692: Issues & Trends in Leadership & Mentoring

3.15.12
The New Teacher Center put out some very pertinent information on high quality induction practices by also discussing what we should try to move away from.... 
We need to move away from: 

• Choosing a mentor without criteria or explicit process
• Insufficient professional development and support for mentors
• Meetings happen occasionally or 'whenever the mentor and teacher are available'
• Mentoring for first year teachers only
• non-specific, emotional or logistical support alone
• informal and non-evidence based feedback
• Professional development NOT specifically tailored to the needs of beginning teachers
• Lack of training/communication with administrators
• Isolated programming and lack of alignment 

STOP!

We need to move towards:  

• Rigorous mentor selection based on qualities of an effective mentor
• Ongoing professional development and support for mentors
• Sanctioned time for mentor-teacher interactions
• Multi-year mentoring
• Intensive and specific guidance moving teaching practice forward.
• Professional teaching standards and data driven conversations
• Ongoing beginning teacher professional development
• Clear roles and responsibilities for administration 
• Collaboration with all stakeholders

Go!

*This information is taken from High Quality Mentoring & Induction Practices produced by the New Teacher Center, Santa Cruz, California, 2011. 

www.newteachercenter.org 

So where are we at?

Upon reviewing the "Go" strategies, I can definitely say I feel confident our current mentoring program provides guidance moving teaching practice forward. We always make a point to put students first. For example, I send out weekly e-mails to the new teachers called "SIOP Strategy of the Week." This resource gives teachers a new strategy, idea, activity, tool, and/or resource to implement in their practice to promote student achievement. 

The second successful piece to our Induction Program is the strategic mentor-mentee selection. This is something that is carefully planned with the help of administration and careful thought about strengths of mentors and the new teacher, needs of the new teacher, proximity in the building, and other such factors. 

Where do we need to be?

The article discusses the need for training of the mentor. This is exactly what I am discovering in my current research. Mentors need to be supported too! They need to know how to deal with difficult situations, support their mentee, and understand the process of consistent mentoring. Our mentors and new teachers do not meet routinely-- they usually work it in when time allows. The value of mentoring needs to be explored. 

What about...?

The article discusses the need for multi-year mentoring. I agree! Even your second year... third year, well every year, really, is a learning experience! 

That being said, what do you do when you run out of mentors? In a building with high teacher turnover and over 30 first year teachers, how do you find enough mentors to service and support each person? 

Please share!  

Describe your mentor-mentee pairs? Do all new teachers complete two years of induction? What do you do if you do not have enough mentors available or willing? Do any readers out there participate in the "release time" model?

Comments welcome!

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2.28.12
Mentoring and school Leadership: Topic of the day Empathy
Ernest Mendes, author of article What Empathy Can Do, explains, "Students respond to use because we care-- and because they like us." Is it possible this statement applies to adults? 


Mendes explains it's crucial adults develop emotional intelligence through self-awareness and management. 


"Self-awareness includes being able to distinguish between your own feelings and those of others. Self-management is the ability to manage your emotions and use them to move toward a desired outcome." 

My Reflection-- So What? 

As an instructional coach I am constantly thinking about how to develop better relationships which lens to a more successful coaching cycle. 

	Self Awareness	Self Management
What is it?	Self-awareness includes being able to distinguish between your own feelings and those of others.	Self-management is the ability to manage your emotions and use them to move toward a desired outcome.
Self-Reflection:	This is something I think I do well. I not only am intuitive of others thoughts and feelings, but it matters. Someone once reminded me: “You can’t take care of others, if you’re not the best version of yourself.” The self is so important. Just as you need to be your best self to teach, you need to be your best self to coach others.	Professionally, I channel my emotions well. This is perhaps something I need to remember when I get frustrated with others. Sometimes I feel like shutting down and/or avoiding interaction with this person. I know this is not always productive. As a mentor and instructional coach, it’s vital that I build my resilience and find empathy.
Now what?	I want to improve how I acknowledge others’ feelings. Although I may recognize one’s feelings, I do not always address them. Presenter, Dr. Medoff, at the New Teacher Center Symposium in California suggests putting yourself in the mentors/mentees shoes. Taking yourself back to a time when you felt like the other person feels can be very beneficial in learning how to be empathetic. Other prompts to think about include… “Tell me more about…” “If you had a friend in this situation, how would you support them?”	One way to do this is to validate the issue and move forward. Although I don’t think it is healthy consume all your time and effort  with the frustration, it is important to acknowledge the problem so I can open the door to a solution.

In conclusion, teachers, mentors and teacher leaders need to be real and allow themselves to have a parallel experience as their mentee. 

References: 

What Empathy Can Do, by Ernest Mendes, Educational Leadership p. 56-59 September 2003

Building Empathy Through Mentoring, by Lisa Medoff, Ph.D, Cleo Eulau Center, 2010

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2.18.12

Mentoring and School Leadership: Topic of the day Policy 

Reflections, a journal distributed by the New Teacher Center, put out a collection of articles on "Policy" in Winter, 2008. NTC articulates that federal, state and school district policies impact the support and development of new educators. Well, of course, you say! Chew on some of the key points highlighted by directors of NTC, researchers, and advocates of mentoring new teachers:

• "Too many states mandate mentoring in the absence of adequate (or any) funding, solid program standards, or mentor training. Simply requiring that new teachers be assigned a mentor without regard to mentor or program quality won't get the job done." -Ellen Moir, NTC Executive Director
• "One of the most important demands of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is a "highly qualified" teacher for every child. Research demonstrates that, in terms of impact on student achievement, expert teachers are the most important-- and the most inequitably distributed-- school resource... Thus, it is critical that the federal government take on the task of ensuring that all students have teachers who can teach challenging content to diverse learners." -Linda Darling-Hammond, Stanford University 
• "Because more than 30 states already mandate new teacher mentors, there is a risk that policymakers consider their job complete." -Liam Goldrick, NTC Director of Policy
• "States must break down the barriers of classroom isolation and the traditional sink or swim experience of new educators by building communities of practice through robust induction programs."  -Liam Goldrick, NTC Director of Policy
• "Visionary school principals and supportive district leadership can make a difference in teacher satisfaction and retention, school improvement, student success and the sustainability of effective policies and reform... [H]igh quality teacher induction programs can't be sustainability knowledgeable and supportive administrators." -Liam Goldrick, NTC Director of Policy 

Reader's Rendition:

A) What policies are in place in your district? How often is this policy revisited, reformed, researched or improved???

B) How can the state be involved in breaking the barrier of classroom isolation and the "sink or swim" experience of new teachers?

*Please feel free to respond to one or any of the questions in Reader's Rendition by posting a comment. I appreciate your feedback!

So What? Now What?

Could in be that mentoring may be an upcoming issue or tend in education? So many districts are putting time and effort in to teacher evaluation. Denver Public Schools is one doing so. (Check out LEAP: http://leap.dpsk12.org) DPS' current pilot developed called LEAP evaluates teachers using several measures. Part of the framework includes teacher support. Can a more effective measure of new teacher support and mentor support be worked into such programs? 

I especially appreciate Goldrick's point (above) about stakeholders considering the job done, simply by requiring a mentor. As my current research points out... mentors need support too! It is just not enough for the district to require a mentor. More supports need to be in place. When I met with one of our district administrators of New Teacher Induction, she explained to me that DPS no longer funds substitute teachers for mentors and mentees to engage in release time to do classroom observations. 

Bravo to California, Arizona, South Carolina who received "Shout outs" from NTC about their practice of induction and mentoring for new teachers.

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2.6.12

Mentoring and School Leadership for Social and Emotional Well-Being

Check out my reflection on this topic after attending a seven hour workshop at the Shining a Light on Great Teaching: 14th National Symposium on Teacher Induction: http://mentoringwithmegan.blogspot.com/

Here's What...

Components of Social and Emotional Well Being, as developed by the New Teacher Center in collaboration with the Cleo Eulau Center:

·   Foster Resilience

·   School and Classroom Community

·   Emotional Competence

·   Social Competence

According to researchers, these four features play a role for administrators, mentors, teachers and students to promote learning, growth and achievement. Dr. Lisa Medoff, Ph.D outlines these ideas in her article Then Principles of Teacher Who Foster Resilience in Children:

·   Empathy

·   Active Listening

·   Changing Negative Scripts

·   Helping Students feel safe and appreciated

·   Accepting children for who they are and helping them set realistic goals

·   Helping children experience success by identifying and reinforcing competencies

·   Helping children recognize that mistakes are opportunities to learn

·   Developing responsibility, compassion, and social conscience by providing children with opportunities to contribute

·   Teaching Children to solve problems and make decisions

·   Disciplining in a way that promotes self-discipline and self worth.

What is Empathy? Something Dr. Lisa Medoff, Ph.D reiterated several times in her presentation was that empathy is the ability to put oneself in another's shoes. She suggests that for the mentor-mentee relationship, student-teacher relationship and/or administrator's relationship with the staff to be stronger, both parties should be able to see the world as the other sees it. Dr. Medoff explained in a true mentor-mentee relationship each participant needs to be able to look at something from a different point of view... even when it challenges your resilience.

What is Resilience? According to the New Teacher Center, resilience is the ability to bounce back.

Dr. Medoff repeated... and repeated again, "People repeat themselves when they don't feel like they've been heard."

Here I am with Dr. Medoff and co-presenter Laura Gschwend at the Symposium in San Jose, CA.



So what?

Megan's Mentoring Monologue: In an educational world of cutting funding, changing teacher evaluation, and high stakes testing... where is the room for training, practicing, and assessing emotional resilience and teacher well being? If this is so important... HOW do we get stakeholders to value the components listed above. What is most interesting to me is that although Dr. Medoff describes the ten principles of teachers who foster resilience in children, isn't it true that those exact ten features will promote a positive safe place for adult learning as well?! As a leader, I want to support my staff and make them feel "safe and appreciated." I want my mentor, my principal to engage in active listening and promote me to learn self-discipline and worth. Is it possible our human needs are the same as those sitting in front of us in our classroom?

Now What?

As coordinator of the New Teacher Induction Program at my site, there are several "take aways" I would like to immediately implement as I move forward as a leader, support teachers, and promote student growth:

·   I will commit to using empathetic sentence frames and reflective listening in my coaching/mentoring sessions. Four frames I specifically like include...

o If you had a friend in this situation, how would you support them?

o I wonder if there is a different way to look at this situation...

o What is the most difficult part about that for you?

o The main issue seems to be...do I understand that right? (www.newteacher.org)

·   I will have my evaluator use the Social and Emotional Well Being- Classroom Observation Guide to provide feedback for me about my behaviors in my next staff professional development or coaching cycle. How can I grow?

·   I will infuse my learning into the New Teacher Induction Program at Montbello High School by looking at teacher's needs and putting myself in their shoes.

Take a look at a recent "M&M" (Weekly Mentor-Mentee Talking Points). Each Friday, mentors at my site receive some discussion ideas for the week to come. This particular M&M "checks in on" teacher resilience and well being:

M&M

Mentor & Mentee Weekly Talking Points

Talking Point #1: Discuss with your mentee the importance of staying healthy and devoting time outside of school to their personal well-being. Perhaps share ideas about what you do to release stress. Remind your mentee that sometimes it is best to take a break and return later to “in progress” tasks.