Owning Your Comments

Mentors, when blogging, please "own" your comments so that the appropriate credit can be given.  Please sign your post in a unique way so that you can be distinguished from other mentors with the same first name. You can accomplish this by using your first and last name or your first name and a portion of your last name when commenting.  If you have any questions or concerns, please email tashannachapman@alexander.k12.nc.us

Welcome

Welcome and thank you for participating in Alexander County's Mentor Training.  Mentor standards have recently changed, creating a need for updated training.  You will receive 1 CEU for the completion of the training (5 individual trainings).  Please remember to submit a post for each standard as well as submitting your reflection paragraph to tashannachapman@alexander.k12.nc.us.

To locate the post for each standard, please see the archive map on the right side of the screen or scroll down.

Please email the above address with any questions or comments. 

Thank you very much for your effort in supporting Alexander County's beginning teachers.

Standard 5

Standard 5 emphasizes that mentors support beginning teachers to reflect on their practice.  As part of Standard 5 training, mentors reflected on the first weeks as a new teacher, specifically things that they wish they would have known. Each mentor made a list of things that they wish they would have known and what would have helped.  After comparing your list with the BT Calendar of Needs,  develop and post the 5 most important things that you believe a BT should know during their first year. 

Standard 4

Standard 4 states that mentors should support beginning teachers to facilitate learning for their students. You developed a list to be used as a resource for BTs that details current programs in place, and that includes:
Curricular Programs
Behavior Plans/Expectations
Lesson Plan Development Requirements
Paperwork Requirements
Hidden Rules/ School Culture/ “How we do things around here…”

Which of the present practices do you believe are most important for BTs to be aware of? Why?

Standard 3

Standard 3 requires mentors to support beginning teachers to know the content they teach. In each classroom, there is always a range of abilities and learning styles. As a mentor teacher, you have valuable experiences, insight, and strategies for beginning teachers. Blog your favorite ways to differentiate in the classroom. Be sure to gain new ideas from other mentor teachers' posts!

Standard 2

In Standard 2, the training discussed mentor support to enable beginning teachers to establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students. After completing the measurement of school, family, and community relationship survey, you answered the three reflection questions.

A. What major factors contributed to the success of your school’s family and community involvement efforts this year?
B. What major factors limited the success of your school’s family and community involvement efforts this year?
C. What are your school’s major goals for improving its program of school, family, and community partnerships in the next year or two?

Choose one of the reflection questions and post your response to the blog. Be sure to read other mentors’ comments and offer comments and solutions to their posts.

Standard 1

In Standard 1, support and relationships are discussed. As a mentor, you must develop a supportive relationship with your mentee in order to help the teacher develop. Mentors were assigned "Leading Edge" by Rick DuFour for their reading assignment. Which passage or statement did you find most important to your role as a mentor? How does your selection compare and contrast with other mentors' postings?