Tuesday, August 2, 2011
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?
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"When staff work together as a professional learning community--when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement. The research is clear and compelling on this point. In fact, I am unaware of any credible research that suggests the best strategy for school improvement is to ensure each teacher works in isolation." This is definitely my favorite statement from the article. I believe that the whole mentoring process is based on supporting and working together with my beginning teacher. The key is to support the beginning teacher. Not only are we giving advice and support, but we need to listen and take in all we can from the beginning teacher, who is full of new ideas that we can take and use as well.
ReplyDelete"The best hope for helping all students learn, is to have teachers working together in a collaborative culture." This is true because it is best to work together instead of in isolation. My team members always plan together & that way we are bouncing ideas off each other.
ReplyDelete"When staff work together as a professional learning community--when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams,
ReplyDeleteparticipate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement. The research is clear and
compelling on this point. In fact, I am unaware of any credible research that suggests the best
strategy for school improvement is to ensure each teacher works in isolation." I agree whole-heartedly with this statement. I have found throughout my nineteen years of teaching that it is best to work collaboratively with your team. When we plan together, we create better lessons that help our students learn. This is something I feel is important for a beginning teacher to observe and implement with their grade level team. It is always better to work together than in isolation.
Educational leaders have a professional obligation to align the practices of their school with the best thinking in the field, and there is virtually no justification for not fulfilling this obligation. I think this is an important aspect of teaching that I need to share and demonstrate as a mentor. I have participated in professional study groups for over 5 years. The more I have participated in study groups the more I am able to see the beneficial results in my teaching and in student achievement. I believe a mentee would benefit from a professional study group.
ReplyDelete“When the field evolves to the point that there is consensus regarding best practice, the professionals within that field are expected to become familiar with and to use that practice.” Having taught in the school system for over 25 years I have seen new ideas come and go, but the ones that have the most impact on student learning are the techniques that must be passed along to the new teachers that are searching for the best methods to help their students.
ReplyDelete"When staff work together as a professional learning community-when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities,establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement,identify areas of concern, generate strategies fir improving student performance, spport each other as they implement those strategies and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts". I like this statement because it is so true. Over the past couple years our school has been working together as a PLC. It is our jobs as teachers to look at our students and our teaching practices and find out what is working and what is not working. It is beneficial to bounce ideas with other teachers so that we can improve achievement for all students.
ReplyDelete"When staff work together as a professional learning community...and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement." This passage is most important to me in my role as a mentor because this teamwork approach to our students and their success in the classroom is critical to achievement school wide. Education is an evolving profession. Best practices for today's students are very different from when we were earning a high school diploma. I value collaboration with my collegues, administrative staff and my mentee. Educators must have a "lifelong learner" mentality to stay abreast of best practices and to foster an environment where teachers work together for the benefit of students.
ReplyDelete"When staff work together as..." We can not be autonomous as educators...it is not SMART!!! Those proven practices must be implemented and our responsibility as mentors would be to direct the mentees through proven practices and assist in molding a style that uses "knowns" with their own teaching styles and preferences.
ReplyDeleteIn the "Leading Edge" article a professional is defined as "someone with expertise in a specialized field" and according to this definition, members of a profession assume a "personal responsibility to seek and implement the best practices in their field". The best way to stay current and knowledgeable about the best practices is to collaborate with others. Mentors can share valuable experiences and practices that have been tried and tested, while mentees can provide a current and evolving knowledge base. Together we engage in a continuous process of implementing the best practices in teaching.
ReplyDeleteWhen staff work together as a professional learning community--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement. I do like the way that this generation uses technology to help them work together. They seem to be working smarter. We need to make sure that we are not on an island. We need to help each other get through our daily struggles to help better our community.
ReplyDeleteThe passage that I found most important to my role as a mentor was "School leaders who align the workings of their school and classrooms with the knowledge base regarding best practice enhance their profession". For those of us who have taught several years, we realize that there are practices that make a great teacher. When we fail to collaborate, we lose the opportunity to learn from each other. Most of my best lessons have been developed with the collaboration of my colleagues.
ReplyDeleteMy selection is similar to the other mentor’s posting. We are all saying that through the mentor/mentee process, student learning increases. New teachers have access to “best practices”. The process also allows mentors to learn from their mentees
The section that stood out to me was concerning the eye surgeon who could have chosen not to use the new method of corrective eye surgery. "I have invested heavily in razor blades, and I don't want to waste them." As a veteran teacher, I have both seen other teachers do it and have been guilty of it myself. Teachers are very creative beings and can be quite vocal about how their style of teaching is the best for their students. I have seen teachers put a lot of time and effort into their lesson planning only to use it year after year because it is easily accessible and takes less time to prepare. When the rest of the school is "moving on" with a new curriculum, it causes a breakdown in learning for those students in a particular class or grade if everyone in the school is not on the same page.
ReplyDelete"When staff work together as a professional community.....and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement. The research is clear and compelling at this point." This statement speaks volumes. We as educators need to put our heads together to research and plan activites and lessons for our students. You've heard 2 heads are better than one and this reiterates this statement. When teachers can work together to plan and create lessons it ensures that all students are getting the best we have to offer them. We would be hurting ourselves and our students by not working together for a common goal. Mentees need to gain experience from their mentors and mentees can share new ideas and information they have acquired in their studies. From reading the other responses it appears we all agree with this statement.
ReplyDelete"The problem, of course, was that on my own, it was unlikely I would find a solution."
ReplyDeleteIn this statement I found a very important point. It is more likely to find valuable help with a “multitude of counselors” than on one’s own due to the variety of experiences shared. I think it important as well that if a solution was found on one’s own, we would be better served by sharing that success with others to benefit both students and teachers. I know in my own experiences, I have found mentees with needs I could not meet. I had to reach out to someone with expertise and team the mentee with them for that particular need resulting in success for the mentee and a sense of accomplishment everyone.
Isolation can feed on itself and make one feel even more isolated as people perceive someone prefers to be left alone, creating a spiral of disjointed teachers/learners. Mentors have to have in their repertoire a variety of strategies, especially for mentees, to keep them connected in a social sense as well as professional sense. It is stressful enough beginning teaching. As easy as it is focus on the variety of responsibilities to just get the work/meetings completed, mentors have to focus on connectedness as a tool in assisting mentees.
MARY BETH BUMGARNER:
ReplyDeleteThe passage that I found most interesting from the article is
"School leaders who align the workings of their schools and classrooms with the knowledge base regarding best practice enhance their profession. Those who allow misalignment to go unaddressed diminish the profession."
I think too often we, as teachers, do close our doors and teach what we know without regarding the best practices- and sometimes, without even knowing what goes on in the classroom next door. As mentors, we owe it to our mentees to stay atop new trends and the best practices, share these with our mentees, and hold them accountable to hold high standards in their classes..anything less is unacceptable to our mentees and the students in their classrooms.
“He could have offered several reasons for refusing to learn and implement the procedure that was now universally regarded as best practice in his field. "Radial keratotomy has always worked for my patients in the past." "I haven't had time to learn the new procedures because I have been too busy slicing eyeballs." "I have invested heavily in razor blades, and I don't want to waste them." I would not have considered any of those explanations a compelling argument for behavior that at best would be considered unprofessional, if not malpractice.”
ReplyDeleteThis statement really hit home for me because I have heard these excuses a lot in my 8 years of teaching and most of the time I thought they made sense… until I heard them from the perspective of a doctor. I agree that we need to always be looking at research to see what is working best in classrooms and what helps students the most. However, education state by state tends to follow the “fad” of that moment and they also tend to repeat. I think we hear these excuses happen the most from veteran teachers because of the constant switch and switch back of what we teach and how we teach it. Also, the trend while I’ve been teaching so far has been a huge push for test scores. This leads to teachers finding something that works really well for those tests and they stick with whatever is working even if it might not help kids RETAIN the information in the long run. Best practices depend greatly on the goal that has been set for the teacher.
~Lindsay Cox: ACHS
"When staff work together as a professional learning community-when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities,establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement,identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, spport each other as they implement those strategies and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts" Though we all seem to think we have it all figured out and know what is best, the reality is we don't always. New teachers are coming in and everyone is trying things in their classroom that works. These ideas should be shared and we should all be helping each other so that we are all using best practices and helping the students learn in the best way possible. After all, it is about them, and not us.
ReplyDelete~ Nikki Icard (ACHS)
I absolutely agree with Mary Beth Bumgarner(above). The statement that I found ringing true for me was:
ReplyDelete"School leaders who align the workings of their schools and classrooms with the knowledge base regarding best practice enhance their profession. Those who allow misalignment to go unaddressed diminish the profession."
When I first began teaching, I would not have agreed wholeheartedly that this statement was true. However, I have learned through experience that leadership can make or break the success of the school, the students and the teachers. While it does not mean that there cannot be individuals who are successful without proper leadership, it does cast a shadow over the successes. I personally love to learn/hear about the latest and greatest in the education world. I have to caution myself to be patient as many "new ideas" that were supposedly researched have flopped (Remember open classrooms?). I believe as a mentor, it's our job to guide new teachers to keep up with new technology & ideas but balance it with tried & true.~Erin Lewis (ACHS)
"...school structures and cultures that celebrate working in isolation are unlikely to result in significantly higher levels of achievement."
ReplyDeleteAs educators, it is our responsibility to grow as our students grow. We may experience growing pains because of it but we have to learn what is valuable to them. We have to learn the latest and greatest and gear our teaching to how the students will best learn. As mentors, we need to share what we know and what we are learning. We can not keep doing the same thing each semester/year because as technologies grow and studies are conducted, there are new ideas developed that our students are learning. We need to learn these ideas and share them. "Old school" is great for music but not necessarily for teaching.
I found the following statement about best practices to be important to my role as a mentor – “we should be just as intolerant of educators' inattention to best practices as we would be of the eye surgeon.” What a great comparison! I have been blessed with the ability to see and why would I entrust this ability to someone whose main concern is not what is best for me (or my eyesight) but to someone who was more concerned with what “has always worked”. Likewise, why would I want my own children prepared with 20th century skills – which would happen if their teachers were not eager to learn new “best practices” - as opposed to having a teacher that is willing to try new methods in order to prepare them with 21st century skills! It is my duty as a mentor to be willing to learn and share along side of my mentee, new breakthroughs in the profession of teaching.
ReplyDelete-Allyson Barnes
"I also know intuitively, as well as from my own experience, that school structures and cultures that celebrate working in isolation are unlikely to result in significantly higher levels of achievement." This statement reached out to me because I feel it is so important in the school environment to be a team player and have support among your colleagues. Collaboration is such an important key factor whether it be from planning units together or coming up with strategies for struggling students. As a mentor my hope is to be a support and encouragement to others!
ReplyDelete"Educational leaders have a professional obligation to align the practices of their school with the best thinking in the field, and there is virtually no justification for not fulfilling this obligation."
ReplyDeleteI feel that this statement reflects the direction that our school has been moving in for several years. We have used professional learning communities PLCs) to learn about best practices and improve teaching in many different areas. We have been given the flexibility to choose which field/subject we want to study in order to improve our teaching. Our administration has always participated in the PLCs also.
"I also know intuitively, as well as from my own experience, that school structures and cultures that celebrate working in isolation are unlikely to result in significantly higher levels of achievement."
ReplyDeleteThis quote makes a terrific point. At the beginning of my career, I was very isolated. For the first three years of my career, I taught with a different co-teacher and had a different mentor. By the time there was some consistency with having the same co-teacher, I was programmed to do everything myself and had difficulty sharing my resources and ideas. It has taken time and a lot of effort to become more of a team player and to realize the value of collaboration. My school culture has changed and that has allowed me to grow as a professional. This is an extremely important factor in establishing an environment where young teachers can thrive and grow. The lessons I have taken with me from my personal experiences will help me be a more productive, understanding, and empathetic mentor in the future.
"I have invested heavily in razor blades, and I don't want to waste them."
ReplyDeleteI really liked this quote because I feel as a teacher in my 10th year that we often times get comfortable with what we are teaching and tend to use the same things year after year. But we have to remember that each group of students is different and each child is different so we have to use a different delivery method for each class.
We, as teachers, need to be responsible for implementing new curriculums and programs as we move forward to ensure that students are prepared as 21st Century learners. So what may have worked for us two or three years in row may need to be changed.
"I haven't had time to learn the new procedures because I have been too busy slicing eyeballs." "I have invested heavily in razor blades, and I don't want to waste them."
ReplyDeleteThis quote was such a thought provoking, new way for me to look at "stagnant" teaching practices. As a mentor, it is very important to discuss and model for your mentee the importance of flexibility in the classroom. Every class and every student is different. We can't always teach the same material the same way. We have to look at each student and determine how they will learn best. This quote also touches on the fact that, as teachers, we need to make sure that somewhere in our BUSY days we find time to collaborate with our colleagues to discover new ideas and practices that will help all children be successful.
“…the best hope for helping all students learn, is to have teachers working together in a collaborative culture.”
ReplyDeleteAs classroom teachers, we often get too comfortable within the four walls of our own classroom, and we do not want to change. It’s scary! I think often we are afraid to be embarrassed (What if it doesn’t work?), or we think that we will be found to be “behind the curve” if another co-worker has a unique approach that works with our students. Personally, I have always found that I learn so much more from talking with other teachers than I could ever learn by keeping to myself! Teachers from ACHS as well as from other schools, have various strategies, lesson, and ideas that have been eye-opening and made me step outside of my comfort zone. I have also found that most teachers are excited to share their best practices with others and will do so gladly. Even the most experienced teachers do not have all of the answers, and once we become more comfortable with that idea, we can collaborate more feely and openly with each other. We must remember why we are here…we are here for the students. If we are not working diligently to constantly improve our best practices, then we are doing our students a disservice! I have already borrowed several ideas and activities from my mentee for use with my own students, and I consider myself a better teacher for it. With the coming implementation of the Common Core and Essential Standards, I think working together in a collaborative culture will not only be a “nice idea,” it will be an absolute necessity!
Elisabeth Turner
"I also know intuitively, as well as from my own experience, that school structures and cultures that celebrate working in isolation are unlikely to result in significantly higher levels of achievement."
ReplyDeleteI tell my mentees that I am not a good teacher. I am a good thief. Almost all of the good lessons and teaching skills that I have developed have come from watching other teachers and talking through ideas and lessons with them. I am not creative, but I teach with a very creative teacher next door. She is not organized or good at scheduling. I am. We work together so that our students can benefit from both of our strengths and not be held back by our weaknesses.
Shonda Barrier
Well, thank you, Tashanna, for your email reminding us of the deadline for mentor training. I had thought to start this training about a hundred times over the last few months, but working as an Exceptional Children’s teacher at the high school level one stays so busy meeting the educational needs of children, helping fellow staffers, and keeping documentation current that time quickly slips away. While I am jumping into this training late, I am relieved to see that I am not alone. I should have known that all teachers are as busy as I.
ReplyDeleteAs I studied Standard I, I was exited to learn that the consensus of the contributors is best summarized in this quote from “The Leading Edge” article by Rick DuFour: “When staff work together as a professional learning community--when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement.” I am privileged to work in an environment at ACHS where collaboration and collective effort to improve school environment and student performance are the rule, rather than the exception. I tell friends and colleagues often that the staff here at ACHS are so supportive—more like family than like co-workers. So, in this environment it is most natural to jump in to mentor and support beginning teachers.
My BT is a BT3, and he is a true Generation Y, very familiar with technology, quite comfortable with diversity, and willing and able to function well with very little supervision. For that reason, I have been able to ease into mentoring at about the third level of Gray’s model, “…mentor participates jointly with protégé….” My mentee is quite competent in both his subject area and in managing the classroom and the school environment. He knows when he needs help and support, and he seeks me out for collaboration as needed. Again, I am so pleased that such support and collaboration are such a natural part of the environment here at ACHS.
Respectfully,
The passage, “to disregard best practice would be considered a dereliction of their responsibilities, or unprofessional.” is most important to me.
ReplyDeleteI’m a lateral entry teacher; I am a Registered Dietitian who was blessed with this job 7 years ago. I’ve been “the” director in all my other jobs. Each director’s job wither it was with the prison system, community hospital or health departments came with the responsibility to get continuing education credits of 75 units every 5 years. This requirement helped insure that the “best practice” in the industry was constantly updated and you were highly encouraged to follow the best practice.
As an educator now, I’m still learning and try to remember that change or best practice can be good and should at least be given an honest chance. As we get our continuing education credits, I try my best to keep and open mind, knowing that change still happens and this new “best practice”… might even make my job easier.
I have observed teachers that live by the belief, “I’ve always done it this way” and I’m not changing now. These educators are truly being derelict in their responsibility for their students. Things always change! When a person is not willing to change or at least try to improve by using “best practice”, I then choose to make note to myself that I do not want to be like them.
April Eckard
“Educational leaders have a professional obligation to align the practices of their school with the best thinking in the field, and there is virtually no justification for not fulfilling this obligation. We should be just as intolerant of educators' inattention to best practices as we would be of the eye surgeon.”
ReplyDeleteAs a CTE teacher it is critical to keep in line with the best thinkers in the field. I too don’t consider myself the most innovative, however I am smart enough to keep in reach with those that are innovative and use their ideas to help in increasing student achievement.
Scottie Cook
Reviewing the generational differences reminds me how significantly the viewpoints differ. We must be careful to remember that these are just generalizations, however, and not hard fast rules. Mentors will have to spend time engaged in candid conversations with their BT’s to ascertain where they fall along the spectrum.
ReplyDelete"When staff work together as a professional learning community...they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement" speaks volumes. Mentors bring to the table a wealth of knowledge that should be equally meshed with the fresh, innovative ideas of their mentees; each learning from the other. With this being the standard by which we base our profession, "high levels of learning for all students" can certainly be achieved.
ReplyDelete"If we are to call ourselves professionals, we are obligated to use the best practices. Anything less is unacceptable." I believe this sums up our entire job description. We must continually work toward meeting each child's educational needs. If we fail to do this, the entire community suffers.
ReplyDelete"If we are to call ourselves professionals, we are oblilgated to use the best practices. Anything less is unacceptable."
ReplyDeleteAll professionals should strive to do their best every day in order to meet the demands of education. Otherwise, we are not putting "children first".
"One characterization describes a professional as someone with expertise in a specialized field, an individual who not only has pursued advanced training to enter the field, but who also is expected to remain current in its evolving knowledge base. According to this definition, members of a profession assume a personal responsibility to seek and implement the best practices in their field. They are not expected to embrace every new hypothesis or careen wildly from one fad or trend to the next. When, however, the field evolves to the point that there is consensus regarding best practice, the professionals within that field are expected to become familiar with and to use that practice." This is very true of the field of education: there is always something new coming down the pike. Remember the "pod" design of schools in the 1970s? "There is clear consensus among leading educational researchers as to the best practices for improving schools." However, as the experienced professional, it is my responsibility to stay current on the new "fads" versus what is newly researched in education, and to then pass that along to my mentee. They do have newer training than us, since most are just leaving college, so mentors need to keep in mind that their mentees do have fresh insights to share too. I cannot negate his different insights. It's my job to model that give and take of true professionals: it is our collective goal to better educate our students, so we can consider lots of viewpoints in that quest. "When staff work together as a professional learning community--when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement. The research is clear and compelling on this point. In fact, I am unaware of any credible research that suggests the best strategy for school improvement is to ensure each teacher works in isolation."
ReplyDeleteWhen staff work together as a professional learning community—when they work together to clarify purposes and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collaborative efforts—and when they are relentless in their effort to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement. Our FACS department teachers at ACHS continually share ideas, student data, and strategies for improvement, to assess the impact of our collaborative efforts.
ReplyDelete"I have invested heavily in razor blades and I don't want to waste them." Every day in education provides new opportunities. Change is not easy, but it is vital. As professionals we must look for and take advantage of opportunities to collaberate and support each other. Our students deserve the very best opportunities that our school system can offer them as they prepare for life in the 21st century.
ReplyDeleteWe as educators should be excited to find the best ways to reach our student audience. When,"we align the workings of our school and classrooms with the knowlege base and regard the best practice" we become better and mask what we want-learning. It never stops. Even if you have a closet full of razor blades and a steady hand you can do more with laser surgery. You still have to know the workings and the parts of the eye you just make the the surgery a little less bloody! I enjoy mentoring not so much because of what I have to offer as a seasoned teacher but what i learn from a fresh new teacher.
ReplyDeleteAll professional educators work heavily toward being able to work together and use collaboration to make all teachers successful. I believe I enjoy mentoring for the things I can help the mentee with, but I also enjoy it based upon the things I can learn from their fresh minds. Educators often provide many opportunities and initiatives to make schools and education better. Closets full of razor blades not be sharpen and fine-tuned can often rust or dull without the fostering and time to implement new ideas. A large portion of a mentors job consists of them actively talking to their mentees in an effort to find where they fall on the spectrum, work with their strengths, improve their weaknesses and supply their new classroom with the essential buckles and bows it takes to be successful. The very best strategies out there simply point their way to a collaboration among teams of teachers. Teachers work together to provide the best possible instruction for all involved. It may take a village to raise a child. No teacher really statistically or in real life ever needs to work in isolation- they should find their strength in leadership and develop it while using the strength around them to help them grow.
ReplyDeleteIt's important to help mentees understand how important it is to work together with teachers, parents and community to help better educate our childre. It is all about them isn't it?
ReplyDelete"I haven't had time to learn the new procedures because I have been too busy slicing eyeballs." "I have invested heavily in razor blades, and I don't want to waste them."
ReplyDeleteSometimes we as teachers get into a rut and dont think about "new" ways of doing things. Our mentees can sometimes help us as much as we help them in encouraging us to come up with new lessons.
Josh Hartis
"If one characteristic of a professional is to engage in a continuous process of seeking and implementing best practices in the field, it follows that educational leaders have an obligation to align the practices of their schools and districts with what we know to be the most effective strategies to achieve the fundamental purpose of our profession--high levels of learning for all students."
ReplyDeleteWe as educators have to be willing to learn new and better ways to do our jobs. At the same time we have to understand the expectations of our school. As mentors it is our job to help our mentees understand the expectations that are upon them. If we model what is expected then they are able to see a day to day example of what they should do. A major part of this is our ability to adapt and learn. Many young teachers who are directly out of college have learned a particular way to teach. That way may not be what is expected in the district, and certainly will not be the same 10 years from now. All teachers have to be willing to accept change and even seek out better ways of doing our jobs.
Ed Wills
The quote that I found to be simple but true. "Either we are a profession, or we are not."
ReplyDeleteI see that the majority of the blogs commented on "working together" which I know that this is important and agree makes life for the teacher as well as the student better and beneficial.
I reflect back to the "we are a profession..." and take it to mean we are professional. I want to demonstrat to my mentee a professional model. To be at work early, dressed as a professional, have a sense of urgency about each task, smile or at least a pleasent demor, and willingness to go above and beyond. In addition know that you are to support the administration and do as you are asked.
Too often I see coworkers who have a poor attitude, show up late and dressed, well let's just say did not conform with the school dress code.
I'm truly blessed to be in the teaching profession and I love my job and the students. I hope my mentee will have the same blessing.
After reading DuFour’s article, I feel the most powerful statement was when he discussed the power of PLC’s and that “when they [teachers] are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement.” This is poignant because it demonstrates the power of a passionate teacher. I think this is a key feature in our mentees. They have a fire burning in them for making a difference. This passage embodies the concept that I as a mentor will learn just as much from my mentee as she hopefully will from me. I also think this statement is valid because it also calls us, the leaders of the school, to not just mentor one person. We have an obligation to collaborate with everyone, even those that are negative and doing the same thing they’ve done for 30 years because that’s the way they’ve always done it. To me, that is the biggest challenge I hear in DuFour’s article: collaborate equitably.
ReplyDeleteAs educators, we are obligated to the students we teach to seek and implement the best practices in our field. Educators should have a love for education, both for themselves and for their students. Working with other educators allows for ideas to flow and an exchange of knowledge that promotes best practices in the classroom. We need to make sure we are abreast of the new research, sharing that research in professional learning groups, and transforming the new ideas into practice in our own classroom.
ReplyDelete"If one characteristic of a professional is to engage in a continuous process of seeking and
ReplyDeleteimplementing best practices in the field, it follows that educational leaders have an obligation to
align the practices of their schools and districts with what we know to be the most effective strategies to achieve the fundamental purpose of our profession--high levels of learning for all students." We are FOREVER learners!! I think it is important to always be looking for the best practices. It is imperative that we work together. It is in our best interests to share our knowledge.
"The best hope for helping all students learn, is to have teachers working together in a collaborative culture." In previous years, especially at the beginning of my teaching, I wanted to branch out with my own ideas. Being an island in my field was actually appealing because I was able to do my own thing. This lasted only a few months. In this profession, it is not equitable nor intelligent to limit yourself to your ideas alone. You only hurt yourself and your students when you allow yourself to be limited by self centered actions. Having people to share ideas, thoughts & processes allows me to broaden my horizons while lighting others (I hope!).
ReplyDelete"Educational leaders have a professional obligation to align the practices of their school with the best thinking in the field, and there is virtually no justification for not fulfilling this obligation." I feel that we should always strive to be the best teacher we can possibly be. We are only going to achieve this by sharing ideas with our peers, attending professional learning communities, and being lifelong learners. I love collaborating with beginning teachers because they are always so driven to teach and have new and innovated ideas they have just learned from college. - Mandy Barriger
ReplyDelete"One of the challenges of leadership is to bring coherence
ReplyDeleteto the myriad pressures and initiatives bearing down
on schools."
It seems as though we can be overwhelmed at times with our daily tasks. Furthermore, we are always hit with the unseen blocks in the road that seem to find us and get us derailed from our focus. It also feels like we abandon our initiatives for the latest and greatest ideas that are working for someone else. Mr. DuFour believes our professional learning should be an ongoing process that we continually work on at our school, not just for a day or two after professional development. How can we be sure if our initiatives are working if we don't carry them out consistently over a long period and measure the results? This daily practice may help us to get less sidetracked and in turn simplify our lives because we are not switching initiatives as often.
"When staff work together as a professional learning community-when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities,establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement,identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts". Through collaboration with others in and out of our areas of expertise, we gain the knowledge needed to become better teachers as well as better instructors. Planning/ colaborating on a daily basis has made me a stronger teacher. I reflect on my teaching as well as the techniques I have chosen to use. By modeling good strategies in teaching and leadership, a mentor helps the mentee in and outside of the classroom.
ReplyDelete"In fact, to disregard best practices would be considered a dereliction of their responsibilities, or unprofessional." This spoke to me because as teacher we often want to do it our way, but even I as a mentor am learning I have to change my practices to what is proven as best for children. We have to work as a team and make those sacrifices for children or we are simply not doing our jobs as professionals.
ReplyDelete"When staff work together as a professional learning community--when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement." I remember being a first year teacher (oh so long ago!) and learning to accept help from others. If not for the teachers around me and my mentor, I probably wouldn't have made it that first year. It is imperative that teachers (old and new) work together in all aspects of teaching. We need each other professionally and emotionally for support and guidance. I agree totally with Farrah that we learn from each other and become better teachers.
ReplyDeleteThere is clear consensus among leading educational researchers as to the best practices for improving schools. When staff work together as a professional learning community--when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams,
ReplyDeleteparticipate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as
they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement. The research is clear and
compelling on this point. In fact, I am unaware of any credible research that suggests the best
strategy for school improvement is to ensure each teacher works in isolation. Being a young mentor who the table has finally turned relied heavily on veteran teachers to make it through the first years. Now that I have taught nine years and feel comfortable in helping others I agree 100% with Christy that we must work together. A team is only as strong as the weakest link. I am trying to be the mother hen and take my mentee under my wing and help her become a strong link like a veteran teacher. But at the same time she brings me new ideas and lessons that I can learn from and use in my own classroom.
Educational leaders have a professional obligation to align the practices of their school with the
ReplyDeletebest thinking in the field, and there is virtually no justification for not fulfilling this obligation.
We should be just as intolerant of educators' inattention to best practices as we would be of the
eye surgeon.
It is unacceptable to not follow best practices, just because we don't want to change. Just as surgical procedures have changed over the years, new teaching practices also need to be implemented. It may take an adjustment period, but if it benefits our children we must rise to the challenge and do what is best for them.
I think the part about working together as a Professional Learning Community is so important as a grade level, school, and county/district. We need to have a shared vision and work together to accomplish that vision with students' reaching thier highest level of learning as the ultimate underlying goal!!
ReplyDeleteAs far as the comparison with the eye surgeon. This is so true! We are professionals and are expected to grow and change with the profession from the top leaders down!!!
So many of us on this blog agree that we need to work together to communicate and work toward the same vision!!! Bridget
"Educational leaders have an obligation to align the practices of their schools and districts with what we know to be the most effective strategies to achieve the fundamental purpose of our profession--high levels of learning for all students." I think that this is challenging as an educator whether you are a new teacher or an accomplished teacher. Effective strategies may need to change daily or even more often---there is not only one way to teach as there is not only one way to learn. Teaching may need to be as diverse as the students being taught.
ReplyDelete"Educational leaders have a professional obligation to align the practices of their school with the best thinking in the field, and there is virtually no justification for not fulfilling this obligation. We should be just as intolerant of educators' inattention to best practices as we would be of the eye surgeon." A mentor is a position of leadership and influence. As a mentor, we have the responsibility of helping mold a new teacher to our profession but also to help our colleagues implement best practices in our profession. I remember as a new teacher, I spent a lot of time observing other teachers. It is harmful for new teachers who are passionate and energetic with fresh ideas to see teachers in their building who are not engaging in best practices. We are not only charged with aligning our own practices, but also encouraging teachers across our building to do the same.
ReplyDelete"There is clear consensus among leading educational researchers as to the best practices for
ReplyDeleteimproving schools. When staff work together as a professional learning community--when they
work together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams,
participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify
areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as
they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective
efforts--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they
increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement." We must work together in order for our students to be successful. I have been on both sides of this, and I can say that it is much easier when your team is working and planning together. My school has participated in PLCs now for the past 6 years and they have helped me to become a better teacher. I believe this is something that would be beneficial for beginning teachers, as it is better to work with other people rather than working alone.
We have also participated in PLC's for over the last 8 years. I think it is a great idea to collaborate with other teachers, grade levels and special teachers. If we would not have these PLC meetings, I would probably never have a chance to communicate with these professionals and hear their ideas about how to help students. I like the part in the article that asks, about defining "professionals". Teachers are not looked on as "professionals" any longer and respect for the profession has been on the decline since I began teaching 20 years ago. I feel one of the problems of education is the constant change in the definition of "best practices". Teachers are confused because there are such differing opinions and programs offered explaining best practices. Just when we feel like we have mastered an instructional approach, the "powers that be" implement a new approach and tell us we must throw out the "old way" and learn an entirely different one. This is really frustrating because by their measures, students are showing great success. It seems the "powers", don't want us to succeed?!!
ReplyDeleteABebber
ReplyDeleteMy favorite passage from the article was, “School leaders who align the workings of their school and classrooms with the knowledge base regarding best practice enhance their profession.” Teachers with several years of experience acquire the ability to choose practices that are successful and practices that are not as successful. Collaboration with colleagues is one of the best ways to obtain those best practices. Mentors do have some great practices that they have gained over the years to share with mentees. However, mentees have some updated best practices that can be shared with mentors as well. Collaboration is the key to improving student learning.
"If we are to call ourselves professionals, we are obligated to use the best practices. Anything less is unacceptable." I have been a teacher in Alexander County for 32 years and nothing about teaching has remained the same. I have a lot of fond memories of the good old days, and everything we did back then was not exactly wrong or bad. We have come a long way in many areas some good and some not so good. When I first started teaching I was given a room, some supplies and a grade level and the rest was up to me. Now we are told what to teach, when to teach it, how to teach it, how to test for mastery, when to test, and I could go on and on. I agree with the statement that "we are obligated to use the best practices", but whose to say that new is always best. There is something to be said for experience. I have used so many programs in the last 32 years, each one claiming to be better than what I was already using. Most of those claims were untrue. The programs were no better or worse than what I was already using, they were just new. In the world of education I have found that everything runs in cycles. In 7-8 years you will be using the same teaching methods but they will be called a different name. I think "best practices" should combine some old ideas and some new ideas while remebering that we are working with children. Sometimes while we are striving for those perfect test scores I think that is forgotten.
ReplyDelete"When staff work together as a professional learning community--when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams..., support each other as they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement."- This should be the #1 goal for all schools. Without true team work and collaboration students should not be expected to reach success. With that being said,I don't think this collaborative success is best messured through testing. Athough testing is a necessary evil, student, teacher, and school success can and should be messured in many ways.
ReplyDeleteAmanda Miller
that should be measured- sorry A.M.
Delete"I haven't had time to learn the new procedures because I have been too busy slicing eyeballs!" was the most important passage to me. I was lucky enough to have a great mentor who was always looking for ways to be creative and change her teaching methods and activities to best help her students. She was always asking other teachers in her field how they did things to keep students interested. The expression "that's how it's always been done" does not apply in a fast-changing world. There are ideas I have to offer my mentee due to experience and there are ideas my mentee can offer me due to advances in the field that I may have not had the opportunity to experience. The relationship between a mentor and mentee (or for an entire faculty for that matter) should be one of teamwork and collaboration. We as teachers should also be willing to be students!
ReplyDeleteDanielle Stocks
I also know intuitively, as well as from my own experience, that school structures and cultures that celebrate working in isolation are unlikely to result in significantly higher levels of achievement." Collaboration is one of the most important skills that we need as educators. Having a group of people that are all working toward a common goal is much more powerful than a group of disconnected individuals. Everyone within a school has various strengths that they can contribute to group. When we work as individuals out on a mission to suit our own interests we miss out on the talents that our co-teachers have to offer and we are not serving the students in the best way possible. I am always surprised by the wonderful ideas that my fellow teachers have when we can get together and share. I take every advantage of these opportunities and always strive to grow from these experiences.
ReplyDeleteLauren Moses
The part of the article that I liked best was about teachers taking the “personal responsibility to seek and implement the best practices in their field. They are not expected to embrace every new hypothesis or careen wildly from one fad or trend to the next. When, however, the field evolves to the point that there is consensus regarding best practice, the professionals within that field are expected to become familiar with and to use that practice. In fact, to disregard best practice would be considered a dereliction of their responsibilities, or unprofessional.”
ReplyDeleteI believe that any teacher must continue to update their knowledge of both the profession and their area of expertise. Education, the concept of school and the students have all changed since we went to school. I have only taught for 8 years (career change) and those three areas have greatly changed during that time. If each teacher is aware of best practices in the profession, the school (as a collection of teachers) should hence be using best practices. (That of course is the ideal world.) It then becomes easier to move the school as a whole forward.
"In fact, I am unaware of any credible research that suggests the best strategy for school improvement is to ensure each teacher works in isolation."
ReplyDeleteWhen I first entered the teaching field, I was determined to do it on my own. I had the knowledge. I had the passion. I had the job. I didn't need anyone. I could totally do it alone and felt like I should be doing it by myself, like I was expected to be totally self sufficient... And then a lesson bombed. Or a student got in my face. Or I couldn't answer a content question I should have been able to answer. And I felt alone. And isolated, like no one could possibly understand what I was going through. Thankfully, I had a wonderful mentor who did understand, and could commiserate, and offered advice and practical suggestions for making positive changes.
Due to the nature of our profession, teaching lends itself to isolation. After all, when the bell sounds, I am responsible for the knowledge I impart to my students. But it is incredibly important that all teachers, particularly new teachers, remember that we do not work in isolation. We are a team. We are here for each other, to help, support, and uplift each other. To make each other better.
Fortunately, I see a real trend in the current educational culture of fostering these kinds of Professional Learning Communities that will help all teachers embrace these best practices.
~Beth Duncan
"When staff work together as a professional learning community--when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement. The research is clear and compelling on this point. In fact, I am unaware of any credible research that suggests the best strategy for school improvement is to ensure each teacher works in isolation." This statement from the “Leading Edge” article, by Rick DuFour, explains the importance of a professional community which is enriched with teacher collaboration to improve student achievement. I believe the statement, “It takes a village to raise a child”. The entire community must work together to allow all children to become successful. Most importantly, teachers need to work together and share ideas to ensure the best practices are being taught to the students. Teachers must also continue to pursue professional development opportunities in order to implement new, research-based teaching strategies. The teachers should then share their new research with their team so all teachers can benefit. Our world is changing daily. My new phone I bought two weeks ago is now the “older model”. Teachers must be able to collaborate together and adapt to the most successful teaching practices so their instruction won’t become the “older model”.
ReplyDelete"One characterization describes a professional as someone with expertise in a specialized field..." We all are "professionals" in some area...maybe that area is creativity or organization....maybe that area is language arts or math. By working together, we can pull our strengths to form an even better team of "professionals." We can all learn from each other in some way.
ReplyDelete"I also know intuitively, as well as from my own experience, that school structures and cultures
ReplyDeletethat celebrate working in isolation are unlikely to result in significan
tly higher levels of
achievement"
I find that sharing with my colleagues is good for both myself and them. A wealth of knowledge is always better than a dearth, and logically, if more than one pair of eyes looks at something, a problem is more likely to be solved.
bdula
ReplyDeleteThe quote, “School leaders who align the workings of their school and classrooms with the knowledge base regarding best practice enhance their profession.” best describes the school and the teachers who strive to make available learning for all students. I have tried many different educational practices over 20 years and some have been effective while others have not. I have learned from the seasoned teacher and also from the beginning teacher. Teachers are the best source of professional development and enhance the learner for all students.
"When staff work together as a professional learning community-when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities,establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement,identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts" Working together as a team is so important in our profession. This allows us to gain perspective and ideas.
ReplyDelete"One characterization describes a professional as someone in a specialized field who not only pursued advanced training but also is expected to remain current in its evolving knowledge base." I find this to be very significant because everyday society evolves. We are not the same as we were 50 years ago. It is this evolution that needs to drive educators to always look for best practices when working with children. That is the only way to move our students forward.
ReplyDeleteCome to the edge, he said. They said, We are afraid. Come to the edge, he said. They came. He pushed them… …and they flew.”
ReplyDeleteThis is so true. It is the duty of the mentor to encourage the beginning teacher to strive to be their best. It important for the mentor to be the beginning teacher's cheerleader!!!
"When staff work together as a professional learning community--when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify
ReplyDeleteareas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they
increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement."
I firmly support this supposition. If a teacher, or any other professional, works in isolation, what other points of view will be there to aid in the identification of improvement? If one already feels they are using and doing the "best", then where can they turn? A collaborative and supportive environment is essential in the formation of a new teacher.
"When staff work together as a professional learning community--when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement."
ReplyDeleteI feel it doesn't matter whether a teacher has taught for 1 year or 10 years- it is vital to the success of each year to collaborate with fellow teachers. Doing so continues to challenge, inspire and keep teachers focused on prevalent issues. I feel collaboration is also an essential part of the professional learning community and allows teachers to become part of a team. I feel these 'teams' make up the school. In essence- 'strong teams' can help to build 'strong schools'.
"When staff work together as a professional learning community--when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement."
ReplyDeleteMy early years of teaching were very isolating. I felt I had something to prove so I was very reluctant to ask for help. After all, those were my students and I felt I was solely responsible for ensuring they received the best possible science education. As I have grown in my career, I have realized how wrong I was in my thinking. Collaboration within a professional learning community not only allows me to share my best practices but allows me to gain valuable tips, insights, and best practices from others; therefore, maximizing student success.
As fellow teachers we all share a common characteristic of the want to serve all students and being able to adapt to their specific needs, wants, abilities, backgrounds and desires. Our clientele is so differentiated that in order to be successful as educators we must constantly be in collaboration with others. Adaptability coupled with collaboration and the implementation of best practices in turn brings about the most successful of students, teachers, schools and school districts.
ReplyDeleteI find that it is sometimes challenging to relate to a Generation Y teacher when the age span is so vast, yet I find myself oftentimes learning from my mentee with their open honesty. I come from the generation of working long hours, even at the sacrifice of family time. My mentee has taught me about the work-life balance and using time more efficiently by working together in a collaborative environment that DuFour mentions.
ReplyDelete"One characterization describes a professional as someone with expertise in a specialized field, an individual who not only has pursued advanced training to enter the field, but who also is expected to remain current in its evolving knowledge base. According to this definition, members of a profession assume a personal responsibility to seek and implement the best practices in their field. They are not expected to embrace every new hypothesis or careen wildly from one fad or trend to the next. When, however, the field evolves to the point that there is
ReplyDeleteconsensus regarding best practice, the professionals within that field are expected to become familiar with and to use that practice. In fact, to disregard best practice would be considered a dereliction of their responsibilities, or unprofessional."
This is definitely true in education as curriculum and goals and ideas change rapidly. We must be diligent in staying on top of current research and new methods and best practices. Yet everything doesn't work for every teacher and as a teacher you must be able to look at various ideas and programs and decide what works best for you and your students. As a mentor, it is my job to pass this love of learning and research on to my mentees. I need to help my mentees find their wings and their style and not force mine upon them, but stress that in order to grow you must always continue to learn and be open to new ideas yet know what you are comfortable with and how to achieve best practices for you and your students.
Others have also commented on how education changes and you must stay current and up to date, but also don't let go completely of older ideas because before you know it, they will return! :)
A staff that works to truly meet the needs of the whole population of students is most benefical. So much more can be accomplished when we use each others expertise to meet the needs of our students rather than staying and keeping to ourselves. Remembering that everyone has something to offer and keeping an open mind to new ideas and change.
ReplyDeleteTeamwork is essential to developing a professional learning community. When everyone works together and just does a small part, the big job is done efficiently and creatively. We all share a common passion for teaching children, and the children enjoy success when everyone collaborates and plans as a grade level. Fortunately, teachers with years of experience can learn new strategies and ideas from their mentees. They have the latest and most current ideas to ensure student success, so everyone benefits from a grade level with both beginning and seasoned teachers.
ReplyDelete“When teachers work together to develop curriculum that delineates the essential knowledge and skills each student is to acquire, when they create frequent common assessments to monitor each student’s learning on a timely basis, when they collectively analyze results from those assessments to identify strengths and weaknesses, and when they help each other develop and implement strategies to improve current levels of student learning, they are engaged in the kind of professional development that builds teacher capacity and sustains school improvement.” This is a great plan that will thrust education and student learning and achievement to the next level. The plan calls teachers to act, to develop, to create, to assess, to analyze, to identify, to help, to improve, to engage, to build, and to sustain. My chief concern is can we expect new teachers to sustain this level of meaningful work and still maintain a work-life balance as mentioned in the mentor training slide. It seems apparent to me that new and veteran teachers need more time to accomplish meaningful tasks that will improve the student learning and achievement. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteEric Walker
Teamwork and collaboration is essential to ensuring the success of students. That is a given. However, I postulate that the same applies to educators as well. The beginning teacher may yoke the strength of experience from the veteran teacher and the veteran teacher may reap the benefit of newer ideas and practices from the beginning teacher. This all hinges on one thing which must be shared between the two parties--the mentee must be aware that their college training did not offer them every skill necessary for the real world and the mentor teacher must be aware that they must also learn and grow. Collaboration allows this to happen. If the mentee feels that veteran teachers can not show them anything they do not already know,the learning process has stopped. the converse is also true. The relationship is a symbiotic one although it may not seem such at the onset. Only when each party, mentor and mentee, realize that each has viable input, will there be nurturing, guidance and the development of the beginning teacher. If either party is closed to the sharing of ideas then no one benefits and the beginning teacher inevitably struggles with issues in their teaching.
ReplyDeleteYours, mine and ours came to mind when I read the article. Everyone in the school has a stake in each child's learning. Sharing best practices, supporting each other, and learning new strategies to reach each student is vital to the success of each student.
ReplyDelete“The best hope for helping all students learn, is to have teachers working together in a collaborative culture.” I feel that this is most certainly true because it is so important to plan together not only with grade level peers but also as an entire staff. I feel that some of my most effective ideas to use in the classroom have come from discussing them with peers. I also feel that it is important to collaborate as an entire staff. I have gained great knowledge from PLC meetings and data meetings where collaboration happened among several grade levels. I feel that we owe it to our students to be the very best that we can be as educators, and one way that we can ensure this happens is to collaborate with one another!
ReplyDeleteEmily Schwandt
When staff work together as a professional learning community--when they
ReplyDeletework together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they
increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement.
I feel the above paragraph is extremely important. Schools must work together as a team to support one another, stay abreast of the needs of students in the school, and work together to discuss, implement, and reflect upon the new strategies used frequently. It is our responsibility to especially include our mentees so help them move from the dependent stage to being more confident and independent.
"When staff work together as a professional learning community - when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts - and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement."
ReplyDeleteWe must work as a team, not only at the beginning of our teaching careers but throughout. The mentor process is based upon working collaboratively and being supportive. Maintaining those key ideas throughout is imperative to student success.
"When staff work together as a professional learning community--when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement"
ReplyDeleteOver the past several years, EOC teachers have met periodically to evaluate and discuss the data that was released based on our student's scores. I cannot begin to tell you how informative and helpful it has been to me and my colleagues. To be able to look at the breakdown with my peers, learn new practices with regards to my weaknesses as well as contribute my own practices in my strengths, and then formulate a plan that we all can follow to improve learning for all students has been quite empowering. I believe that there is a lot that a mentee can learn from their mentors, but I think there is also a lot to learn from the mentee. When all of this happens, then the students are the real winners.
Josh Williamson
Jay M.
ReplyDelete"When staff work together as a professional learning community--when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement. The research is clear and compelling on this point. In fact, I am unaware of any credible research that suggests the best strategy for school improvement is to ensure each teacher works in isolation." I have found this statetment to be most true in my role as an EC teacher. I collaborate everyday with my EC peers at my school and in the system to continue to provide the best learning environment for our students. I also continually collaborate with teachers throughout the school to ensure that every EC student is given every opportunity to learn and succeed. As a mentor, I believe that modeling this practice is one of the most important skills I can teach a mentee. It is vital to a student's success to stay in close communication with and work together with other teachers to strategize and accommodate for all learning types and behaviors.
ReplyDelete"When staff work together as a professional learning community--when they work together to clarify purpose and priorities, establish and contribute to collaborative teams, participate in continuous improvement cycles of gathering data on student achievement, identify areas of concern, generate strategies for improving student performance, support each other as they implement those strategies, and gather new data to assess the impact of their collective efforts--and when they are relentless in their efforts to improve achievement for all students, they increase the likelihood of sustained, substantive school improvement." We all have an important role to play when it comes to education. As life-long learners it stands to reason that the veteran teacher can gain new insights from his/her mentee. Just as the new teacher is going to learn about the ways that are tried and true from the veteran. We must collaborate with our peers and colleagues to grow as professionals and meet the needs of our students. Otherwise, we sell ourselves short and cheat our students out of additional opportunities for growth.
ReplyDelete"(Professionals) are not expected to embrace every new hypothesis or careen wildly from one fad or trend to the next." Teaching as a profession has lost a lot of respect of the general public the last several decades. One such reason is the image that educators jump onto every new passing idea. Some work and some don't, but many times, ideas are implemented without truly exploring if this will prove to be a best practice. Mentors need to be open to many of the new ideas that their mentee will present; however, they need to be sure their mentee doesn't try to do too much too soon. A veteran teacher may know what has worked, but they need to recognize that as generations change, so do teaching practices. It is a joint effort between the mentor and mentee that will help determine what is truly "the most effective strategies to achieve the fundamental purpose of our profession -- high levels of learning for all students."
ReplyDelete- Anita Whitehurst
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteProfessionals "assume a personal responsibility to seek and implement the best practices in their field. They are not expected to careen wildly from one fad or trend to the next." It seems to me that many of the policymakers in education might need to read this article (just an aside). Even as an experienced teacher, the sheer number of new fads and trends from year to year that we are expected to implement can be mind-boggling. A good mentor-mentee relationship should help the new teacher to navigate the waters of all of the trends, fads, technology, and new acronyms that get tossed about from year to year, and to help identify the strategies that are most successful in classroom implementation. They should also help the beginning teacher to not get completely overwhelmed and feel she has to try and do everything at once. This is a recipe for burnout. I totally agree with what Anita said in the previous comment. We have to be careful in believing that the only benefactor from the mentor-mentee relationship is the beginning teacher, as that is often not the case. It is a mutually beneficial relationship, and the introduction of fresh ideas combined with the temperance of experience is what will, in the end, be best for students.
ReplyDelete“Educational leaders have a professional obligation to align the practices of their school with the best thinking in the field, and there is virtually no justification for not fulfilling this obligation.”
ReplyDeleteThis is my favorite quote from the article because I agree with it one hundred percent. Too many times educators make excuses and complain about a lack of resources or time. This only hinders the very best practices from happening in a classroom on a given day. Every school and every student has the right to the best possible education. This requires teachers that are giving their best, that are abreast of leading research and that have committed to the success of their students. They need to be given the appropriate training to make these things happen.