Principle 9 - Humor One of a Kind ( Paula Amadeo, Fay Ebron, Kelley Hough & Cindy Wascavage)

Adults respond to humor in order to add a little levity to the seriousness of learning.

Implications/Considerations Mentors need to offer some comic relief for their mentees in order to help them make it through the day to day stress of a classroom. Sharing anecdotal stories about funny things students say or do helps teachers make it through a stressful day. Making light of a serious matter through cartoons can make it easier to get through a discouraging time. I think that all teachers need to add a bit of humor to their day. By posting a weekly cartoon or fun facts in the daily post that administrators send out to staff often is a way to add humor to the day. Sometimes the humorous cartoons, stories and quotes presented at professional development sessions give adult learners (educators) an opportunity to reflect on their effectiveness in a stress-free environment. “Jane came home from her first day at school. When asked about school she explained to her mother, ‘It was all right except for some lady named Teacher who kept spoiling our fun.’” Wouldn’t we as educators have loved for Jane to say, “I had fun learning stuff with some lady named Teacher.” Reflectively, an audience of educators should be asking themselves, “When was the last time my lesson sparked excitement in the students?”

Principle 10 - Feedback One of a Kind ( Paula Amadeo, Fay Ebron, Kelley Hough & Cindy Wascavage)

Mentors should provide nonjudgmental feedback that promotes communication, but must find the balance between consulting, collaborating and coaching.

Implications/Considerations People learn from mistakes, but if mistakes are never pointed out for fear of hurting the mentee’s feelings, then the opportunity for learning is lost. Finding a way to deliver feedback in a tactful way is something many people need to continue to develop. It also depends who our mentee is - some are eager to hear anything we have to say, while others are more fragile. New teachers need support and verbal praise. When administrators complete observations it is important to have the pre-conferences to explain what admin will be looking for when observing. At the post-conference, the administrator needs to begin with the positives and then move into the constructive criticism. The admin should also have suggestions and provide support. There should be a time during the conference for the new teacher to ask clarifying questions for improvement! There is a fine line between mentor and coach. In order to establish a relationship based on trust, the role of mentor needs to be clearly defined at the onset. This allows the first year teacher to understand if your role is supportive or evaluative.