Mentor Training #1

Part 1 Introduction: TEDx - Be a great mentor

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  • Last updated June 6, 2024 at 8:19 AM
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You will develop a deeper understanding of the role of a mentor and the characteristics necessary to find success with your intern.

In This Task...

You will watch a TEDx video that describes how a person can be or become an effective mentor.
Review a self-assessment inventory.

Your Task...

  1. Watch the TEDx video: How to be a Great Mentor
    2. (02:41) TIME.  
      1. “Have people stand on your shoulders so others can see further than you can see.”
      2. What do you think will be the valuable use of time with an intern?  When can this take place?  How might you hope to accomplish this??
    3. (07:21) PLAN.  
      1. Set forth a plan with your intern’s goals in mind.  As you are creating a plan, it should not be what you, the mentor, want to teach, but it should be what the intern wants to learn.  
      2. The intern’s goals should inform and govern the plan.  “Reverse Engineer”
    4. (09:08) ENCOURAGING.  
      1. First thing out of your mouth should be positive, compliment, words of praise.  
      2. Do not praise natural talents, but choices and behavior.
    5. (11:00) Closing. 
      1.  Bring correction and instruction when needed.
      2. “...this is a good way of doing it, but here is a better way…”
  2. Self-Assessment Inventory
    1. Think of a person who had a positive and enduring impact on your personal or professional life, someone worthy of being called your mentor.  
      1. What was it about them did you connect with?
      2. What qualities do you have to become a great mentor for a new teacher in our district?
      3. Are there areas that you can anticipate needing guidance or support?

Evidence of Learning...

For each prompt or reflection listed, please explain in 3-5 sentences.
  1. Reflect:  What from the TedX video caused you to think more deeply about becoming a mentor?
  2. Reflect: From the Self-Assessment Inventory, what stands out the most about the questions and your answers?
  3. Reflect:  What do you believe you might need help with as a mentor in our school district?

All posted evidence

Ted Talk Mentor Video

This video made me stop and think about mentoring in a different way.  In the past, the goals were always something I created based on the job position and feeling like I knew the important aspects of what should be implemented in the goal setting.  This video changed my mind set into giving the mentee the reins and letting them decide where our focus should lie in terms of their growth.  I try to always make this experience a positive journey for the mentee and not feel like work or that we just have to meet to get the hours in and sign off.  I feel this is our chance as veterans to really help them feel welcome and instantly connected to someone in the building.  I really thought that was an essential part of the video, focusing on the positive.  
nicole-martello Over 1 year ago

Be a great mentor...

After watching the TEDx about being a great mentor, the part that made me think/reflect the most was his statement about "passing the baton to the next generation". It makes you think about that its not just being their to "mentor" someone new and helping through their first year as a teacher... it is "passing the baton" to the next generation of teachers. What stood out to me the most was to be encouraging to the mentee but to also not be afraid to correct anything that may be "wrong" so you can help the mentee grow.
rmccaffery Over 1 year ago

Ted talk on things needed to be a great mentor

The focus of his talk was how much time it takes to be a mentor.  Time is one of our most precious resources that we have and he cautioned those who say they want to be a mentor to realize how much time it takes to be a mentor, and that you need to commit you time to help your mentee.  

His 4 suggestions is to
Willing to give time
Have a plan
Encourage a lot
Give correction and instruction
cory-morrow Over 1 year ago

Mentoring is a chance to blend experience with new beginnings.

  • Reflect:  What from the TedX video caused you to think more deeply about becoming a mentor? I've already had the privilege of being a mentor in our district.  The video reinforced my previous beliefs of meeting face to face, planning out topics to discuss with intention and spending quality time together.  When I first became a mentor, I had a whole plan of what we would cover.  Thankfully I quickly realized you need to find out what your colleague needs to know more about.  Much like the TEDx Talk said, they need to lead your discussions.  Finding out what they need for support is as important, if not more important, than your agenda you need to share.  
  • Reflect: From the Self-Assessment Inventory, what stands out the most about the questions and your answers? I have many years in this district and I have worked in the classrooms with some of the best teachers in our area.  Working with these people has shaped me through the years.  Depending on the support that our new colleagues need, I have a repertoire to pull from.  This also includes current work with new teachers I have co-taught with.  As teachers we are constantly evolving.  
  • Reflect:  What do you believe you might need help with as a mentor in our school district? Understanding what the new expectations are from our new administration for the mentor program.  If it is in alignment with this TEDx Talk, that will be easy to accomplish.  
  • jloughrey69 Over 1 year ago

    A good mentor puts in the time, has a plan, encourages and provides correction.

    This video laid out simply what you need to be a good mentor: time, a plan, encouragement, and correction.  For me I think the hardest part is the correction.  I am always willing to put in the time, to plan and I am very good with encouragement.  The part I struggle with the most is the correction.  I love the way he laid it out.  Correction along with encouragement.  Correct the action.  Something tangable that they can work on.  

    One thing I feel is so important is finding time to model good teaching.  Finding the time to have the mentee plan with you and execute that plan so you can reflect together.  This way the correction can come from them.  Reflection and follow through is how I can get better at the correction part.
    jennifer4xdfc Over 1 year ago

    Be a great mentor


    1. Self-Assessment Inventory
      1. Think of a person who had a positive and enduring impact on your personal or professional life, someone worthy of being called your mentor.  
        1. What was it about them did you connect with?
        2. What qualities do you have to become a great mentor for a new teacher in our district?
        3. Are there areas that you can anticipate needing guidance or support?


    1. Reflect:  What from the TedX video caused you to think more deeply about becoming a mentor?
    I think the idea that you want to develop the next generation is the idea that comes to mind most after watching this TedTalk.  Teaching is a difficult profession to get into due to the lack of supports and stigmatization of it.  Working with ELL students as well.  But the background of our students is changing.  A study I just read said that "by 2030 40% of students will speak a language other than English at home."  That's in 6 years and we are already seeing this increase here at Sweet Home. I am passionate about working with diverse students and I do truly want to help develop the next generation of teachers to be competent in working with them too.  I have learned so much through my mentorship too.   
    1. Reflect: From the Self-Assessment Inventory, what stands out the most about the questions and your answers?
    I think what stands out to me the most was that I had a lot of great mentors in both my professional and personal life through my formative years.  As a teacher, I worked with a lot of veteran teachers who shaped me into who I can become.  Even today, I look to people in my department for advice and support when dealing with issues that arise.  I think that learning communities are also valuable supports for teachers, not just new ones.   
    1. Reflect:  What do you believe you might need help with as a mentor in our school district?
    I would like to work on being more direct and explicit with goal-setting in the beginning.  I think I have just trended with working with what the mentee has brought to the table and usually its a lot of getting accustomed to Sweet Home and our systems in September.   Goal setting has happened to late in this process.  If our first meeting during New Teacher Orientation was a mixture of get to know you as well as discussions on what areas they want to grow in the most this year, I believe future meetings would be more productive and could oriented themselves to discussion/
    lindsaycrimmins Over 1 year ago

    Reflection on Menoring Ted Talk

    You have to go to a lot of baseball games to catch a baseball!


    1.  Great video!   My absolute favorite line from the whole video was that mentoring is "not about what I want to each.  It's about what my intern needs to learn".   I have been mentoring for several years now, and not one experience has been like another.   I've had to switch gears every year to meet my intern where they are at.   The speaker nailed the formula....make time, plan, encourage and correct as needed.   I feel each component is necessary and valid.   Each is safe in the confidential confines of the mentoring world.  Great video!

    2.  I always find that no matter how good I think I am at listening, I do need to work on not formulating what I want to say while the person Is still talking.  

    3.  Common planning time is essential.  I certainly meet with my interns after school, but having a time during the day to touch base is essential!
    epaemkb Over 1 year ago

    Reflection on Menoring Ted Talk

    You have to go to a lot of baseball games to catch a baseball!


    Great video!   My absolute favorite line from the whole video was that mentoring is "not about what I want to each.  It's about what my intern needs to learn".   I have been mentoring for several years now, and not one experience has been like another.   I've had to switch gears every year to meet my intern where they are at.   The speaker nailed the formula....make time, plan, encourage and correct as needed.   I feel each component is necessary and valid.   Each is safe in the confidential confines of the mentoring world.  Great video!
    epaemkb Over 1 year ago