Mentoring Workshop

Universities and schools, administrators, teachers, bargaining units, and teacher educators must come together to create systems grounded in principles of effective teacher education and professional development. It's about establishing system-wide norms and practices of professionalism, career-long learning, and inquiry into practice. It's about making a commitment to improving education for America's culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse students and the professional lives of the teachers who serve them.

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Feiman-Nemser, S. & Parker, M.B. (1992). "Mentoring in Context: A Comparison of Two U.S. Programs for Beginning Teachers." Special Report from the National Center for Research on Teacher Learning, Michigan State University, East Lansing. Mi.

Fullan, M. (1994). "Teacher Leadership: A Failure to Conceptualize" in Teachers as Leaders: Perspectives on the Professional Development of Teachers. Phi Delta Kappan.

Fullan, M. (1993). Change Forces: Probing the Depths of Educational Reform. Bristol, Pa.: The Falmer Press.

Hargreaves, A.., editor. (1997). Rethinking Educational Change with Heart and Mind. 1997 Yearbook of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Alexandria, Va.:ASCD.

Ladsen-Billings, G. (1993). The Dreamkeepers, Successful Teachers of African American Children. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Lieberman, A. (1995, April). "Practices that Support Teacher Development: Transforming Conceptions of Professional Learning." Phi Delta Kappan. 591-596.

Lieberman, A. & McLaughlin, M. (1992, May). "Networks for Educational Change: Powerful and Problematic." Phi Delta Kappan. 673-677.

Little, J.W. (1996, May). "Organizing Schools for Teacher Learning." Paper presented to AERA Invitational Conference on Teacher Development and School Reform.

Lytle, S.L. & Cochran-Smith, M. (Eds.). (1992). Inside-Outside: Teacher Research and Knowledge. New York: Teachers College Press.

a tidal wave of new teachers

Key Elements of Beginning Teacher Support

• New Teacher Advisor:
  
  New
  teachers have weekly on-site contact during and after school hours with
  an advisor, who is an exemplary veteran teacher released full-time
  specifically to support a small group of teachers. Advisors observe and
  coach the new teacher, offer emotional support, assist with short and
  long-term planning, design classroom management strategies, teach
  demonstration lessons, provide curriculum resources, and facilitate
  communication with the principal. Advisors and new teachers keep an
  interactive journal to enhance communication, problem solve and
  reflect.  
  
  
  
  
• Formative Assessment
  
  Support
  is guided by an ongoing cycle of formative assessment which revolves
  around the development of each teacher's district goals/individual
  learning plan. A professional portfolio serves as the vehicle for
  documenting the teacher's growth over time.
  
  More info…
  
  
  
  
• Professional Development for Beginning Teachers:
  
  
  
  • Workshop/Seminar Series:
    
    The monthly seminars are designed to build a support network and
    ongoing professional dialogue among beginning teachers, and are
    developed to assist teachers with meeting the needs of culturally and
    linguistically diverse student population. Each seminar provides
    teachers with an opportunity to learn about the CSTP in the context of
    effective teaching strategies and reflect on learnings with other
    beginning teachers. Content standards are emphasized.
    
    
    
    
  • Release Time:
    
    Release time is provided to new teachers to observe veteran teachers,
    plan curriculum, attend professional development trainings, and assess
    their progress.
  
  
  

variety of carefully designed tools are used to structure the mentor-beginning teacher interactions and support each beginning teacher’s development in relation to professional teaching standards. The focus, process, and pacing of each of each FAS tools are determined collaboratively by the mentor and beginning teacher in light of the teacher’s individual needs.

Our ultimate goal and vision is that as beginning teachers exit their induction programs, they not only value the support received from mentor colleagues, but that they value and know how to use effective assessment practices in their classrooms.