Hello, KCSD Mentors

It is time to start BLOGGING for with our mentors.  As you know, Dr. McClary is no longer with us.  If you have any quesions, comments, or concerns, please let me know.    You can contact me at john.gardner@kcsdschools.net.

Checkin’ in

Spring Break has sadly come to an end. We really needed that breath of fresh air, literally! On the flip side, your new teacher only has about 7 weeks left in his or her first year of teaching. It has flown by, hasn’t it? Be sure to check in with your new teacher this week. There may questions or even fears about the budget, or they just may need a jumpstart after the break. Maybe you can help. Have a great week!

Jenna Hallman’s Message

Last Thursday, Teacher Forum asked SC Teacher of the Year Jenna Hallman to speak at our meeting after school. The topic? MENTORING! How perfect! She told the story of her path into the teaching profession and described her harrowing first year in the classroom. It was nice to hear that even award winning teachers have off years!

She spoke of her first year in a lonely mobile, isolated from the daily scoop, not to mention assistance from other teachers. (I couldn’t help but think of CERRA’s Jason Fulmer and his mobile #15!) It was so bad for her, when contracts were issued at the end of her first year, she actually had no intention of signing it. Can you imagine?

However, one thing kept her from leaving education: an unassigned mentor named Kelly. Kelly reached out to her and offered supplies, advice, strategies and friendship at a time when Jenna said she needed it most. Not only did Jenna sign that contract,  she went on to capture the “crown” of eduaction, the state TOY title, touching the lives of many along the way.

As Jenna’s story drew to an end, she left us with one challenge: to be a “Kelly” to someone. I know that our assigned mentors are doing a great  job with their new teachers, but I hope we are all – assigned or otherwise – trying to be a “Kelly” to another teacher. Always remember that we all have different strengths and there could be someone in your building or someone who is just an email away who could use your  assistance, input or maybe even just a kind word and smile.

As Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Obviously, you were chosen to be a mentor because you have much to give. Keep on doing what you do best, and be the spark that rekindles someone’s flame. Who knows…..you could be saving another Jenna.

March Madness Begins!

Because I am an ESPN wife, I know all about March Madness. (Thanks, honey!) The funny thing is, that moniker also applies to education about this time of year. I don’t know about elementary and high school, but for middle school, it seems that the third quarter is always a struggle for students, and therefore, for teachers as well. By this time, our first year teachers are well into the trenches. It’s flu season, we’re getting nervous about the new and upcoming standardized testing and keeping up with the paperwork is getting monotonous. As veteran teachers we know to look to the bright side; SPRING BREAK is coming soon! But what about our new teachers? Their to-do lists are probably growing by the minute, along with their anxiety!

As if that’s not enough, the induction class is drawing to a close. I’m sure many have come to rely on that class as another support system. Do our new teachers have the stategies they need to be successful, innovative teachers? As you know, our expectations in Kershaw County are pretty high! Do they know what to expect during the ADEPT process next year? Are they prepared to handle it with no worries? These are questions we need to reflect on with our new teachers. Our mentoring roles are critical now.

The continuum is one of my favorite things that I took away from mentor training. It is the perfect way to facillitate the self-evaluation/reflection process for our new teachers. It can be used as a way to help them take an objective look at how far they have come and assess where they would like to be. I don’t know about you, but I’m willing to try ANYTHING in order to help my new teacher get through the dogs days of third quarter.

As always, the mentoring community would love to hear your success stories or helpful suggestions! Becky Thrall gave a shout out for her new teacher. (Way to go, Becky!) Our three new teachers at my school (NCMS) are still amazing us! They jump right in – anytime, anyplace! So…. what’s up at your school? Share your questions, concerns, or praises here or at our meeting on Thursday, February 26th. It will be at 4:00 at CHS. Can’t wait to see you there! Goooooooo KCSD Mentors!

Merry Christmas!

At last! We have time to actually think and reflect peacefully.

It is drawing close to the time when our new teachers will have the second round of official observations. Is there an area in which your new teacher needs help? Have you observed strengths that your NT has that could also help in other areas?   

If you have not used you continuum with your NT, that would be a great tool to pull out. Remember, it should be up to the NT to evaluate and “rate” himself/herself. That self-evalaution can be extremely helpful in facillitating a discussion between the two of you. It can provide a way for you to tactfully discuss new strategies or ideas to handle problem areas.

Be prepared for that discussion! By now, you should know your NT’s strengths and areas for improvement. Before this discussion, plan ahead and brainstorm: what could your NT do to become stronger in various  areas? Come up with several suggestions just in case. Remember, what has worked for us may not work for everyone, so don’t get disheartened if they don’t jump up and down over your idea.  A week or two after the discussion, check in to see if those strategies have worked in case you  need to offer additional suggestions.

Most of all, continue being the positive force in your NT’s life. If we could harness all of the positive energy from our summer mentor training sessions, we could light up the world!

Let us know how it’s going, and have a safe holiday!

Jodie

What’s going on out there?

Is anybody out there? I am very anxious to hear how your first year teacher’s year is going! Are here any problems or praises you would like to share? We could all probably use the encouragement right now! If you would like to share, please do, just be discreet if discussing a problem. Do you need any suggestions? Maybe our mentor audience is reading all of these posts. Who knows….maybe they have the perfect answer! Youi’ll never know unless you blog with us! can’t wait to hear from you all!

Jodie

One quarter down, only three to go…..

It’s hard to believe this year is passing so quickly, but I’ll bet our new teachers are really starting to feel like it’s crunch time! I’m sure they have learned what I affectionately call “survival skills.” This is generally the time when when they will start relying on those heavily, according to the attitudinal phases we discussed this summer. (For all you music fans, this is when we played “Survivor” by Destin’y Child. ) By now, they have learned the personalities and needs of their students, so help with lesson plans or classroom management could be needed. Time management is also hard for many teachers now, so maybe you could offer to help in some small way, even if it is only for 30 minutes. Man! What I wouldn’t do for someone to donate 30 minutes, even as a veteran teacher!

Don’t forget the chart we handed out during Mentor Training that listed teacher needs and mentor stategies. We all need a go-to list of possibilities! Remember, this of course applies to our new teachers, but to also everyone else in the building too! Remember to mentor each other and pay it forward. Let’s retain all of those fabulous teachers that Dr. McClary and our principals have worked so hard to snag!

 Thank you for all that you do! In Kershaw County, MENTORS MATTER!

Have a great day!

Jodie Kahler

Welcome!

Welcome to our blog for the KCSD Mentors in the Kershaw County School District!