Why do you want to be a mentor teacher?
November 7, 2009 by wojtera
McHarg Clinical Faculty speaks out about mentoring new teachers!
Here is everyone’s responses from assignment #2 concerning the 3 elements that you believe make an effective mentor teacher for beginning teachers.
I cut and pasted your responses into wordle – and look what happens! (In wordle, the more times a word is mentioned, the larger it appears in the artwork).
I love that your main points for mentoring new teachers would be listening, sharing, collaborating, building relationships, giving your time, and being available. At McHarg, we have had very few opportunities in the past to mentor new teachers, but it sure looks like you have the “right stuff”!
So, this brings us to the next question…
Why would you want to be a mentor teacher?
Assignment #3:
In the comment section of this blog post, briefly explain what your motivating factors for being a mentor teacher are. Come back and read the comments as they come in – feel free to add more to the talk. This is a discussion question!
Don’t forget to click on the Google Docs tab and mark your assignment #3 as complete.
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I like having another adult in the classroom or contact with other adults. I think the conversations that I have with young adults in my same field help me to reflect on myself as a teacher. If I am telling them how and why I am doing something it challenges me to be able to define and reflect on whether it is still a best practice. I am a life long learner. I like to learn new things from student teachers or from new to our school teachers.
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K Coulson Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
I LOVE mentoring student teachers! They come in so fresh, excited, and eager to put into practice all they’ve learned in the college classroom. I like to watch them develop as professionals and share in the learning process. I enjoy having another adult in the room to bounce ideas off and to learn from. Student teachers have lots to share with us as well. I want my student teacher to do well and to love teaching as much as I do!
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Kelly Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
I agree with you, Blenna and Kim — my first reaction to the question was (too) — to have another adult in the room! You can learn so much about your craft when you talk with others about it — talk about what is working and why . . .
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I like having the conversations that follow lessons, as we discuss what went right, what might have worked better, etc. These conversations allow me to share some of my knowledge and experiences and, at the same time, I gain fresh ideas, strategies, and practices from the student teacher.
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When I mentor an intern it really makes me more thoughtful about the way I’m doing things in the classroom and motivates me to try to kick it up a notch to be a good model. I have also learned many new strategies from interns. Some of those ideas I continue to use. So it can be a learning situation for both of us.
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Diane Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
I certainly can relate to your comment Gloria.(Your comment too Blenna!) Being a mentor really makes you take a more reflective look at your own teaching and all that you do in the classroom. I also think we are definitley more conscientious when we have an audience.
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3 Effective Elements of a Mentor Teacher to a Student Teacher:
1)Clear Expectations
2)Patience (this is a learning experience!)
3)Willingness to Share Everything
3 Effective Elements of a Mentor Teacher to a Beginning Teacher:
1)Organization
2)Patience (time is needed to “learn the ropes”)
3)Willingness to Share Everything
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New teachers come in ready to share what they have learned and it is, for many, a dream that is beginning to come true when they step foot in the classroom. They are beginning their journeys as teachers. Being able to help bring that dream to life by sharing my ideas and allowing the preservice teacher to share ideas with me sounds exciting! I have had wonderful mentors along the way and would like to offer that to someone else. I also feel that mentoring is a way to keep me fresh. As mentioned previously in assignment #2, a mentor teacher should constantly model best practice teaching and reflection. Having a student teacher holds you accountable for this.
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We all know that a quality instructional leader in a classroom is the biggest key to student achievement. I think it is our responsibility to children to help grow the next group of educators so students have the opportunity to have an effective instructional leader in their classroom who promotes progress and success each and every day. This is why I enjoy being a mentor for those new to our profession.
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Kelly Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
Exactly! I don’t know about you, but I only remember bits and pieces from my college teaching classes — most of what made me the teacher I am today is what I did student teaching and what I learned from those two professionals who took the time to help me. They were two very different teachers, but each had so much to show me! You learn to teach, by teaching!
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Lisa Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
I agree with Kelly and Rob. The classes I took in college have long since faded from my memory, but the experiences I gained from both of my cooperating teachers continues to be with me today. Being a mentoring teacher also gives me the opportunity to catch the excitement that comes with student teachers and beginning teachers. They bring in a fresh new enthusiasm that encourages me to re-evaluate what I am doing .
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Blenna Reply:
November 10th, 2009 at 10:19 am
I agree. I also think that we can continue to learn from excellent teacher around us. I know I learn all the time from peeking into rooms around McHarg and from hearing teachers share what they are doing in their classrooms in TALK group. I have learned from teachers that my own children have. I think the important thing is to be willing and open to continuing to learning from whomever, bad or good. It is so tempting sometimes to get stuck in the way that we have always done something and it may have been a good thing for a long time but times and kids are changing. We are in a profession in which we must keep learning and changing our practice.
I’ve only had one student teacher in my career but I feel I learned as much from her as she learned from me. I feel you really reflect on your teaching. I feel it is a great mix of your experience and their excitement and readiness to learn.
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Being a mentor teacher, helps me become a better teacher and in return I (hope) am helping someone else. It’s a partnership. Passing along experiences and receiving new ideas benefits both the mentor and the mentee. I love learning new lead up games, new activities, getting a fresh perspective from an eager, young person. The process also challenges me to a self evaluation of my teaching and my program.
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I love being a mentor. Not just teaching the nuts and bolts of the classroom but the relationship side of teaching. In P.E. you can make a real connection to kids who may not be academically gifted enjoy success in school through movement.
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Well, to be honest it is always nice to have a helping hand and an extra body in the classroom. But really it is a motivation to be the best I can be when I have a student teacher. Even though it has been many years…I still remember my mentors when I did my blocking and student teaching. As a mentor I feel like we both learn from each other and I always tell my student teachers and block students that they will learn things from the classes they take but you learn the most from the experiences you get in the classroom.
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My desire to have a counselor intern is a give and take reason. I gain knowlegde of what is new in counseling, but also what things are happening in schools, with children that I might not be aware of – various types of getting high, cutting, eating disorders, etc… The interns are young and much more knowing of what our students are up against now. I bend their ears so that I am up to date – for both personal and professional reasons.
I also feel that the school counselor interns graduating today do not have enough “school” knowledge. They know theory and have practical counseling knowledge, but due to not having the prerequisite of school experience, they are unfamiliar with school culture, expectations, routine, and lesson planning. I believe their experience during their internship is critical to their success when they get their first job – especially since there is usually one counselor in a school. Their mentor may be across town in another school. I really enjoy giving them the bigger picture of school counseling.
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New teachers bring a breath of fresh air, excitment, new ideas and current thinking to a class. Plus they help bridge the age gap which helps me rethink my perspective. I’ve learned just as much from them as I hope they learned from me in years past.
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I like having another adult in the room to help give our children more individualized instruction. I too, like to learn from them. I try to share as many ideas and practices that I can and allow my mentor to share too. Hopefully, we can learn from each other.
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Having student teachers in the classroom makes me a better teacher. I feel a professional responsibility to provide an environment in which they can learn, ask questions, and put into practice the things they are learning in class. I also like being able to spend more time with individual children because there is another teacher in the room.
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I enjoy being a mentor teacher because I have loved this job for 33 years. I learn so much from the new teachers as well as from their interactions with the students. Like many of you, it makes me reflect on my teaching, philosophy, and attitude. It is fun to share and collaborate with others. It makes me a better teacher.
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Carolyn Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
I am seeing a common thread throughout many people’s comments. I too, feel that mentoring a beginning teacher is the start of a mutually beneficial relationship between the two teachers.
Sandy, I think you’re right about mentoring making you a more reflective teacher! I feel the same way – continually sharpening my focus on my teaching philosophy and trying to be a better teacher.
I hope the “mentee” gets as much from the relationship as we do!
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I believe that it is our responsibility as teachers to provide an environment where those new to the profession can learn and practice. Being a mentor to a student teacher gives us a wonderful opportunity to share ideas and experiences as well as reflect on our own practices. We are able to feel the energy that a fresh teacher brings to the classroom which will hopefully help us to renew and maintain our own energy level. Being a mentor also helps keep us on our toes, knowing that all that we say and do will help shape the new teacher in some way (positive or negative).
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Wendy Reply:
November 10th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Wendy, I agree — and when you said “all we say and do” makes me think of this: when my personal children were younger, they would imitate (of course) the things I said. Sometimes, hearing my words come out of their mouths made me reevaluate what I was saying. I think the same is true for teaching — sometimes, in explaining why we do something, we realize that we need to revisit a particular practice . . .
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Kelly Reply:
November 10th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Sorry Wendy! The above reply is from Kelly — wasn’t thinking when I filled in the “Name” blank! Durf!
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I have not had the opportunity to be a mentor to a student teacher, but I think it would be an amazing experience. I’m not going to lie….I would love the extra help! But, more importantly I want to stay up to date on everything related to the teaching profession. Student teachers come into the classroom with new ideas and enthusiasm. They are taking classes and learning the latest best practices. I would gain knowledge from them, as well as them from me!
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I think of my first year of teaching and how overwhelming that experience was. I also think of my first year as an experienced teacher in a new school system and how overwhelming that still was. I was never assigned a mentor beyond student teaching. However, the need was certainly there. I had to seek that support out which wasn’t always a quick process. How wonderful to be able to jumpstart relationships through a mentor! Even as an experienced teacher, the demands of the profession can still be very overwhelming. I find I still seek out and need those relationships and support on a regular basis. Think of the mentoring we do for each other through TALK, grade group meetings, etc. So I guess it is my own experiences and needs that motivate me to want to help someone else and be a mentor!
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Having the opportunity to be a mentor teacher is exciting and rewarding. Student teachers come in the classroom excited and ready to learn and share their ideas. I love sharing my experiences and getting new ideas from student teachers.
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It is refreshing to have a student teacher. I think they keep you young at heart. It gives you that shot of adrenaline. It is nice to have another adult in the room that you can laugh and cry with. I like to watch the learning process develop throughout the semester. And as always, it is always great to have an extra pair of hands, especially with young children.
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Donita
Mentoring gives me an opportunity to learn new ideas and teaching techniques. I enjoy having another adult in the classroom for journal writing and literature centers. It is exciting to have someone new to the teaching game, because they bring an extra energy to the classroom.
I had a mentor my first year of teaching. I would like to say it was a bonding experience. It was not. I mostly felt judged and thrown to the wolves. I have always remembered how difficult that year was for me. That is why it has always been my goal to be as helpful as possible. I want them to know they can come to me for support and encouragement.
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I enjoy having an intern for many different reasons. I believe that it is one of my professional responsibilites to provide an opportunity for students to intern in a public school setting. I also believe that I usually learn from them as well. It is great to have another person with the same training as I do to bounce ideas off of and engage in professional conversation.
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Being a mentor teacher keeps me in touch with my old excitement. I enjoy the sharing of ideas and the relationships that can be formed. We are helping the next generation of educators and what could be more important than that?
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Eirin Kiser Reply:
November 11th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
I am going to agree with what everyone else is saying. I have only had a student teacher once in my career. But, I did find that it was a great experience! It is so refreshing to have someone new to the classroom come in and be so eager and ready to learn and experience! I love being given the special opportunity to guide this new person, and I enjoy learning new things from someone new to the field as well!
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I enjoy having someone else who knows the children in my class as well as I do. This is an exclusive opportunity to team up and share thoughts and new ideas.
A student teacher has a lot to offer in terms of latest ideas/strategies! I have always found that they are usually bursting with enthusiasm to teach. It is a great reminder of the reason I do what I do!
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As the only music teacher, it is wonderful to have someone to talk to about music education. I also feel a responsibility to pass on my passion of teaching elementary music . In these times with budget issues, the arts have to continually prove our importance in educating the whole child. It is so vitally important to pass on ways to integrate our curriculum with the classroom curriculum, because that is basic to keeping our programs alive. Training student teachers to become effective music educators is one way to insure that public schools will continue to support education in the arts.
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I think we spend so much time talking to and interacting with our students without adult interaction that when we get to share with other adults, we just can’t get enough. There are always different ways to try the same old trick that makes it come alive again. We learn so much from each other and when we stop learning we might as well stop teaching. Having another adult to bounce things off of is so helpful and we learn so much from each other.
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