of the program and in assuring the success of new teachers. Program Mission The mission of the new teacher induction program is to provide exemplary teachers for every student in the Hallsville R-IV School District. Program Goals The goals of the new teacher induction program are to: Increase student achievement and the overall quality of education received within the district. Develop common knowledge among teachers about and increase the implementation of research-supported instructional practices. Ease the transition into teaching within the Hallsville R-IV School District. Retain exemplary teachers. Program Overview In addition to the supports and professional development opportunities provided to all district faculty, new teachers with fewer than three years of contracted teaching experience prior to beginning at Hallsville will be afforded the following additional supports: Year One Receive professional development on building/district instructional programs and frameworks. Attend New Teacher Academy, including professional development for new teachers. Participate in the two-year Professional Development Committee mentoring program. Participate in new teacher cohort sessions in September, October, November, December, February, and April. Receive systematic, ongoing support from the building principal, lead teachers, central office personnel, and other faculty members. Participate in three reciprocal mentor-protégé observations. Year Two Receive professional development on building/district instructional programs and frameworks. Participate in the two-year Professional Development Committee mentoring program. Participate in new teacher cohort sessions in September, December, and April. Receive ongoing support from the building principal, lead teachers, central office personnel, and other faculty members as needed. Hallsville R-IV School District

Mentoring Novice Teachers Handbook Overview The Mentoring Program for Novice Teachers All teachers new to the Hallsville R-IV School District will participate in a mentoring program. Teachers with fewer than three years of contracted teaching experience prior to beginning at Hallsville will participate in a mentoring program during their first two years. Mentor Selection The mentor serves as a coach, a trainer, a positive role model, a developer of talent, a resource, and a guide. The mentor never serves as an evaluator. Effective mentors possess the following characteristics: Strong interpersonal communication skills Ability to listen empathetically Understanding of reflective coaching models and methods Organizational skills Ability to prioritize Initiative Flexibility Patience Sense of humor Demonstrated commitment to her/his own ongoing professional development Strong sense of professionalism and commitment to ethical practice Recommended Criteria for Mentor Selection When selecting mentors for a new teacher, many criteria are considered. Effectiveness as a mentor and best fit to the new teacher override all other considerations as mentor/protégé matches are made. While every effort is made to adhere to the following guidelines when selecting mentors for new faculty members, exceptions are made at the discretion of the building principal in consultation with the Professional Development Committee and central office personnel. The mentor shall be: Excited about the prospect of assisting in the development of novice teachers. A certified, master educator with five or more years of contracted teaching experience. An exemplary teacher who exhibits the qualities of an effective mentor. Trustworthy, and able to maintain the confidentiality requisite to a high-quality mentor/protégé relationship. Open to continued training and professional development. Understanding of her/his role as helper, as opposed to evaluator. Located in close physical proximity to the new teacher. Hallsville R-IV School District

Mentoring Novice Teachers Handbook The Mentor Roles and Responsibilities The essence of mentoring is the relationship established between the mentor and protégé. The specific activities and strategies a mentor uses to assist her/his protégé are certainly important, but the quality of the mentor-protégé relationship will determine the success and effectiveness of the program. The primary task of the mentor is to establish a relationship with the protégé based on mutual trust, respect, support, and collegiality. Mentors provide support to teachers in areas such as these: Emotional support and encouragement Information on the daily workings of the school building a district Building procedures and expectations Cultural norms of the school community Planning for units, lessons, and classroom procedures Effective classroom management and research-based instructional practices Information on school, district, and community events Organization and time management Understanding district requirements (e.g., Professional Growth Plans, the PBTE process) District responsibilities (e.g., assigning grades, preparing for conferences, annual budgets) At the beginning of the school year, the mentor checks with her/his protégé on a daily basis and schedules weekly meetings (e.g., before/after school, over lunch, during shared planning time) for discussions and support. The mentor and protégé will maintain quarterly logs to document their accomplishments (samples are provided later in this handbook) and submit these to the Professional Development Committee or designated central office personnel on an established schedule. The Protégé The experienced teacher who begins teaching at Hallsville also has certain responsibilities to maintaining an effective mentor-protégé relationship. These include: Engaging in two-way professional dialogue with the mentor using both formal and informal communication methods. Establishing a relationship based on mutual respect and professionalism. Writing down questions and seeking answers to these from the mentor and other colleagues. Attending and documenting in-services and other professional development opportunities. Others Each mentor and new teacher will be provided ongoing support by members of the Professional Development Committee, building principal, central office personnel, and district lead teachers. Mentors and new teachers will be provided structured professional development and offered other support opportunities (cohort meetings, release time for reciprocal observations, etc.). Principals will provide formal feedback through the district s PBTE process. Hallsville R-IV School District

Mentoring Novice Teachers Handbook Self-Actualization Needs Esteem Needs Love and Belonging Needs Safety Needs Physiological Needs Remembering Maslow Who am I as a person? What is my destiny? What does it mean to be an excellent teacher? Is there anything to be proud of about our school? How often should I expect to hear a few words of encouragement? Have the students or teachers here achieved anything great? What can I do to help, so that I feel I have some significance in this place? Who are my colleagues? How will I get to know them? Who teaches in my grade level or department? Will anyone tell me about the unwritten rules of this school? Does anyone here care about me? Where do I park, and will it be safe to park there? Can I stay after school or come here on weekend? Is the building secure? Am I safe here? What do I do if something bad happens at school? Whom do I call? How? Where is my classroom? Where do I eat lunch and what will it cost? When do I get paid? What insurance benefits does my health insurance provide? When does first period begin? Can someone help me set up telephone and utility service in my new home? Hallsville R-IV School District

Mentoring Novice Teachers Handbook Effective Mentoring via Reflective Questioning An effective mentor is a special individual one who is not only competent in her/his field, but who has the ability to listen and to nurture. Just as an excellent teacher cannot solve all the problems her/his students face, the effective mentor cannot solve all problems for the protégé. Through collaboration, personal experience, and training, mentors can facilitate development of effective strategies for solving the problems that new faculty members experience as they transition to teaching at Hallsville. In many instances, your protégé will best be served by a mentor who listens without judgment or offering unsolicited advice. When you feel obliged to respond to your protégé or when s/he specifically requests a response or advice it is advisable to first reflect on the following thought: When responding to your protégé, a question is often better than a statement. Of course, certain questions and circumstances require a single correct response. There are likely only a few helpful answers to a question such as Where is the photocopy machine? Likewise, if your protégé expressed suspicion that a student is suffering from abuse or neglect, we are legally required to respond in a manner such as this: This must be reported to the principal immediately. Would you like me to accompany you to meet with her/him? In many instances, however, questions and discussion topics will address areas where there are many valid and educationally sound approaches that are primarily a matter of style classroom management, lesson planning, differentiation techniques, or assessment methods, to provide a few examples. In such instances, the mentor should guide the protégé toward making her/his own decision, so long as such decisions are based in research-supported best practices. These ends can be reached using reflective questioning or cognitive coaching methods. Reflective questioning is a technique in which the mentor asks questions designed to encourage the protégé to discuss and analyze her/his practice. Asking reflective questions allows the mentor to initiate conversations that encourage critical thinking and prompts the protégé to explore and formalize her/his own ideas on teaching. To use reflective questioning techniques most effectively: Ask open-ended questions based on your protégé s immediate experience Follow up with questions that elicit more information or encourage deeper thought Resist the temptation to offer advice Some examples of reflective questioning initial prompts: Tell me about how you are planning to start the year. What routines will you establish with the students? What are your plans for our upcoming parent-teacher conferences? You mentioned that you re planning a new unit. What diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment techniques are you considering using? Hallsville R-IV School District

Mentoring Novice Teachers Handbook Top Ten Tips for Effective Mentoring 1. Actively listen to the protégé, demonstrate acceptance, and don t judge. The most important role a mentor can assume is that of empathetic listener. New teachers need someone who will listen without judgment and who will offer advice only when asked. Talking to a trusted mentor is often primarily a means to sorting out one s feelings and ideas about teaching developing a philosophy of teaching by thinking out loud. 2. Model confidentiality, professional ethics, and decorum to establish trust. The effectiveness of any mentor-protégé relationship is determined in large part by the establishment of trust. Trust is vital if open and sincere two-way communication is to take place. Mentors can go a long way to establishing this sort of trusting relationship by modeling confidentiality, professional ethics, and decorum. If the protégé witnesses her/his mentor routinely engaged in gossip, for example, the protégé will most certainly assume that her/his struggles are also being shared with others; this would reasonably lead to a chilling effect and reduce or even eliminate the honest discussions that are critical in the mentoring relationship. Modeling such professionalism at all times will reassure your protégé that her/his questions and problems will remain between the two of you. 3. Encourage your protégé to ask questions. Isolation is a long-standing problem in the field of education, yet teaching is much too important to go it alone. Let your protégé know that no one including yourself has all of the answers and that asking questions is not only acceptable, it is vital to teacher success. Seeking answers to our professional questions collaboratively is the heart of PLC work. 4. Model positive strategies for managing stress and difficult circumstances/situations. Teaching is a stressful career, and teachers need to find positive means to coping with such stress. Share the things you do to take care of yourself. Strategies like exercise, writing in a journal, and setting aside ample time for sleep are all excellent ways to maintain a healthy balance and mitigate the effects of work-related stress. 5. Invite your protégé to grow as a professional. Many teachers do not participate in professional organizations or attend conferences because they are unsure of any required commitments or the processes used to become involved. Invite your protégé to attend a professional conference or an organizational meeting. Also encourage your protégé to get involved in collaborative book studies or take a course that will improve her/his professional practice, as continuous professional learning is key to increasing student achievement. 6. Share strategies for differentiating instruction to meet the needs of students. Even veteran teachers are routinely surprised by the diversity of the students in their classrooms. Teachers need to know where to turn for help with modifying instruction, assignments, and assessments to meet the needs of all students in their classes. Hallsville R-IV School District

Mentoring Novice Teachers Handbook 7. Engage your protégé in discussions on effective instruction and research-supported practices. Holding routine discussions on educational best practices will go a long way toward ensuring that your protégé doesn t fall into safe practices that are not supported by research. Conversations on unit and lesson construction using a backward design approach, formative assessment processes, and effective questioning techniques will prove beneficial to both mentor and protégé. Your protégé who may have just completed college courses that included recent insights on educational research and best practices will likely teach the mentor something new, as well! 8. Model exemplary organization and time management skills and strategies. As we know, time management and organization are critical to teaching effectiveness. Share your best tips and secrets on how you schedule your day to complete all your workrelated duties (e.g., planning, grading, teaching, coaching, completing reports) and still allow for relaxation and meaningful time to connect with family and friends, how you keep papers and materials organized, and how you stay on top of communication with students, parents, and colleagues. 9. Assist your protégé in locating instructional supplies and resources. Teachers often spend an exorbitant amount of their own money on instructional supplies. Point your protégé toward shared instructional resources and supplies, and suggest other means to acquiring needed items (e.g., writing to parents directly often produces generous results). Also, share content-specific instructional materials with your protégé, and acquaint her/him with your building s professional library. 10. Perform reciprocal observations and dialogue about what was observed. Watching one another teach and debriefing afterward can be a powerful means to discussing topics critical to student learning everything from classroom management to effective lesson design, developing rapport with students to assessment techniques. At first, these reciprocal observations will be more valuable if they are focused on a single issue. Over time, broaden the scope of the observations to multiple topics in a single visit. Hallsville R-IV School District

Mentoring Novice Teachers Handbook Monthly Discussion Topics / Activity Ideas for Mentor and Protégé August / September Activity Ideas Establish a scheduled weekly time (30-minute to one hour) for discussions Take a tour of the building Introduce the new teacher to other faculty members and building staff Provide orientation to the local community Review classroom management plans, rules, procedures, and physical arrangement Demonstrate use of the copy machine, including advanced features Review the district calendar, noting important dates (e.g., midterm, quarter, conferences) Conduct the first round of reciprocal mentor-protégé class observations and debriefing Discussion Topics Teacher parking locations Attendance and computerized grade book procedures and use School norms and social traditions Obtaining supplies and procedures for obtaining instructional materials Clerical procedures (which secretary takes care of what) Purchase orders, purchase cards use, and monthly purchase card paperwork Maintaining building security by locking up in evenings and on weekends Building discipline referral expectations and procedures Leave request (sick, personal, professional leave) procedures and paperwork Preparing for a substitute teacher (routine and emergency plans) Computer lab locations and procedures for scheduling use AV / computer equipment available (e.g., SMART boards) and checkout procedures Midterm dates, expectations, and procedures Establishing and maintaining productive communication with parents Effective unit and lesson planning Curriculum, curriculum maps and pacing District, building, and grade level/department curriculum materials and teaching resources Advisory and academic support programs Effective uses of homework Professional Growth Plans and the Professional Development Plan Hallsville R-IV School District

Mentoring Novice Teachers Handbook Monthly Discussion Topics / Activity Ideas for Mentor and Protégé October Activity Ideas Review a set of unit plans and discuss related issues (e.g., pacing, variety, assessment) Introduce the new teacher to central office and other key district personnel Discussion Topics Parent-teacher conferences (format, structures, planning for effective conferences) Grades and report cards (dates/deadlines, expectations, and procedures) PLC structures, expectations, and corollary questions Identifying Essential Learning Outcomes and using backward design to plan units/lessons Student motivation and engagement Providing effective feedback to students Classroom and behavior management strategies Managing instructional tasks, time management, and maintaining a healthy balance Standardized student assessments and building academic intervention systems/structures Grade level and/or departmental activities for the year Individual building events and issues (including holidays) School traditions and assemblies Performance Based Teacher Evaluation (PBTE) processes and procedures Faculty professional development activities and opportunities (both on and off campus) Professional Growth Plans and the Professional Development Plan Hallsville R-IV School District

Mentoring Novice Teachers Handbook Monthly Discussion Topics / Activity Ideas for Mentor and Protégé November Activity Ideas Conduct the second round of reciprocal mentor-protégé class observations and debriefing Discussion Topics Following up on parent-teacher conferences and maintaining communication with home Inclement weather (how snow days impact the calendar, SchoolReach, calling charts) Leave request (sick, personal, professional leave) procedures and paperwork Preparing for a substitute teacher (routine and emergency plans) Midterm dates, expectations, and procedures Effective questioning techniques for student engagement and to promote critical thinking Promoting school spirit among students and teachers State testing EOC only (schedule, upcoming training, protocols, expectations) Professional Growth Plans and the Professional Development Plan December Discussion Topics School traditions, events, and related district policies (e.g., holiday events/activities) Strategies for maintaining student motivation and engagement School, classroom procedures for ending the semester Grades and report cards Introduce budget procedures and planning Professional Growth Plans and the Professional Development Plan Hallsville R-IV School District

Mentoring Novice Teachers Handbook Monthly Discussion Topics / Activity Ideas for Mentor and Protégé January Activity Ideas Establish a scheduled weekly or bi-weekly time (30-minute to one hour) for discussions Review and debrief on the first semester Review and revise second semester goals for student learning Discussion Topics District, building, and grade level/department curriculum materials and teaching resources Promoting positive relationships among students and teachers Second semester events and activities Faculty professional development activities and opportunities (both on and off campus) Professional Growth Plans and the Professional Development Plan February Activity Ideas Conduct the final round of reciprocal mentor-protégé class observations and debriefing Discussion Topics Use of community resources, guest speakers Maintaining effective classroom management and student discipline procedures Submitting requests for academic field trips Share literature, research readings, professional journals, professional organizations info Professional Growth Plans and the Professional Development Plan Hallsville R-IV School District

Mentoring Novice Teachers Handbook Monthly Discussion Topics / Activity Ideas for Mentor and Protégé March / April Discussion Topics Prioritizing essential learning outcomes and de-emphasizing less critical objectives Parent-teacher conferences (format, structures, planning for effective conferences) Using spring break as a time for relaxation and rejuvenation State testing MAP/EOC (schedule, upcoming training, protocols, expectations) School spring events, activities, and traditions Teacher contracts Introduction to end of the year procedures Faculty summer professional development activities and opportunities Summer school (enrollment window, schedule, applying to teach) May Activity Ideas Celebrate the end of a successful year (e.g., dinner, gift, public recognition) Review and debrief on the school year Discussion Topics Strategies for maintaining student motivation and engagement Procedures for ending the year Final grades, report cards, and awarding of course credit End of the year traditions, awards/recognition ceremonies, and graduation activities Curricular revisions/updates and Curriculum Camp Summer school for students and teachers Hallsville R-IV School District

Mentoring Novice Teachers Handbook Protégé-Mentor Log First Quarter Once an activity has been accomplished, please list the date of completion. Activity!!!!!!!!!! Date Participated in New Teacher Academy!!!!!! Made contact daily (before/after school, over lunch, during conference hour)! Established and followed a schedule for longer weekly meetings!!! Discussed relevant items in the Monthly Discussion Topics / Activity Ideas!! Discussed requirements for Professional Growth Plan & in-service hours!! Discussed Performance Based Teacher Evaluation (PBTE) processes!! Discussed grading, using a grade book, computing and reporting grades!! Prepared for first quarter parent-teacher (elem) / student-led (sec) conferences! Conducted reciprocal observations!!!!!!! Additional activities / Comments Signatures verify that we have accomplished the activities above. Mentor!!!!!!! Protégé!!! (printed name)!!!!! (printed name)!!! (signature/date)!!!!! (signature/date) Hallsville R-IV School District

Mentoring Novice Teachers Handbook Protégé-Mentor Log Second Quarter Once an activity has been accomplished, please list the date of completion. Activity!!!!!!!!!! Date Made regular contact (before/after school, over lunch, during conference hour)! Maintained a schedule for longer weekly/bi-weekly meetings!!! Discussed relevant items in the Monthly Discussion Topics / Activity Ideas!! Discussed next school year s budgeting procedures and time line!!! Reviewed first quarter grades and parent-teacher / student-led conferences! Shared educational, instructional, and professional resources!!! Discussed professional development opportunities!!!!! Conducted second round of reciprocal observations!!!! Additional activities / Comments Signatures verify that we have accomplished the activities above. Mentor!!!!!!! Protégé!!! (printed name)!!!!! (printed name)!!! (signature/date)!!!!! (signature/date) Hallsville R-IV School District

Mentoring Novice Teachers Handbook Protégé-Mentor Log Third Quarter Once an activity has been accomplished, please list the date of completion. Activity!!!!!!!!!! Date Made regular contact (before/after school, over lunch, during conference hour)! Maintained a schedule for longer bi-weekly/monthly meetings!!! Discussed relevant items in the Monthly Discussion Topics / Activity Ideas!! Reviewed requirements for Professional Growth Plan & in-service hours!! Shared educational, instructional, and professional resources!!! Celebrated a success by! Prepared for third quarter parent-teacher (elem) / student-led (sec) conferences! Conducted final round of reciprocal observations!!!!! Additional activities / Comments Signatures verify that we have accomplished the activities above. Mentor!!!!!!! Protégé!!! (printed name)!!!!! (printed name)!!! (signature/date)!!!!! (signature/date) Hallsville R-IV School District

Mentoring Novice Teachers Handbook Protégé-Mentor Log Fourth Quarter Once an activity has been accomplished, please list the date of completion. Activity!!!!!!!!!! Date Made regular contact (before/after school, over lunch, during conference hour)! Maintained a schedule for longer bi-weekly/monthly meetings!!! Discussed relevant items in the Monthly Discussion Topics / Activity Ideas!! Finished Professional Growth Plan & logged in-service/pd hours (for PDC)! Discussed possible goals for next year s Professional Growth Plan!! Shared educational, instructional, and professional resources!!! Celebrated a success by! Completed and submitted mentoring program evaluation!!!! Additional activities / Comments Signatures verify that we have accomplished the activities above. Mentor!!!!!!! Protégé!!! (printed name)!!!!! (printed name)!!! (signature/date)!!!!! (signature/date) Hallsville R-IV School District