So, I applied for the instructional lead for my department for my school last week. My AP called me and said that she wanted me to be of more help to the entire school than just my department, and offered me a new position - New/Mentor Teacher Coordinator. There is small pay bump for it, so that's cool and all. Basically, we have had some issues over the past few years with our new teachers and mentors. Either the mentors don't do their jobs, or the new teachers don't reach out--not sure which. We have a lot of turnover in new teachers (not sure that's unique to us), and this past year, there was a bit of a fiasco with the one we hired--she was sweet and well meaning, but she wanted all the kids to like her, and she gave them As for showing up, and she wouldn't write them up for skipping--she wasn't following curriculum, a lot of things, and no one caught it until she was out for 3 weeks with a broken foot. We all had to scramble to fill in big gaps and there was a lot of push back from the kids, and finger pointing, etc. Well, as my AP described it to me, this position is a contact point for both the mentors and the new teachers--someone who will oversee them--make sure everyone is doing their job - our mentors do get paid - and providing further mentoring for the new teachers and the mentors, and just be another set of eyes and a resource for them. Basically, catch problems before they arise. I'm excited, although I'm not sure quite what I'm going to be doing. Any suggestions of things I should do during inservice, etc. My AP did suggest I hold meetings once a month with the group to discuss certain topics--any ideas? Just picking brains as I try to figure out how to do this and do it well.
I was a new teacher mentor for many years. We had a specific set of items to complete, which helped keep me and the teacher on the same page. Would something like that be helpful? Ours was run through the new teacher internship program through the state education department.
I'd think some sort of required documentation of meetings between new teachers and mentors sounds like it's needed. You said there was a problem with mentors and/or newbies not reaching out in the past. When I was new to my current district my mentor and I had to meet at least once a month to discuss things, and I remember there was some sort of form we each had to complete telling when we met and what we discussed. Sometimes the topics were given to us. Other times we could spend the time working on what was needed specific to the position's responsibilities. Could you come up with some sort of documentation system?
