MPUSD New Teacher & Mentor Update
October 2018
Survival Phase
The second phase of teaching takes place when the excitement and newness of the first week(s) have gone by and the reality of the various and vast responsibilities sink in. This is a time when things are happening at a rapid pace and teachers are expected to problem-solve(often on the fly) an assortment of competing situations. Handling these responsibilities, along with the mass variety of the regular beginning of the year teacher “To-do’s” while actually teaching can be overwhelming to even seasoned teacher.
All teachers, new and veteran, can feel overwhelmed and stressed at this time. Most report that they feel like they are constantly running or trying to keep their head above water. Veteran teachers have been down this road before and will likely have their own procedures and routines established. Veteran teachers can also have an advantage by being familiar with the curriculum and having previous years lessons plans to pull from. New teachers, will likely be starting from scratch, and most will have little or nothing in their storehouses.
So how can help new teachers successfully make it through this season?
Start by sharing with them that it is ok if they are feeling flat, overwhelmed, and even frazzled. Assure them that this is normal, expected, and that they are not alone. Knowing that this is just a phase and others are going through this too, can relieve any self-added pressure that they might have placed on themselves. Next, ask if you can share any of your time saving methods or strategies. Collaborate on ways to ease time on consuming tasks. For example, is there a veteran teacher, teaching the same subject, that is willing to share their lesson plans? Are there tasks or projects that students or parent helpers can do? Brainstorm and categorize tasks into ‘Urgent’- I need to handle now- and what can wait until tomorrow. Finally, ask them how they recharge and de-stress. Come up with a plan for them to intentionally schedule time for just that. Remind them that taking care of themselves is vital to being an effective teacher that soars through the school year.
Additional Resources:
Podcast-Teach 4 The Heart- 9 Ways to Reduce Distractions and Disruptions during Planning Periods (So you can actually get work done)
Induction Candidates
We are glad to see you settling into your classroom and work for the year. At this point you should be engaging with your Reflective Coach weekly and working on your first Cycle of Inquiry as you will need two completed by winter break.
Induction Reflection Coaches
We are excited that you have elected to support our newest teachers to the profession. We know that it can start off as a bit overwhelming. This is a quick “checklist” of coaching responsibilities:
- Average of 1-hour weekly Candidate meetings (confirmation of ILP submission for each inquiry cycle)
- Use the Reflective Coach Guide/Coach Website
- Attend Coach Connections
- NEW Coaches Complete Modules 1-4 under MY PD in CTI eConnect , Returning Coaches Modules 5-6- These are all Self-Paced and coaches should finish before March 1st
- Submit Monthly Coach Logs (1 per candidate per month)
- Understand and use the Coach Dashboard
- Prepare for candidate observations/and provide timely feedback
- Coach Conversations video (for peer feedback)
Intern Candidates
At this point, your Support Provider should be supporting you with weekly coaching meetings.
All SPED intern candidates should also be meeting for one hour a month with Katie or Heather as well as working with their support provider on conducting their first annual and triennial IEP meetings.
Intern Support Providers
It was great to see you all that the Intern Support Provider Orientation. Here is the Intern Support Provider Handbook with all of the materials that we discussed. We will be checking in again in January. If you have any questions or need any support between now and then, please reach out to Christie Kieffer.
School Site Administrators
Looking for ways to support new teachers on their journey as a new teacher?
Beginning teachers participating in CTI Induction will utilize the documents below throughout their induction journey. Familiarity with these documents will support collaborative goal setting and candidate growth.
Candidate Questions for Administrators
Beginning teachers participating in an intern program will be utilizing the documents below through their intern year with their onsite support provider. Familiarity with these documents can help you support coaches as they support their intern.