Instructional Mentoring: Skills for

Teacher LeadersDivision of Instruction

Howard County Public Schools

Mentoring is the process by which individuals share their experience, knowledge, and skills with a protégé

to promote their personal and professional growth. Mentoring can also facilitate change, improvement

and professional growth within teaching.

OutcomesParticipants will…understand the supports and resources available

to support non-tenured teachers.understand the qualities of effective teaching and

how it can be supported.enhance skills with respect to support of non-

tenured teachers.

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Today’s agenda

Welcome and OverviewWhat is Induction?Effective Teachers Instructional MentoringPhases of First Year

Teaching

Article ReviewTrust BuildingContinuum of Interaction

(The three Cs)CommunicationClosure

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Our collaborative normsEnsure equity of voice.Practice active listening.Be open to different perspectives.Maintain confidentiality.Take responsibility for your learning.Monitor personal technology.

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Personal Goals Choice Board

M-E-N-T-O-R-I-N-GOn your letter card, write a word or phrase that

comes to mind when you think about mentoring that begins with that letter.

Form groups of 9 where your letters spell out the word “mentoring.”

Share your ideas with your group.

ME

NT

OR

IN

G

Comprehensive Teacher Mentoring COMAR 13A.07.01 Each LEA will:

•Establish a mentoring program as part of its Comprehensive Induction Program

•Identify a cadre of full-time or part-time mentors whose sole responsibilities are to support teachers during their comprehensive induction period (first three years of tenure)

•Establish the maximum ratio of mentors to mentees at one mentor to 15 mentees •Mentors may be assigned school-level administrative duties only on an emergency basis.

•A mentor may not participate in the formal evaluation of a mentee.

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Teacher InductionWhat?

Phases of new teacher development

Period of socialization

A formal program for non-tenured teachers

Why?Increased student

achievementImproved and

accelerated teacher performance

New professional norms of collaboration, ongoing learning and accountability

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Effective Teachers

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Effective Teacher ActivityDiscuss your response to the assigned prompt.

What will they be thinking? (blue)What will they be feeling? (red)What will they be saying? (green)What will they be doing? (black)

Record ideas on sticky notes.Post ideas on the Effective Teacher Poster.

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Gallery Walk & Stop

Make connections with the VETSL (Vision of Exemplary Teaching for Student Learning) p. 3-4

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Effective Teachers•Engage students in active learning•Create intellectually ambitious tasks•Use a variety of teaching strategies•Assess student learning continuously and adapt teaching to student needs•Create effective scaffolds and supports•Provide clear standards, constant feedback, and opportunities for revising work•Develop and effectively manage a collaborative classroom in which all students have membership

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Break

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Effective Mentoring On page 5 of your packet, brainstorm a list of what you

wanted or needed during your first year of teaching that would have helped in your development as a teacher.

Code each item on your list according to the domain from the Framework for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in which it belongs. Refer to the HCPSS Framework on pages 6 -8 if needed.

•Interpersonal Skills (IS)•Planning and Preparation (PP)•Classroom Environment (CE)•Delivery of Instruction (DI)•Professional Responsibilities (PR)

16Effective Mentoring: Five Corners Activity

Interpersonal Skills (IS)

Planning and Preparation (PP)

Classroom Environment

(CE)

Delivery of Instruction (DI)

Professional Responsibilities (PR)

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Problem-solver

Data partner

Trusted listener

TeacherResourceConsultant

Learner

Advocate

Facilitator

Coach

Collaborator

Teacher MentorRoles

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What the Research SaysResponse Group Activity

Read article

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What the Research SaysResponse Group Activity

Answer questionsDiscuss at tablesShare out

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Lunch Break

22The Importance of Building Trust

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Whom do you trust?On a scale of 1-10, write down how trusting you

are of the following groups of people.Car dealersCorporate executivesDoctorsPolice OfficersLawyersFire FightersPoliticiansTeachers

Why might this be?

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25What is trust? What builds trust?What is trust? How do you describe it?

What builds trust? What can you do to ensure trust exists?

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Problem-solver

Data partner

Trusted listener

Teacher ResourceConsultant

Learner

Advocate

Facilitator

Coach

Collaborator

Teacher MentorRoles

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Trust ScenariosIndividually respond to all three scenarios on the

handout.Choose the scenario you would like to discuss

further. Share ideas about your specific scenario within

your group. Then discuss how your scenario is fundamentally different from the other two scenarios.

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Three Types of Trust

Deterrence-Based TrustKnowledge-Based TrustIdentification-Based Trust

Read the article about the three types of trust. Focus on your specific type. How does the article expand your knowledge of this type of trust?

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Emotional Bank Account

As you think about working with a non-tenured teacher, consider how to establish trust or continue building an emotional bank account.

What kinds of deposits fill your bank account?What builds trust with you?How can you translate that information into your

relationships with your non-tenured teachers?

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Building TrustRead the scenario in

your packet.Left side: Record what

the mentor did to break down trust.

Right side: Record what the mentor could have done to build trust.

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Building TrustIndividually, write

trust building ideas on the left of the chart.

Give One, Get One Activity

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ReflectionTake two minutes to solidify your thoughts about

trust.Use index cards or sticky notes to write down your

next steps.

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Break

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Problem-solver

Data partner

Trusted listener

Teacher ResourceConsultant

Learner

Advocate

Facilitator

Coach

Collaborator

Teacher MentorRoles

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Continuum of Interaction

CollaborateConsult Coach

Information and Analysis

36CONSULT

Ideas come from mentor.Information is shared.Advice is given.Resources are provided.Dependency can be built if overused.

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COLLABORATE Ideas come from both mentor and mentee.

Information, ideas and approaches are co-developed.

Relationship is collegial.Conversations are held around co-planning and

co-teaching. “False collaboration” should be avoided.

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COACH Ideas come from mentee.

Mentee becomes self-directed, independent learner.

Ability of mentee to self-coach is increased.Mentee’s perceptions, perspectives, issues and

concerns are surfaced.Stance is not appropriate when mentee is not

ready.

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Continuum of InteractionForm 5 different groups based on the Framework domains.

In groups, on your sentence strip, write one example of each stance for your domain.

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What’s my stance?Take turns drawing a slip from the envelope.Each slip will include a situation and a stance.Begin talking as if you were mentoring a new

teacher on that situation from that stance.Your group will try to guess the stance from which

you were mentoring.

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Problem-solver

Data partner

Trusted listener

TeacherResourceConsultant

Learner

Advocate

Facilitator

Coach

Collaborator

Effective Communication

42Characteristics of a Good Listener

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Mindful ListeningRead the characteristics.

Circle one that resonates with you.Put a check mark next to one you want to work on. Put a box around one that would like more

information about.

Find a partner/triad and share your thoughts.How will these characteristics impact the

interaction you have with the teachers you support?

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Communication Skills: Instructional Mentoring SkillsParaphrasingClarifyingPowerful QuestionsPositive PresuppositionsSuggestions

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ParaphrasingAcknowledge/Clarify

You are frustrated by…You are excited by…

Summarize/OrganizeOne idea you have is…and another idea you have

is…

Shift Conceptual FocusUP: So, an outcome you want to achieve is…DOWN: First you want to…then you want to …

46Clarifying Statements/QuestionsTell me more about…Let me see if I understand…So, you believe that…You are saying that…One assumption you have is…What else can you tell me about this situation?

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Powerful QuestionsOpen-endedDirectRelevantUseful to the mentee’s agendaExpand thinking and possibilities

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Positive PresuppositionsPositive

PresuppositionWhat objectives have

you planned for your lesson?

What goals have you set for yourself?

What strategies are you finding yield the most success?

Negative Presupposition

Do you have an objective for your lesson?

Do you have any goals?Have you thought of any

strategies?

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SuggestionsI really think you should…because…Have you thought about…Research suggests that…would work well.Given those outcomes, it seems like the most

logical step is to …

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Model Conversation

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Personal ReflectionWill- How willing am I to take a risk?Skill- How comfortable am I in my skills of instructional

mentoring?Knowledge - Do I have the knowledge of effective

instructional practices needed to successfully provide instructional mentoring supports?

Capacity - Do I have the capacity to be successful in providing mentoring support?

Emotional Support- Do I have the emotional support needed from my colleagues to provide instructional mentoring supports?

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Tying it all Together

Think about the key ideas/terms we have explored today around the topic of Teacher Mentoring.

In teams of 3 or 4, brainstorm a list of key ideas/terms you predict will appear in the Word Cloud on the next slide.

53Count How Many Matches You Have

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Revisit Your Personal Goals Choice Board

Future opportunitiesContinued opportunities

through after school workshops & summer training

Teacher Mentoring CPD course

Teacher Mentoring Workgroup will continue to develop training opportunities & mentoring supports

Teacher Development Liaison support

Teacher Mentoring Resources:hcpssnewteacher.hcpss.wikispaces.net/Teacher+Mentoring+Resources

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Think AboutBased on what you’ve heard and learned here today: What are some next steps for you?