Mentoring 2018

This year will be my first year mentoring a new beginning teacher. This is her first job out of university, she will be going into a Year 4, 1:1 digital classroom. To prepare myself for the role of 'mentor' I have done some professional readings to enable myself, to give my BT the best start possible to ensure her success. 

"Apparently some of the high-priority needs of beginner teachers are classroom

management, motivating students, differentiating student learning, problems

and needs, assessing student progress, interaction with colleagues and parents,

receiving appropriate advice on school culture, goals and instructional resources,

using effective instructional strategies or methods and emotional support

(Veenman, 1984; Gordon & Maxey, 2000; Senom & Shahratol, 2013).

At some circumstances, even with some efforts, beginner teachers still feel

isolated and hope for individualized precise support to survive the early years

(Lunenburg, 2011). Literatures point out that the environment a beginner

teacher is attached to shapes the quality of the teacher and teaching practices.

Environment is grounded by the culture of the teaching practices and conditions

of the workplace."

The text discusses the needs and challenges facing beginning teachers, it highlights the first five phases B.T will go through.

1. Anticipation—excited about what was learned in pre-service, start their career, anxious.

2.. Survival—faces challenges that were not anticipated in pre-service, over-
loaded with tasks beyond classroom teaching, shocked but need to move on.

3.. Disillusionment—the most challenging phase to survive, learn to cope and
adapt with multiple tasks but even more work piles up, higher expectations
from administrators.

4..Rejuvenation—back into task after a semester break or schools term breaks,
better understanding of their job.

5. Reflection—review what has been completed for the year and plan for the
upcoming year based on the experiences and knowledge gained.

Looking at these phases I can see how they are exactly the phases I went through in my first year. I have seen many teachers in the 'Disillusionment stage' give up and resign. I know it is an extremely challenging phase I need to be aware that when my B.T gets there, that I am giving her strategies to cope and support her. A goal for myself will be not to do things for my B.T or give her the answers- I am wanting to give her many options and allow her to problem solve and make decisions for herself.

Four ways mentors can support new teachers; 

Providing emotional support and encouragement

Giving information about the school’s work style and culture

Promoting understanding of the students and family culture

Providing cognitive coaching ( This will be significant especially in terms of how we teach Literacy, as this is an area that many B.Ts struggles with- we have had lots of PD so I am going to coach my BT through modeling, team teaching, and observations).


Reading:
Vikaraman, S. S., Mansor, A. N., & Hamzah, M. I. M. (2017). Mentoring and Coaching Practices for Beginner Teachers—A Need for Mentor Coaching Skills Training and Principal’s Support. Creative Education, 8, 156-169.