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
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