Uninvolved mentor/feel left out

[MissEducation]

In my state first years are required to have a mentor who is paid by the state. My mentor is very nice but NEVER available. She answers my questions very quickly and brushes me off as she's moving to her next thing. I overhear the English teachers discussing lessons they all work on together. I butt in and ask what's going on, and they're nice enough about explaining it, but it's difficult for me to really understand the project without someone sitting down and showing me specifics. It's even getting to the point where kids complain to me about not getting to do the fun stuff the other classes are doing.

I know she's busy but it's wrong for her to keep signing up for this program if she doesn't have time - she is getting paid a relatively large sum of money for virtually NO work. Now she even has a student teacher, so she will be even busier. I think I'd be justified in speaking with my principal but as a first year teacher I'm mostly trying to stay below the radar. Plus I like her personally and don't want to get her in trouble. He has asked me a couple of times if she's sat down with me to talk and I've answered him honestly.

All the other teachers are very close knit and being uninvolved makes me feel like a reject on both a personal and professional level! I feel like the tolerated but unpopular kid who's always trying to sit at the cool kids' table. How can I get more involved without acting like a lost puppy???

[ChristyF]

Before they stopped it here, as part of the Mentor program the new teachers more or less rated their mentor. That more or less stopped some of what you are talking about. It might be easier to talk to the other teachers if you try one on one. Find one at the same grade level or content area and approach them when they are alone. Try and greet the others often. It's hard, when you teach it become like a family, and sometimes it's hard to open up to new family members. Keep plugging away. Also, if you are comfortable doing so, talk to your principal or vice-principal. Let them know you are eager to be involved and ask if there are areas that they could use you. As much a pain as they are, working on committees is sometimes a good way to connect with someone. That also would help with your portfolio.

[Aliceacc]

It seems as though her intentions are good, but her follow through is a problem.

In your spot, I would do 3 things:
a) let her know that you're feeling a bit lost, and ask if you can set up a regular meeting time-- say Tuesdays before school starts or Thursdays right after school. Make it a regular thing, put it on both your calendars, and see if that helps.

b) Informally find a mentor on your own. When I began teaching, there was no such thing as a formal mentoring program, or anything in particular for new teachers. But I was lucky enough to become very friendly with a math teacher 10 years my senior. She showed me a lot of the nitty gritty. Along with a great department chairman, I learned all I needed to know.

c) Hit the internet and find some great ideas of your own. Ask people here, or google "MacBeth projects" or something similar. Then go to some of the experienced teachers and ask whether that particular project would fly in your school, or whether it might need to be modified or approved. Once they see that you're contributing, I'm guessing they'll be much more likely to include you.

[lilmisses1014]

My mentor has never been in to see me. In fact, I don't even know if she even knows who I am!

BUT... I have "adopted" other veteran teachers as my mentors. That's what I recommend for you.