1	Williamson County Mentor Leader Website Slide show from October 2004 Training Session at Kenrose (p.2-25) Mentor Leader Training from April 2005 at Centennial (p.26-28) New for 2005-2006 (p.29-30) Research articles/web sites (p.31)
2	Mentor Leader Training October 4, 2004 (In-service slide show)
3	Why Mentor? Tennessee loses almost half of its new teachers in their first five years. A mentor can assist a new teacher as he/she develops desirable teacher characteristics. New teachers with mentors become more effective in the classroom resulting in higher student achievement. Mentors receive big “payoffs.”
4	Remembering Those Who Mentored Us Think of someone who mentored you. Write some of the characteristics that made the relationship work. Write one characteristic per Post-it note and put it on the chart at your table. As a group, discuss and put similar characteristics together by categories.
5	Responsibilities of a Mentor Leader Work with your principal to: Establish school goals for mentoring Find experienced teachers who are willing to be mentors Decide if transfer teachers will be mentored Plan event(s) to welcome and introduce mentors to mentees
6	1. Train mentors to work with new teachers by: Building trusting relationships Discussing the culture of the school, policies, procedures, traditions, etc. Offering opportunities to discuss areas of concern Offering to observe or be observed for focused concerns Teaching reflective listening
7	2. Plan activities throughout the year for new teachers and mentors Address curriculum concerns Address concerns about evaluations, conferences, reporting grades, testing,etc. Celebrate achievements and milestones Support at difficult junctures (October, before spring break, end of the year)
8	3. Carry out the goals in the Mentoring Program Checklist Building Relationships Teacher Resources and Usage Procedures Assessment Planning Special Services Handbooks Safety and Security Community Information
9	4. Checklists and Stipend Forms Mentee and Mentor initial and sign the checklists. Principal signs the checklists. Return checklists and stipend forms to Michelle Contich.
10	It has been said that….
11	Characteristics of an Effective Mentoring Relationship Mentoring is a voluntary interaction established from a relationship of trust, mutual affinity and respect. It has a life cycle: Introduction, mutual trust-building, teaching of risk-taking, communication, professional skills, transfer of professional standards, dissolution.
12	Characteristics of an Effective Mentoring Relationship cont.
13	Characteristics of an Effective Mentoring Relationship cont.
14	Effective Mentors… Are secure Have expertise and power Are people-oriented Like and trust their mentees Take a personal interest in the novice’s career Help the new teacher gain self-confidence in becoming self-directed Remain passionate about teaching
15	How to match mentors and mentees Women -> Women, Men -> Men Similar ethnicity, if possible Same grade level or subject Self-selection is better than assignment
16	Phases of Growth and Development of New Teachers Pre-teaching phase of no concerns. Early concerns about (their own) survival: personal adequacy, whether they will be liked Management and teaching task concerns: time pressures, developing teaching materials, honing teaching strategies Impact concerns: social and emotional needs of students, being fair, alternate ways of teaching content, matching teaching strategies to student needs
17	Additional Concerns… Teaching evaluation: How will I be evaluated? Value to the school: Am I preparing my students adequately for the next class? Staff relations: Do other teachers like me and think I’m doing a good job? Parent relations: Do parents see me as qualified and caring? Professional growth: Am I developing as a teacher as quickly as I should? Time management: How do I balance my personal and professional life?
18	Characteristics of Adult Learners Adults are motivated to learn as they experience needs and interests that learning will satisfy; therefore, these needs and interests are appropriate starting points for organizing adult learning activities.
19	Characteristics of Adult Learners cont.
20	Characteristics of Adult Learners cont.
21	Practice Empathic Communication Skills Focus on understanding the beginning teacher’s feelings and words above your own thoughts. Get into the novice’s frame of reference…try to see things as they see them. Fully, deeply, understand that person, emotionally as well as intellectually. (Covey, 1989)
22	Repeat the Content Simply repeat what the person says. Novice: “I’m sick of teaching; these kids are hopeless!” Mentor: “You’re sick of teaching. You think these kids are hopeless.”
23	Rephrase the Content Say it in different words. Novice: “I’m sick of teaching; these kids are hopeless!” Mentor: “You’re tired of teaching, and you think these kids are beyond help.”
24	Reflect the Feeling Mention the feeling you perceive Novice: “I’m sick of teaching; these kids are hopeless!” Mentor: “You’re really discouraged.”
25	Rephrase the Content and Reflect the Feeling Novice: “I’m sick of teaching; these kids are hopeless!” Mentor: “You’re really discouraged with teaching these kids whom you think are beyond help.”
26	Mentor Leader Training April 18, 2005
27	Sharing of ideas: Mentor/Mentee end of year recognition Tenure celebration Recipe book for good teaching Notes of encouragement Report card comment books Tour of community and school Welcome to school basket with school items
28	Suggestions for additional support from the district: Mentor Leader Manual Three Mentor Leader meetings (fall, mid-year, spring) Monthly newsletter Attend new teacher orientation luncheon with new teachers Purchase resource books for mentor leaders to use
29	New for 2005-2006: Mentor Leaders to attend New Teacher Luncheon on Wednesday, August 3 with new teachers Mentor Leader Manual available in Fall 2005 Email Newsletter to Principals, Mentor Leaders beginning August 2005
30	2005-2006 cont. Website with training information available in Fall 2005 Training sessions: September 12, 2005 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. January 24, 2006 at 8:30 a.m. April 10, 2006 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Purchase of 21^st Century Mentor’s Handbook: Creating a Culture for Learning by Paula Rutherford Purchase of additional resources available for checkout
31	Research Articles and Web Sites Additional websites in the newsletter 21^st Century Mentor’s Handbook: Creating a Culture for Learning by Paula Rutherford