Part 2 Mentoring Matters
3. Where do your strengths lie?
I think my strengths are empathy and trust-building, as well as my years of instructional experience. I am a naturally empathetic person. As I develop relationships with people, I can often sense their doubts and concerns, even when observing them in action. This ability, along with my years of experience, should allow me to help strengthen my mentee’s classroom practices and confidence through shared strategies and feedback.
4. As a mentor, in what ways will you need additional support?
I think the two most important supports as a mentor are time and resources. David Cutler writes that, “New teachers must feel confident in expressing doubt or admitting mistakes to experienced teachers, without fearing embarrassment or repercussions.” Having the time and space to privately acknowledge and address the issues a teacher is having in their practice is crucial to their development.
1. In what ways can you relate to the information shared?
I think acknowledging and sharing the information from the New Teacher Center article would be a great place to start! Sharing the phases of first-year teaching with the new teacher and acknowledging the way they are feeling and the struggles they are facing is important. Feeling seen and understood by your mentor can help strengthen the trust in the relationship. Planning a few of the initial meetings around this framework would help formalize the process, create some norms around the meetings, and hopefully allow time for some real reflection.2. In what ways do you think you can support a new teacher?
I can support a new teacher by being a trusted confidant, creating a safe space to express doubts, experiment, and even fail, without fear of judgment or evaluation. I’d help them identify and close knowledge gaps by offering targeted guidance, whether that’s curriculum alignment or navigating school culture. Moreover, I’d help with specific developmental milestones, serving as a guide especially during stressful periods like back-to-school events or evaluations, by offering practical and empathetic support as they progress through different phases of their first year.3. Where do your strengths lie?
I think my strengths are empathy and trust-building, as well as my years of instructional experience. I am a naturally empathetic person. As I develop relationships with people, I can often sense their doubts and concerns, even when observing them in action. This ability, along with my years of experience, should allow me to help strengthen my mentee’s classroom practices and confidence through shared strategies and feedback.
4. As a mentor, in what ways will you need additional support?
I think the two most important supports as a mentor are time and resources. David Cutler writes that, “New teachers must feel confident in expressing doubt or admitting mistakes to experienced teachers, without fearing embarrassment or repercussions.” Having the time and space to privately acknowledge and address the issues a teacher is having in their practice is crucial to their development.