Effective Mentoring in the Individual School Setting David Combs, Hardin Valley Academy Tod Evans, Hardin Valley Elementary Katie Lutton, Central High School

 “I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.”  Maya Angleou Mentoring: One Perspective

 “Teacher Retention in Tennessee: Are We Keeping our Best Teachers” (Policy Brief, May 2014)  81.5% of teachers were retained in the same school last year  Early career teachers are retained at lower rates across the board, and highly effective early career teachers are more likely to change schools or districts than the typical highly effective teacher.  For schools where teachers agree that the evaluation process was used effectively (as indicated in the TELL survey), 85% of school’s teachers are retained.  For schools where teachers did not agree that the evaluation process was used effectively, 73% of school’s teachers are retained. What the Current Research Says

 For new teachers hired in , the one-year retention of teachers in the county was 79.1%. This could be due to several factors.  The average one-year retention rate over the last four years is 81.6%--resembling the state’s findings in the policy brief.  It is important now more than ever to promote a supportive mentorship of your new teachers! Knox County Statistics

Mentor Patron or Protector Sponsor or Benefactor Counselor, Advisor, or Guide Teacher or Coach Role Model, Peer Pal, or Supporter Mentoring within the Profession: The Vision (Mertz, 2004, p.551) Full Induction (Mentoring) Career Advancement (Brokering) Professional Development (Advising) Psychosocial Development (Modeling) INTENTLEVEL OF INTENSITY ROLE

Protégé Mentor Principal Mentoring Matrix of Support Increased student achievement Induction Supervision

 Program Details  Vision & Operational Guidelines  Program Materials  Setting up the program, pairing mentors/protégés, monthly “to do” items, celebrating accomplishments  Program Forms  Program & Budget Form Mentor Manual

KCS Mentoring Budget

1.Work with your CMT and to determine your school’s priorities. The funds should always be directed toward supporting those priorities. 2.Determine 3-5 activities during the year aligned with your priorities. 3.Estimate the money you need for each activity & budget accordingly. Spending Your Allocation

 Can pay for: each (stipend + benefits) PD materials Speakers Professional books Educational goody bag materials (school supplies, school- themed shirts, etc.) After-school or weekend trainings each (pay + benefits)  Funds cannot pay for: Food & drinks Incentives (personal items for goody bags or after-school events) Budget Items

You have decided to quit your job and leave Knox County. You are determined to open your own school under your own rules. This school is “for profit” and will be competing with Knox County. With these factors in mind, address the following questions: -What types of teachers would you hire? Why? -Who, from your school, would you take with you? Why? - How would you keep these teachers you have hired and recruited? IMAGINE…

 Vision/Set of Beliefs  Your Team  Know What You Need To Do So What Do You Need to Start A Mentor Team?

 What do you want your Mentor Core Team to be?  Work with Administration  What is your community?  What are your school’s strengths and weaknesses?  In what ways could you address these strengths and weakness when you prepare new teachers? Vision

 Look at your school yearbook for the past five years. Keep a tally and list of names of teachers who have left the school. Work with the administration to identify the reasons why these teachers left. Separate the reasons into two categories, “Those You Can Control” and “Those in Which You Have No Control.” Focus your MCT efforts only on the issues that you can control. That is your vision. HOMEWORK ACTIVITY:

 Small- Facebook’s “Two Pizza Team”  An Administrator  Vision  Buy-In  Information about Mentors and Needs  Interviews the New Teachers  Develop/Communicate Expectations  NOT just Mentors  Different backgrounds, content, perspectives  Visionaries and All-Stars  Active but NOT overworked YOUR TEAM

 Separate New Teachers from New to You Teachers  What are the differences between the needs of those two groups? What You Need To Do:

 Pick and Train Mentors:  If Possible, Use the Same Content Area  Visionaries  Expectations  Reflective Coaching  3:45’s for the First Several Weeks (forms, fees, organization, planning, TEAM rubric)  See the New Teachers Teach  CONTINUALLY REMIND THEM OF WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. What You Need To Do:

 Professional Development  Breakfast Bonanzas  Reflection Fridays  Create a MCT Handbook for New Teachers  Use Katie Lutton’s Money  Substitutes  Book Studies  Professional Development SOME IDEAS

 Action Teams  Community and School Connection/Character Education Action Team  Safety, Health and Security Action Team  Technology Action Team  Hospitality Action Team  Curriculum/RTI Action Team  CORE Lead Mentors  PLC Development Team  Grade level/department chairs At Hardin Valley Elementary…

 1 st Tuesday of month: Leadership Team  2 nd Tuesday of month: Staff meeting  3 rd Tuesday of month: Action Team meetings  4 th Tuesday of month: Training-Miscellaneous  Creating/using a building-level questionnaire Organization & Needs Assessment

 How do you structure your mentor program?  What is your criteria in choosing mentor teachers?  Describe how you differentiate mentoring needs of Tier I and Tier II teachers.  How do you handle your budget allocation?  How do you align your mentor sessions to schoolwide goals? Some Questions