MPUSD New Teacher & Mentor Update
December 2018
Disillusionment Phase
During the month of December new teachers typically remain in the disillusionment phase. It is normal for new teachers to continue questioning both their commitment to and their competence in the field of education. Classroom management coupled with assessment and reporting can be areas of concern for new teachers in the month of December. Getting through this phase may be the toughest challenge a new teacher may face.
So how can we help new teachers through this season?
Remind our new teachers that rejuvenation is just around the corner. Typically when new teachers return in January there is a new wave of confidence and commitment to teaching.
Continue to check in with new teachers for weekly one hour meetings. During these weekly meetings, check in on...
- Classroom management: Encourage new teachers to attend the December classroom management workshop on the 17th for more strategies on implementing proactive classroom management strategies. Click here to view the strategies that were discussed in the November session.
- Assessment and reporting: Take time to look at student work with new teachers, and discuss assessment and reporting practices that are fair and disrupt bias. You can find the CTI resources for assessing for student learning here.
- Self care: Continue to encourage new teachers to take time for self-care. You can find some different ways to practice self care here. Also, encourage new teachers to attend this month's New Teacher Wellness Workshop on work-life balance. See below for sign up.
Induction Candidates
- Click here for the CTI resources available for improving supports for English Language Learners.
- Also, we encourage you to look at this site which has resources and videos for integrating ELD in your math classroom.
Induction Reflection Coaches
Thank you for continuing to support your new teacher. Here 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
- Submit Coach Conversations video (for peer feedback)
Intern Candidates
At this point, your Support Provider should be supporting you with weekly coaching meetings. As you are navigating the challenges of your first year of teaching while simultaneously completing coursework to obtain your preliminary credential, remember that your Support Provider is there for you to lean on. If you are feeling like you need extra support, please contact Christie Kieffer at ckieffer@mpusd.net.
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
Continue to support your intern candidate with weekly one hour meetings. As a reminder, the work of the Intern Support Provider is to provide assistance and coaching for intern teachers.
We will be doing our mid-year check in on January 9th or 10th from 4:00-5:00 at the District Office. Please click here to sign up for a day that works for you. If you have any questions or need any support between now and then, please reach out to Christie Kieffer.
School Site Administrators
As you are continuing to work with new teachers on their goals in their first and second years of teaching, remember that all induction candidates have the ability to choose their own focus for their cycle of inquiry. You can play a pivotal role in helping new teachers identify a topic for a cycle of inquiry that you feel would be a key lever in moving their instructional practice forward. You can find the different cycles of inquiry here.
If you have intern teachers at your site, please remember that their primary focus outside of their assigned classroom duties is their coursework. Please be mindful of having intern teachers take on extra duties. Additionally, please find time to check in with your intern teachers on their coursework and ask them what their needs are for being successful both as a teacher and a student.