new teacher mentorship model

[Peggy Holman]

Re: new teacher mentorship modelChris,

I have no doubt there are many ways to handle the matching; perhaps it is best left to the rhythm of each individual to sort out.  I recently attended a 10-day workshop in which the suggestion to choose a mentor was made near the beginning.  That was about all that was said.  Beyond that, we were interacting with the staff throughout the time and whatever arrangements you wished to make were up to you.  I'm sure some chose mentors, others not.  I must admit there were times when I ate lunch with different staff members where I had the feeling that I was interviewig possible candidtates for being my mentor.  Other than taht, I felt it my responsibility to handle.

If you want something with more form, something a colleague in Open Space, Michael Lindfield, does might work.  When the circle reconvenes at the end of an event, he'll have a 15-minute "taking care of business" marketplace.  Essentially, anyone is invited to do any individual follow-up with anyone else within the bounds of the circle.  So, I might take my calendar, walk across to the circle to where you're seated and set up a time to meet with you.  That time could be to ask someone to be a mentor or any other sort of follow-up in the moment I want to handle.

So there are two possibilities...
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Rhett Hudson/Chris Weaver 
  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
  Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2000 12:26 AM
  Subject: Re: new teacher mentorship model


  Peggy,

      Thanks for this.  I believe you are right that some teachers would prefer a one-on-one relationship, and that it would help facilitate this to suggest it as one of the possible outcomes.  I wonder:  will the people feel awkward about finding partners, as if they're back at a high school dance?  As a way to relieve pressure on the interaction in the focus groups, could "connecting with your mentors" be organized somehow as a convergence activity?  Thanks for your continued advice.

  Chris

  ----------
  From: Peggy Holman <pholman at msn.com>
  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
  Subject: Re: new teacher mentorship model
  Date: Tue, Jul 4, 2000, 7:54 PM



    Chris,
     
    What an inspired idea!  I look forward to hearing how it goes.
     
    Here's one small suggestion.  Some folks really do learn best one-on-one and benefit from an ongoing relationship.  I'd encourage any new teacher who wishes to do so to ask someone to be their mentor.  They will have the experience of the Open Space to notice who has interest in supporting the areas they are interested in and to see the mentors in action so they have some insight into the chemistry.
     
    You can certainly conclude that this would happen in some cases whether specifically encouraged or not.  Since the new teachers probably have a lot coming at them, I see value in an explicit suggestion to find someone to work with if they so desire.
     
    Peggy
     

      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Rhett Hudson/Chris Weaver <mailto:rhett&chris at MAIN.NC.US>  
      To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU <mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>  
      Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2000 6:53 PM
      Subject: new teacher mentorship model

      Dear OSLIST,

      I'm all excited and bleary-eyed from one of those sweet breakthroughs into a new application of Open Space.  I've drafted an Open-Space-based design for a mentorship project for new public school teachers (with help from Esther, BJ, and Chris Corrigan).  I'm striking while the iron is hot - this could be piloted state-wide in North Carolina by the fall, bringing together a number of teacher-support programs who have never worked in consort.  I share it with you in its newly-created form for your feedback, and of course in the hope that it might be useful to someone else out there.

      PS TO MICHAEL HERMAN:  Where would be the best niche for posting this type of item on the openspaceworld website?


      LEARNER-BASED COMMUNITY MENTORSHIP for NEW TEACHERS
      Draft, 6/30, by Chris Weaver

      RATIONALE
      New teachers are working in highly complex environments and have multiple layers of needs.  They are constructing their own practice in individual ways based on their diverse professional strengths and the diverse environments in which they work.  The mentoring they receive should be driven by each teacher's priorities, rather than by the agenda of an individual mentor or support program.  The new teachers should have effective access to a wide variety of mentoring expertise.

      END RESULT
      At the end of the Formation Meeting, each new teacher will have chosen a number of mentors whom they can easily contact for different types of advice.  Each mentor will have identified a number of new teachers whose needs match their area of expertise.  In the ongoing contact and meetings, these multiple mentor-mentee relationships will deepen, and new relationships will be easily formed based on the needs of the new teachers.


      I.  FORMATION MEETING
          When?         Mid-August
          Where?        NCTeach University Host Sites
          Who?            All New NCTeach Teachers
                              All available mentors (LEA, Coach-to-Coach, NCTeach Master Teachers, Available                                           
                              NCTeach Faculty)  
          How Long?    3 1/2 hours (in this example, 6:00 to 9:30 pm) 
          Process?      Open Space Technology
          Description:
                              6:00 to 6:45  -  All teachers and mentors meet.  Each participant is given a list of all participants, with individual contact information (particularly email addresses) and room for note-taking below each name.  Instructions are also included for ongoing listserv and/or web-based communication.  Open Space process is introduced.  Participants are invited to convene focus groups on a particular topic reflecting the needs of the teachers (e.g. High School Biology, classroom management, Standard Course of Study and Projects, homework expectations, Inclusion, EOG 7th grade reading Benchmarks...)  The convenor of each focus group (could be a teacher or a mentor) selects a time and location for their conversation.  Schedule is posted on the agenda wall.  Participants know that they may move freely between focus groups at any time, to find the place where they can learn or contribute to the highest degree possible.
                              6:45 to 7:30  -  Focus Groups, session I
                              7:30 to 8:15  -  Focus Groups, session II
                              8:15 to 9:00  -  Focus Groups, session III 
      The convenor of each focus group is responsible for facilitating that group, and for ensuring that a simple report is compiled.
                              9:00 to 9:30  -  Whole Group Closing Meeting
                              FOLLOW-UP  -  All focus group reports will be compiled and distributed, electronically and/or hard copies, to all participants within 24 hours.

      II.  SUSTAINING MEETINGS
          Sustaining meetings will be held monthly throughout the school year, following the same Open Space Process.  Focus groups will continue to be convened around specific teacher needs.  New teachers will thus deepen their relationships with established mentors while maintaining access to new mentors.  New teachers will also learn collaboratively from one another, and mentors will learn from all participants.  Focus group reports will be compiled and distributed following each Open Space meeting.

      III.  SUPPORT BETWEEN MEETINGS
          New teacher support between meetings will be driven by teacher needs and requests.  Communication will occur on-line, as well as by phone and in person as requested.  A fund will be established to pay for substitutes so that mentors can make classroom visits to new teachers when requested whenever possible.

      IV.  MENTOR ROLES AND COMPENSATION
          In this structure, mentors are compensated for their participation in the monthly Open Space meetings and for being available to the new teachers between meetings.  Mentors will be compensated by their sponsoring organizations (NCTeach, Coach-to-Coach, local District/LEA).  In this learner-based structure, the actual hours spent in mentoring work will be impossible to precisely predict.  Data on this will be collected as the program unfolds, and adjustments in compensation/workload will be negotiated as needed.


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