First Steps in Mentoring

Mentoring new teachers is very demanding at the beginning of the year, because the students are coming August 14th and the New Educator must be prepared to carry out all the duties that a veteran teacher routinely performs. The following are some possible talking points for those first meetings with the New Educator during preplanning:
• Build personal connections by asking questions like “Where did you attend college?”, “Where are you from?”, and “What’s your sign?” just kidding but you get the idea. You are the New Educator’s big brother or big sister.

• Explain your role as an Instructional Coach – friend, observer, provider of feedback, information resource, advocate, etc.

• Discuss the characteristics of an ideal teacher and write them down. (This will reduce possible conflict later, if you both share the same vision of effective teaching).

• Help the New Educator prepare his/her classroom or if she/he are roving prepare their cart.

• Encourage the New Educator to have written procedures for the following:

1. Students entering the room
2. Starting the period or the day
3. Ending the period or the day
4. Getting students attention
5. Restroom, water breaks, and hall passes
6. Assigning seating
7. Distributing and collecting materials

• Develop classroom rules
• Encourage the New Educator to have at least two weeks of lesson plans based on your school’s instructional focus calendar.

Warning: Encourage New Educators to focus on classroom procedures. During the first week of school many new teachers will feel they are falling behind with academics but effective teachers know if you don’t develop effective procedures in the beginning, you lose a considerable amount of academic time later handling behavioral problems.

Source: Dr. Doug Miller