Welcome to Mentor Training Training for Mentors in Learning Focused Relationships

Mentoring, like teaching, is not a recipe. It is an ongoing process.

In giving of yourself and your expertise - hopefully, in turn, you will be professionally energized and enriched.

The main purpose of this mentor training is to help you develop mutually meaningful ‘learner focused’ relationships with your protégés.

Key Components of an Effective Mentoring Program Clearly defined purpose –To develop a learner focused relationship between mentor and protégé that will: Provide emotional safety necessary to build trust Provide opportunity for reciprocal growth and learning Improve student learning Be integral to the implementation of school and district initiatives

The Learner-Focused Relationship “In a learning-centered classroom students are continuously engaged in assessing their own work and giving their classmates feedback on their work. They, of course, have to be taught to give feedback and to self assess. They then need to be given opportunities to self adjust based on what they learn from the self assessment.” These same principles hold true for the effective learner-focused relationship you hope to build as a mentor with your protégé.

According to surveys of research literature, the major concerns of most new teachers include classroom management, student motivation, differentiation for individual student needs, assessment and evaluation of learning, and dealing effectively with parents. (Britton, Paine, and Paigen, 1999; Kurtz, 1983; Veenan, 1984)

The things that new teachers find most problematic are the things that come with time. (Renard, 2003)

New teachers must devote extra time to become experts in their subject areas or grade levels. (Renard, 2003)

Phases of First Year Teaching Aug.Anticipation Sept. Oct.Survival Nov. Dec.Disillusionment Jan Feb MarRejuvenation Apr MayReflection June JulAnticipation (See page 5)

Did you know…. 1/3 of beginning teachers quit within their first three years on the job? By one estimate, U.S. schools will need to hire from 1.7 million to 2.7 million new teachers in the next decade? (Hussar, 1999) Among the greatest challenges perceived by rookie teachers are: –Classroom management –Student motivation –Dealing with the individual differences among students –Assessing student work –Relations with parents

Did you know…. According to John Goodlad, two-thirds of all questions that teachers ask are at the recall level. What teachers know and can do is the most important influence on what students learn. Recruiting, preparing and retaining good teachers is the central strategy for improving our schools. Good mentor programs balance general principles of effective mentoring with unique strategies appropriate to different types of new teachers. Mentoring is perhaps the best way for veteran teachers to pass on the torch of their experiences - and wisdom - to the next generation of teachers.

Needs of New Teachers Support and Encouragement Empathy Be careful not to inundate Take their lead

Mentor’s three key functions: Offer support Create challenge Facilitate a professional vision

Continuum of Learning - Mentoring Stances Consult Collaborate Coach

Stages of the Mentoring Process: Direct stage Explain stage Share stage Delegate stage

“When it comes to knowledge sharing, the best companies are better than the best school systems. It is one of life’s great ironies; schools are in the business of teaching and learning, yet they are terrible at learning from each other. If they ever discover how to do this, their future is assured.” From Leading in a Culture of Change (Fullan, 2001)

Mentoring programs can be an effective means to foster learning from each other and creating this future where they can: Talk openly about their work with each other Visit each others’ classrooms Model professionalism Be reflective practitioners Actively engage learners Think aloud about their own learning

Trust Lines of Communication Protégé AdministratorsMentors PD Coordinator

Communication Meaning Proportion of meaning inferred from nonverbal and verbal components 65%35% Nonverbal ComponentsVerbal Components PosturePitch GestureVolume ProximityInflection Muscle tensionpace Facial ExpressionWords

The extent of your success as a mentor will depend to a great extent on how well you define and implement the roles you set forth together with your protégé.