Key Types of Mentor-TC Conversations
These conversations are really important to have, in order to understand how you'll work together in this close relationship. We highly recommend having the Professional Roommate Conversation in the first few days of the clinical experience. The 3 Conversation Practices is an all-purpose set of tools for mentors to use with their TCs or even with new teachers on staff.
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3 Conversation Practices
How to select the right kind of conversation to have about teaching and learning For mentors, different kinds of dialogue with teacher candidates can provide unique opportunities for learning and growth. In broad strokes, there are three types of mentoring conversations, each used for different...
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Tool: Setting up co-planning conversations
This tool helps both mentor and TC get ready for co-planning, once a lesson topic has been identified. Consider using the “Mentor’s Pocket Guide for Making Your Thinking Explicit” as you discuss. Begin the co-planning process at least a couple days ahead of the lesson...
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Professional roommate conversation
Early on, mentor-TC partners have found it highly beneficial to have an explicit conversation in which they get to know each other’s hopes, preferences, and work styles. The name “professional roommate conversation” comes from an experienced mentor who launches each year with a TC this...
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Feedback preferences questionnaire for teaching partners
This questionnaire invite you (mentor and novice) to think about different aspects of giving and receiving feedback. Consider using these questions to 1) discuss preferences with your teaching partner and 2) make some initial decisions about agreed-upon routines for feedback. 1. How would you finish...
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Work styles as teaching partners
This document serves as a quick primer for using the self-assessment as part of your “Professional Roommate Conversation.” We have found the Leadership Compass Self-Assessment to be useful for identifying work style tendencies – how we make decisions, take action, interact with others, etc. Download...
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Leadership compass self-assessment
This tool helps with the following: Gives us a vocabulary and a way of thinking about working with each other in our teams Deepen our appreciation of everyone’s different work styles Understand the need for a variety of work styles Reflect on our own individual...
Understanding Students / Community / School Ecology
These are resources to help you learn more about your students, the community they come from, and the school context. We refer to the school context as an ecology because there are so many individuals who work together to support students, and it is good to get to know who they are.
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TCs: IDEAS FOR GETTING TO KNOW THE SUPPORT AT YOUR SCHOOL
Getting to know the varied professionals at your school who support both students and teachers is an ongoing process! Start by finding out what roles exist at your school and who serves them—ask your mentor, look at your school’s website, and visit the offices of...
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TC practice: Getting to know your students as learners
Getting to know your students as learners is more than formally assessing students’ content knowledge. It requires a targeted and systematic inquiry into your students’ ways of thinking, how they “do school” and how they understand the subjects you are teaching. This includes knowing about...
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Connecting with Teacher Colleagues and Staff
What is this about? The school community encompasses students, teachers, education (ELL, SpEd, STEM, etc.) specialists, administrative staff, nurses, security and cafeteria personnel, maintenance experts, volunteers, and others. Every one of them is there to support students’ well-being and learning. Connecting with teaching colleagues and...
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Getting to know your school and the communities it serves
What is this practice? No matter your level of familiarity with your school placement and the communities it serves, knowing communities as a teacher is different. Inquiring into your school and its surrounding neighborhoods from the perspective of a teacher will give you a head...
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Getting to know your students as individuals
What is this practice? Getting to know students as individuals in and outside your classroom is more than just knowing what grades they usually get in class and anecdotes you may have heard about them. Knowing your students as whole people means getting to know...
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Observation-communication-information guide for start of year
Using observation, communication, and information to get to know students as individuals This guide provides you with some concrete steps you can take to learn more about your students as individuals at the start of the school year. Note that you will often have to...
Ideas for Starting the School Year
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Introducing students to the discipline they’ll study
Students can start studying ideas in science, math, social studies, etc., without really knowing about the disciplines that underlie these subjects. One way to start the school year is to do an activity that introduces students to these discipline(s), helps them understand the different branches...
Various PDFs
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Resource: Formative Assessment
There are legitimate concerns about the way tests are being misused, and those need to be addressed. But let’s not be distracted from the big picture: The wise and effective use of assessments is essential to solving inequities within and among our schools. Used well,...