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
Mar Rejuvenation
Apr
May ReflectionJune
Jul Anticipation
(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 Components Verbal Components
Posture Pitch
Gesture Volume
Proximity Inflection
Muscle tension pace
Facial Expression Words
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.