Mentoring Newsletter
A guide to working with mentees at your school site
Mentor Focus: October 16th - 31st:
Hello!
I hope you are doing well and "somewhat" caught up after our teacher planning day...maybe a little bit?!! We have heard from so many of you that next week's planned self-care event was the same night as many school activities but that you wanted to attend but could not. Of course, we want this event to be all about rejuvenation and pampering you and your mentees so we have moved the date to one we see is clear for almost all school and district activities. We are in the process now of locking down the district rooms and the people doing the pampering. Stay tuned!
I have linked two different sites below for quick access to some super self-care areas! Please share with your new teachers and don't forget to take advantage of these yourself. The first link is the Florida teacher discounts site. From Gaylord Palms to SeaWorld - there are some amazing deals! The second link is for teachers in the BPS Health Plan. We have access to some great fitness facilities for just $25.00 a month. Sign up is super easy - check it out!
Take a moment to watch the video attached below. It's on remembering Our Why and although it's a super quick watch, it is really impactful. Please share it with your school's mentors and mentees! It could be just the perfect timing for this pick-me-up!
As always, thank you so much for everything you do! Please let me know if you have any questions, thoughts, or concerns.
-Bridget Reed, reed.bridget@brevardschools.org
Please read through the following suggestions and choose two-three areas that you feel are appropriate to be discussed with your mentee.
1. Personal: Monitor new teachers for fatigue and disillusionment. Refer back to the first year teacher cycle video I shared for clarification. Many times exhaustion is actually masking loneliness. Check in with your mentees and truly listen to how they are doing right now.
2. Professional: Ensure your mentees are feeling informed and ready for the first round of formal observations.
3. Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: Introduce new teachers to the cumulative records and the student data on their students. Most new teachers will not have had the chance to access the cumulative records yet or understand the importance of that data.
4. Organizational Systems: Discuss time management both at school and during the after-school hours.
5. Students: Discuss concerns about students who are struggling and identify interventions that might work. Also, make sure you discuss student behaviors around Halloween and what they can expect the day after Halloween!
6. Colleagues: Arrange a meeting of classroom teachers and the ESE teachers who support the learning of ESE students in the classroom. Design an agenda that helps the two get to know each other on a personal level and for each to better know how to make connections between the two programs for the learners.
7. School Systems: Discuss the school holiday policies with an emphasis on how Halloween is handled.
8. Parents and Community: Do a room tour and help your new teacher see the classroom through the eyes of parents coming in for a conference. Ensure that learning standards and student work dominate.
*Special Educators: Review the first few IEPs prepared by the new teachers and provide feedback on accuracy and completeness of documentation.
Breakdown and suggestions taken from Paula Rutherford's Just Ask Publications
Michael Jr. --- Know Your Why
Click on the Two Links Below to Access Discounts for Florida Teachers and $25.00/month Fitness Centers
New Teacher Academy
On October 23rd and 24th we will have New Teacher Academy for all new hires that did not attend the summer in-service. This is a mandatory, one time in-service, for new teachers to Brevard. Speech- Language Pathologists only need to attend Day 1. The course number for day 1 is 404242 and day 2 is 404243.
DATE CHANGE due Hurricane Dorian! The NEW date for the first session of the New Teacher Networking Session is now Tuesday, October 29 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm in training rooms 3 & 4.
New Teacher Induction Program
Email: stanley.lisa@brevardschools.org
Website: https://www.brevardschools.org/Page/7999
Location: 2700 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Melbourne, FL, USA
Phone: 321-633-1000