Mentor Minute

Dear Lead Mentors and Mentors:

As we begin March, we are in the Rejuvenation Phase (see diagram below). Our new educators are starting to feel confident in their routines and relationships. They may feel like they are optimizing their time and resources with more expertise. They may be experiencing more energy to explore their curriculum, try new strategies, and look further ahead in their planning. This phase carries into spring, not fully smooth sailing, but with a feeling of more determination. At the same time, students will also have an uptick in their energy, making some feel more challenging and unmanageable. These opposing forces, confidence and restlessness, may require new educators to revisit routines and procedures to remind our students that they are safe in their spaces. Support new educators by sharing strategies to focus student energy more positively and productively. Incorporating activities that foster SEL can enrich the academic experience and support overall student success. Perhaps utilizing role-playing activities to help students practice conflict resolution, communication, and problem-solving skills. This helps students to develop social awareness and empathy toward others. Consider planning with your new educators to implement structures that will ease the stress that can come with spring.

Mentoring Matters: A Practical Guide to Learning-focused Relationships offers a variety of strategies to support our new educators the Rejuvenation Phase:

• Create a video of your teaching; analyze with your mentee.
• Create a video in your mentee's classroom; debrief with the mentee.
• Anticipate and share information regarding readiness for the upcoming events with your mentee (spring break, student testing, etc.).
• Reflect with your mentee on a broad view of the curriculum to map progress; identify successes and challenges to date and anticipate upcoming units.
• Use the Reflecting Template from Mentoring Matters to frame a conversation with your mentee on a lesson or unity they have recently completed.

Adapted from Mentoring Matters: A Practical Guide to Learning-focused Relationships, 2016, p.15

Click on the image above to access the Learning-focused Conversations: Template for Reflecting to use when reflecting with your mentee.

Teacher Assembly members were asked what were some successful strategies used in their buildings to support our new educators. Here's a look at what they shared.

Lead Mentors have access to the 40-Hour Teacher Workweek Fast Track course.

In the bonus material of the Fast Track course, Angela Watson shares her "Big 5" tips for teacher productivity:

• Eliminate unintentional breaks
• Figure out The Main Thing and do it first
• Work ahead by batching and avoid multi-tasking unless the work is mindless
• Look for innovative ways to relax any standards that create unnecessary work
• Use scheduling to create boundaries around your time

Please let me know if you would like to partner up to think through how to use the materials in the 40-Hour course.

Reach out and let me know. I can model an activity for you, be a discussion partner on how an activity or strategy might work or engage with you in a solution-finding conversation around a dilemma you have.

Contact Karol Bledsoe, Professional Learning Specialist, karol.bledsoe@vbschools.com