Virginia Department of Education

1. Virginia Department of Education MENTOR TRAINING

2. Let’s begin with… 1 2 Listen to the question. Move to the appropriate corner based on your answer to the question. Be ready to listen to the next question and move to the right corner. FOUR CORNERS 3 4

3. Four Corners: Question #1 How many beginning teachers do you have in your school division this school year? • Back left: 1 to 25 • Back right: 26 to 100 • Front left: 101 to 250 • Front right: More than 250

4. Four Corners: Question #2 How long has your division had a “formal” mentoring program? • Back left: 0 to 3 years • Back right: 3 to 7 years • Front left: 7 to 10 years • Front right: More than 10 years

5. “Mentor programs help beginning teachers make a successful transition into teaching by relying on the expertise of veterans to provide a clinical, real-world training process.” Guidelines for Mentor Teacher Programs for Beginning and Experienced Teachers June 22, 2000

6. Four Corners: Question #3 What model of mentoring do you currently use? • Back left: Santa Cruz • Back right: Pathwise • Front left: Great Beginnings • Front right: Locally Developed

7. Four Corners: Question #4 How many years have you personally been involved in mentoring beginning teachers? • Back left: 0 to 1 year • Back right: 2 to 5 years • Front left: 6 to 10 years • Front right: More than 10 years

8. Purpose of Mentor Training To provide divisions with a range of materials and resources to accomplish the objectives of a mentoring program.

9. In order to accomplish these purposes, we will use a “trainer of-trainers” model to: • Provide a suggested sequence of experiences/activities • Practice, as a participant • Receive the materials necessary to deliver training in local divisions

10. Agenda: Day 1 • Getting to know the participants • Welcome and introductions • Establish purpose of the training • Establish Goals/Expectations • Why mentoring? • Understanding the needs of beginning teachers • Characteristics of effective mentoring • Language of support • Formative assessment

11. Welcome & Introductions • Please introduce yourself to your table group. • Each table group should develop ONE goal/expectation regarding today’s training. • Be prepared to report out to the entire group.

12. Why Mentoring? • Retaining quality teachers • Improving beginning teachers’ skills and performance • Supporting teacher morale, communications and collegiality • Building a sense of professionalism, positive attitude • Facilitating a seamless transition into the first year of teaching • Putting theory into practice • Preventing teacher isolation • Building self-reflection Guidelines for Mentoring Teacher Programs for Beginning & Experienced Teachers Virginia Department of Education

13. Why Mentoring? Teacher Retention Statistics • 17% of teachers leave after one year • 30% of teachers leave after two years • 40% leave after three years • Nearly half leave after five years Mentoring Beginning Teachers: Guiding, Reflecting, Coaching Boreen, Johnson, Niday and Potts (2000)

14. Why Mentoring? Cost Implications • The cost of replacing a teacher is 25-35% of the annual salary and benefit costs. • It costs $11,000 every time a teacher leaves the profession. Center of Best Practices of the National Governors Association

15. Guidelines for Mentor Teacher Programs “The 1999 Virginia General Assembly enacted the Education Accountability and Quality Enhancement Act … aimed at supporting educator productivity and accountability. The elements of the legislation include the … mentoring of new teachers and those experiencing difficulties as part of the training of continuum for all teachers. The legislation amended the Code of Virginia § 22.1-305.1 Mentor Teacher Program.” Guidelines for Mentor Teacher Programs for Beginning and Experienced Teachers Virginia Department of Education

16. Why Mentoring? IT’S THE LAW!! Code of Virginia §22.1-305.1

17. Understanding the Needs of the Beginning Teacher • Work in table groups. • Get chart paper and markers. • Draw a picture of what a first-year teacher looks like.

18. Most Commonly Reported Problems Facing Beginning Teachers • Classroom discipline • Motivating students • Dealing with individual differences • Parent relations • Planning class work • Evaluating student work • Insufficient materials and supplies • Students’ personal problems • Relations with colleagues Veenman, 1986

19. Phases of First Year Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Teaching Yes! I can! I’m ready! Anticipation Anticipation Reflection HELP! Survival Rejuvenation Disillusionment Winter Break! Ellen Moir, UC Santa Cruz, 1990

20. Resource Problem Solver Advocate Facilitator Coach Collaborator Learner Assessor Trusted Listener Teacher Find the role assigned for your table. Generate a list of specific activities a mentor might do in that role. Write one activity per Post-It Note. Roles of a Mentor

21. Roles & Phases Using your Post-It Notes, place each Post-It Note on the beginning teacher phase where you feel it would most benefit the beginning teacher. • Anticipation • Survival • Disillusionment • Rejuvenation • Reflection • Anticipation

22. “Think/Pair/Share” Think about someone who has been a mentor in your life. Jot down what that person was like? What characteristics made them an effective mentor? Share with an “elbow partner.” “The message mentors provide is twofold: You are worth my time and effort because you are a valuable human being. And I can offer you – by my word or deed, or by the example of my life – ways to expand your horizons and to increase the likelihood that you will achieve success.” One on One: A Guide for Establishing Mentor Programs, USDOE Characteristics of an Effective Mentor

23. An Effective Mentor Does not: • Evaluate • Judge • Assume the role of an expert • Attempt to clone him/herself N O ! !

24. Characteristics ofan Effective Mentor • Talk with your table about your mentor. • Using the format of a newspaper want-ad, create a mentor want-ad for your division. • Include qualities desired, job responsibilities, and benefits of the job. • Post it on the wall. Vacancy!! Remember: Want-ads are brief and focus on key points. Don’t forget to include where to apply if interested in being a mentor.

25. Characteristics of an Effective Mentor • Committed to the role of mentoring • Accepting of the beginning teacher • Capable of observing in a non-biased manner without judgment • Skilled at providing instructional support • Effective communicator with excellent interpersonal skills • Model of a continuous learner • Communicator of hope and optimism James B. Rowley, Educational Leadership, May 1999

26. Mentoring for “What?” • Improved teaching performance • Increased student achievement, especially among traditionally underserved student populations • Increased retention of teachers Virginia Requirements of Quality & Effectiveness for Beginning Teacher Mentor Programs in Hard-to-Staff Schools (June 2004)

27. Mentoring programs need to be based on teaching standards.

28. Understanding the Purposes of Teaching Standards Teaching standards provide: • A conceptual model of good teaching • Common language for teaching • Clear benchmarks for assessing the performance of beginning teachers

29. Defining Good Teaching The Guidelines for Uniform Performance Standards and Evaluation Criteria for Teachers, Administrators, and Superintendents (Virginia Department of Education, 2000) defines five major categories of evaluation criteria: • Planning and Assessment • Instruction • Safety and Learning Environment • Communication and Community Relations • Professionalism

30. Building a Strong Foundation ... ...for Mentoring increases student achievement! improves teaching performance which ... Mentoring based on teaching standards ...

31. The “How” of Mentoring “Induction is a process – a comprehensive, coherent, and sustained professional development process that is organized by a school district to train, support, and retain new teachers and seamlessly progresses them into a lifelong learning program. Mentoring is an action. It is what mentors do. A mentor is a single person, whose basic function is to help a new teacher.” Harry K. Wong

32. Building a Trusting Relationship VISUALIZATION Think of a person with whom you’ve enjoyed a trusting relationship. 32

33. Building a Trusting Relationship Silent Share • Begin a “silent share” by having one person jot down one of the characteristics of this trusting relationship. • Continue recording “round robin.” • You may pass at any time. • Appoint someone to be prepared to share with the rest of the participants & post your chart. • Silently scan the charts and identify similarities.

34. Give One – Get One • Jot down 3 strategies you will/can use to develop a trusting relationship with your mentee. • Get up and find someone at another table. • GIVE ONE idea from your list to your partner. GET ONE IDEA FROM YOUR PARTNER. • If your list and your partner’s list are identical, you must brainstorm together an idea that can be added to both of your lists. Give one - Get one Chart Note: Exchange no more than one strategy with any given partner.

35. Paraphrasing Letting the teacher know that you hear, understand, and care. Clarifying Letting the teacher know that you hear, but you’re not sure of what you heard Language of Support • In other words… • What I’m hearing… • From what I hear you say… • I’m hearing many things… • As I listen to you, I’m hearing… • So, you think… • It sounds like you want… • Let me see if I understand… • To what extent…? • I’m curious to know more about … • I’m interested in… • Tell me how that idea is like (or different from)… • So, are you suggesting…?

36. Mediating Allowing the teacher to reflect or raise awareness Imagining Helping the teacher to think about alternatives. Language of Support • It’s sometimes useful to … • A couple of things you need to keep in mind … • Something you might try considering is … • To what extend might … work in your situation? • There are a number of approaches … • What do you imagine might … ? • What’s another way you might ...? • What criteria do you use …? • What would it look like if …? • When have you done it like this before …? • What might you see happening if …? • How was …different from …? • How do you determine …?

37. Role Play:Modeling the “Language of Support”

38. Role Playing with the “Language of Support” Think of a situation you’ve dealt with in school that you would like to discuss with a colleague, or make up a situation. For each round, try to use at least one: • Paraphrasing statement • Clarifying statement or question • Mediational question • Pausing and silence

39. “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime.” Author Unknown

40. We collect evidence to help the beginning teacher assess his or her practice -- formative assessment. Formative assessment is the exercise of diagnostic professional judgment for the purpose of analyzing practice and student learning and of guiding future development. The Role of Evidencein Formative Assessment Formative assessment is free of any potential penalty.

41. Formative Assessment … • Is an ongoing measurement of growth over time • Uses evidence of student learning and teacher practice to help identify areas of strength and those that need growth • Is objective and data-based • Is responsive to the teacher’s developmental needs • Is interactive and collaborative • Involves assessment tools that support inquiry and reflection

42. Evidence vs. Opinion • In your table groups, use a T-Chart to compare evidence and opinion. • Develop a definition of “evidence.” • Be prepared to report out to the whole group. T-Chart

43. Main Entry: ev·i·denceFunction: nouna: an outward sign: INDICATION b: something that furnishes proof : TESTIMONY http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/evidence • Based on truth • Material items or assertions of fact • Free from opinion and prejudice

44. Evidence or Opinion? • The students were excited. • The class was out of control. • The teacher said the Vietnam War was a waste of tax-payers’ money and military time. • Two students were sleeping throughout the lesson. OR

45. Evidence: “Just the facts, ma’am!” Evidence can be collected in a number of ways: • VERBATIM SCRIPTING of teacher or student comments: “Would one person from each table come to collect the materials?” • NON-EVALUATIVE STATEMENTS of observed teacher or student behavior: “The teacher stands by the door, greeting students as they enter.” • NUMERIC INFORMATION about time, student participation, resource use, etc.: “Three students offer nearly all the comments during the discussion.” • An OBSERVED ASPECT of the environment: “The assignment is on the board for students to do while roll is taken.”

46. Evidence vs. Opinion:Carouselin Teacher Observation Examples of actual teacher observation are posted along the wall. STEP #1 • With your table group, go to one that is nearest to you. • With a BLUE highlighter, underline all examples of evidence. • With a RED marker, underline all examples of opinion. STEP #2 • Rotate to the RIGHT. • Determine whether you agree or disagree with the decision of the previous group. • Rephrase all opinion statements to make them evidence. STEP #3 • Rotate RIGHT. • Review the work of the previous groups. • Reflect on the activity within your group and be prepared to report out. #1 #3 #2

47. Tools for Collecting Evidencefor Formative Assessment • Scripting of a lesson • Document review (lesson plans, professional growth plan) • Videotaping • Charting teacher/pupil talk - dialogue • Movement patterns • Analyze student work • Questioning strategies/question types • Mannerisms • Modality preference • Pacing • Non-verbal feedback • Classroom arrangement • Response behaviors

48. Remember the "Firewall"

49. 2 - 1 3 - Identify Ways the group’s goals were met. Ideas you want to take back to your mentoring program. Question you still have. 3 2 Let’s summarize what we’ve done in Day 1. 1

50. Agenda: Day 2 • Reflections on Day 1 • The Coaching Cycle • Dealing with Challenging Situations • Calendar of Mentoring Activities • The Selection Process • The Role of the Principal • Accountability and Evaluation