Theresa: Where Would We Be Without Mentors?

What defines a new teacher? According to the school district I work in, you are considered a new teacher for the first two years. (And here at Reality 101, it’s three.) Now that I am entering my third year of teaching, I wonder if I missed the finish line where one becomes less of a new teacher and more of a veteran teacher.

One sign that I have graduated from new teacher status is that I get more and more responsibilities at work. This year I have been asked to sit on administration interviews of teacher candidates and to take on students from different universities as they complete various requirements for their teaching courses.

As a first- and second-year special education teacher, I was lucky enough to receive mentoring services from an induction coach through the Chicago New Teacher Center. My coach last year gave me exactly the support I needed. When she came into my classroom, she would know if I was having a good day or a bad day; she would know when to take notes and when things should be “off the books.”

Best of all, after she listened to me complain, there would be a pause . . . and she would ask me how the situation could be fixed. That seems like such a logical step, but when you are frustrated and aggravated, it is sometimes hard to think of it.

I recently met with my former coach because I wanted to discuss some plans I’d made for centers, scheduling, and progress monitoring for this upcoming school year. After I shared everything that I had come up with, she looked at me and said, “You have this all figured out, you didn’t need my help at all.” I explained that I simply needed to get some feedback: My ideas sound really great in my head, but when I share them with my dogs I don’t usually get much of a response besides, “Can we go for a walk now?”

Anyway, it was nice to hear that what I am doing is up to par. Working with a mentor has definitely given me the extra boost that I needed to get through some tough school years.

It can be hard to find someone to trust and feel comfortable venting to in your own school. I have found that sometimes other teachers do not always understand the frustrations that occur with being a special education teacher. There are the moments when you feel like you are in the movie “Groundhog Day”—you could swear you’ve taught this before, but the students are looking at you like they’ve never heard it before. Then there are the other times with the blank stares that have you wondering if you are speaking to your students in a foreign language.

But these are the things that special education teachers find the humor in. While I will not be receiving any “official” coaching this year, I know that I have found and created a great support system in veteran and not-so-veteran teachers that will support me every step of the way.

Comments

[How to Relieve Stress]

Mentors are incredibly beneficial. I think the fastest way to success is to follow or mimic someone who has already done what you are hoping to accomplish. This way you can learn from their mistakes without having to make them yourself in order to learn and achieve.

[Theresa]

Thanks for all of your comments. I think the key to good mentoring is being able to ask for help. I understood what my weaknesses were and was comfortable enough to ask for feedback and help in that area. Keep an open mind in accepting the feedback you get and you'll become a very successful teacher.

[Becca]

I will be doing my first student teaching experience this coming Spring in 2012. I have had some experience with tutoring, some required for classes and some was done independently, and I have also had a short practicum experience with a teacher in a special ed. classroom. From what I learned during my experiences I am glad to say that I have had supportive teachers all throughout. There have been times when the stress seems to weigh me down and it's nice to know that there are others out there who can give advice or take some of the work load. Experienced teachers who are willing to lend a hand are the most treasured: they have a great history of experience, have wonderful strategies at their disposal, and have some of the best advice when it comes to dealing with administration, general education teachers, and even parents because they have been in similar situations before. It may seem new to us, but to them it's "old news". Having someone who can tell you what works and what doesn't can help make our experience a great one. I am nervous to begin my student teaching experience, but knowing I've had good luck in the past with supportive teachers is very reassuring.

[Courtney]

Thank you for sharing what being a 'new' special education teacher is like in your school district. It sounds like you had a positive experience working with your mentor/coach. I am in my first student teaching experience and I already see that having a strong support system is essential in the first few years of teaching because it allows you to express your thoughts and ideas and get feedback without feeling put down. My cooperating teacher that I am working with is great and so are the paraprofessionals in the classroom. We are working as a team, and we support each other at all times. When I am in your position as a 'new' special education teacher I will use your advice and look for a mentor program so I can get feedback on my ideas and support when needed.

[Kathleen]

I think that mentoring is a big part of how most teachers are able to survive in school systems. I am in my student teaching right now and I know that if I didn't have the support system I have with my teachers and paraprofessionals i would not be as successful as I am turning out to be with one of my students. My previous experiences in a school district have also been amazing! I have had to run a classroom, had to make lesson plans, and I have had to work up complete units, but without the support system of my past teachers, I would not be so confident with how much I have improved over the past year of experiences. I now know that if I have questions or concerns with something I know I can always go to them for answers.

After reading this blog, I think that having a teachers status of being a "New Teacher" for two or three years is kind of unnecessary, but I do understand why the school systems have it that way. It is a trial period to make sure you fit in their school system. However, I like this school system is providing the teacher with the support to make sure they are successful. I think that if every setting had a partner support whether it be with an old teacher in the building or if it was a teacher from a different school, it would make teaching any subject easier when you are a new teacher.

[Rachael]

I have noticed what it's like to a be the new teacher as well. I'm student teaching this semester and there is a new special ed teacher in the resource room next to mine. I hear all the things everyone says about him, but it has also taught me so far what thinks I should not do when I start my first year of teaching. I have notice if you ask questions though people are willing to help you. Being a student teacher feels like being a first year teacher, it's overwhelming being in a new setting. I feel like I could mess up any minute. Thanks for writing and telling us what it's like to be a first year teaching and that it's not over after the first year.

[Leighann]

I am going to begin my first student teaching post next spring. I have completed my Practicum, which is a step below student teaching, and I formed a strong support system from that experience. I know that if I was having troubles, I could go to my cooperating teacher, and talk it out. She helped me so much when I was working in her classroom, and she was always open to discussion and provided feedback, both when I needed it and when I asked for it. She not only provided me with a sounding board, but she allowed me to figure out what step comes next when teaching a child, and she allowed me to work independently, but she was always there if I needed any extra input or more ideas. It is invaluable to have these kind of resources, and I am not sure I would have gotten as much out of my Practicum experience, and I would not have been able to give as much to the students I taught if not for my cooperating teacher. I learned from that experience to talk as much as possible with cooperating teachers, because more often than not they will be very willing to help. Thank you for sharing your story. It really hit home with me.

[Caitlin]

I am in my 2nd semester of student teaching and I am so greatful that I have had awesome teachers for both experiences. They answered every question I had and if they were unsure then they would find the answer for me. Both teachers that I have worked with have given me excellent feedback about what I did well and what needs to be changed for next time. They also provided me with extra handouts that they have used to give students extra practice on certain curriculum topics. Having a mentor is such so wonderful because they are there when you need them.

[Megan Flock]

I am student teaching for my second semester and my teacher that I had before was AWESOME! She let me watch her for the first week so that I could see how she did things and what she expected from her students. Then I was given the reigns and we would meet every once and while and discuss different things in the classroom. I learned about many different things that I never thought of before such as the different kinds of drama that goes in school including parents, other teachers, and students. This semester I've had the opportunity to work with another amazing teacher. When a question that is asked by another teacher or parent, she has them ask me first to see what I have to say. We communicate very well and I feel like we co-teach together. I've been very lucky with my cooperating teacher (mentors) and very fortunate to work under such great role models.

[Janine Englerth]

I am in my second semester of student teaching currently and during my first semester my teacher I was working with was SO wonderful. She would help me through things that I have never experienced before being a new student teacher. She allowed me to experience a variety of things from student behavior to being in sticky situations with parents. She would ask me my thoughts on them and reviewed how I approached them (even if I was just observing it). After that we would talk about how we wanted it to go ideally and how we could have made it better with what had happened. Without her allowing me to make mistakes and performing the trial and error approach to situations allowed me to know what I would want my approach to be when I do become a teacher. I think the more experience you get as a teacher (whether it's from student teaching or being a first/second year teacher) the better you will be in the future as a teacher. That experience comes from who you work with throughout your teaching career.

[Karyssa]

I can really relate with your experience. I've just started my first student teaching experience and I already find myself asking "How am I going to do this?" Fortunately, my program has provided me with a lot of opportunities to build strong relationships with veteran teachers. Knowing I have several connections from my field experiences is definitely reassuring. There are teachers I still contact when I need advice or guidance. It makes such a difference when we feel supported, and I'm sure this isn't going to change no matter how many years I may teach. I hope to be the same supportive resource to new teachers when I'm in the reverse position. I'm really interested in the mentor program you found, because you're right - it can sometimes be difficult to communicate your concerns with your own staff.

[Theresa]

Barbara and Carol,
Thanks for taking the time to read my post about mentors. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and comments!

[Carol Geck]

Our special educators are being asked to do more and more, especially with the pressures from No Child Left Behind. School systems are trying to get as many students as possible to become proficient on state-wides tests, so special educators are being pulled to work with intervention groups, and special education students may or may not be included in those groups. The time that special educators actually have to spend with the students on their case loads is impacted by the other intervention groups and many have little planning time or at least not enough time. Mentors or coaches could help new special educators learn how to balance their time and make the most of their planning time.

[Barbara goldsmith]

As a first year special education teacher, I received no help from the school I was housed in. I was tenured because I had been a school counselor, but never a teacher. I was given no planning time, not integrated into the school, and often time abuse(took my bed assistant often to help with other things). My requests for administrators to meet with them regularly was not responded to nor were calls returned. The students in my self-contained class were not the problem, but a difficult administration, isolation and support personnel who often dropped my students because they were difficult to be managed. My motto was we serve all students who need it, and if something doesn't work try something different .
I taught two years more in a more supportive settting before retirement. I do love being a teacher, however, I felt treated as a professional working as a school counselor, social worker and therapist than a teacher. I have a great deal of respect for teachers and they need to be treated with grater respect as people and as a autonomous proffessionals