Who's Job Is It Anyway?
Defining the Roles of the Mentor and New Teacher
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Richard E. Lange, Scott Scafidi, Brandon Geuder, and Bradley Wadle
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Facilitator's Notes
Whether a teacher is brand new to the profession or a school district, this assessment tool has been designed to help new staff members make thoughtful decisions about their role as a new teacher. This document is intended to help establish a working relationship between mentors and new teachers by providing a forum for various school related situations to be discussed. It will also help new teachers become more familiar with other resources that the school has available as they journey through their first year of teaching.
After reading each scenario, teachers should be asked to complete three tasks. These may be done individually, in a group, or one-on-one with a mentor. Teachers should read each item carefully and respond by using the three-step process outlined below. Short answers may be used.
We encourage an introduction of the three-step process before beginning discussion of the scenarios; specifically, explore differences between the outcomes of each step.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource and/or person would you use to find a solution? Think of other school personnel besides your mentor. In some cases, you or a fellow new teacher may offer the best solution.
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation.
After completing each scenario, teachers should complete the reflection scale provided. The reflection scale gives teachers the opportunity to critically evaluate their decision making.
Based on these seven scenarios, how comfortable do you feel about your action plans? Using a scale of one to five, indicate how confident you are about your plans.
Uncertain |
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Good |
|
Confident |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
Scenarios
- You are planning an instructional activity that requires more space. How would you find out if the gymnasium will be available during the time you would like to use it for a special class event?
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource and/or person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation.
- Before the winter holiday break you receive gifts from students. If you were to write "Thank you” notes, where would you find the students' addresses?
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource and/or person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- You notice small bruises on the arms of one of your students
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource and/or person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation.
- After school while cleaning up the classroom, you discover an anonymously written note in which one student explains thoughts of suicidal ideation to another student. You do not know for whom the note was intended.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource and/or person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation.
- You repeatedly clash with one particular student throughout a week.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource and/or person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation.
- After the administration of a standardized state test, one student informs you that a child in class has cheated on the examination.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource and/or person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation.
- You feel that another teacher is harassing you and making unwelcome advances.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource and/or person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation.
Reflection
Based on these seven scenarios, how comfortable do you feel about your action plans? Using a scale of one to five, indicate how confident you are about your plans.
Uncertain |
|
Good |
|
Confident |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
Comments:
Scenarios
- The staff developer has emailed you information regarding an upcoming workshop being offered at a nearby location. Are you expected to attend?
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- The local teachers union is looking to gain support in their upcoming bargaining session. You are not comfortable dealing with union issues.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- Another teacher is angry with you because he/she does not feel that you are adequately modifying a student's educational program according to the student's IEP (individualized education plan).
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- It is the middle of October, and you realize that you have parent/teacher conferences, end of the grading period, a special education report due, and open house within the next two weeks. Your coping skills are running quite thin.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- You just completed your first principal observation and did not agree with the evaluation component.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- You want to experiment with a new teaching method, but you are not sure if it will go over well with the students.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- As coach of the basketball team, you receive a number of phone calls from parents who feel that their children are not getting enough "game time." Immediately after the next basketball game, you are confronted by several hostile parents.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
Reflection
Based on these seven scenarios, how comfortable do you feel about your action plans? Using a scale of one to five, indicate how confident you are about your plans.
Uncertain |
|
Good |
|
Confident |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
Comments
Scenarios
- You feel isolated, and you believe that other staff members are giving you the cold shoulder.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- You feel that you are not really cut out for teaching. You may want to confide these thoughts and seek a new direction.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- You feel as though you are not getting along with your mentor because there is a great deal of conflict between you two.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- A mother informs you that her child is not being challenged in class. She believes that the student should receive more advanced work or be placed in a more advanced class.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- In a crowded hallway you notice students are gathered around two girls who have started shouting at each other. As you approach the girls, one strikes another and a fight ensues.s.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- A set of divorced parents have asked to have two separate parent-conferences about their child's progress.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- You feel as though your team/department is divided into various cliques, each with its own agenda. You try to remain "neutral;" however, you know any decision you make will isolate one or more of these groups.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
Reflection
Based on these seven scenarios, how comfortable do you feel about your action plans? Using a scale of one to five, indicate how confident you are about your plans.
Uncertain |
|
Good |
|
Confident |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
Comments
Scenarios
- After reading the description for the next in-service program, you realize that the topic has little to do with your current teaching position. You feel you can learn more by visiting another school district that has a program similar to yours and is more suited to meeting your needs.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- You receive a new student from another country. The child rarely speaks and the student's pronunciation of English is exceedingly difficult to understand.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- You look over your first paycheck and feel it is incorrect. Not only does your base salary seem lower than you thought, but there was no deduction for family coverage insurance.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- In order to save some of your salary for retirement, you would like to know what the difference is between a 401k and a 403b tax shelter program and how to apply for such a program.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- It is time to plan a field trip but you're not sure about the costs of the bus, the number of chaperones needed, and how to go about collecting money from the students.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- Because you are getting behind on your classroom work, you would like to come in on a Saturday morning and get a lot accomplished with no one around. You're not sure about getting a key for the front door or how to deal with the security alarm system.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- Two parents have volunteered to come to your class to be guest speakers about a topic you're not too sure is appropriate for the students. Based on previous conversations with them, you're also not sure about their ability to relate to younger children.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
Reflection
Based on these seven scenarios, how comfortable do you feel about your action plans? Using a scale of one to five, indicate how confident you are about your plans.
Uncertain |
|
Good |
|
Confident |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
Comments
Scenarios
- You would like to join a few professional, education organizations. You want to know if the district will pay for the memberships and what forms need to be completed.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- After attending an off-campus workshop, you would like to know if the school will reimburse you for some, if not all, of the expenses of this activity.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- After loading some free software on your school computer, you begin to notice a virus appearing on the screen. It gets worse as the week continues.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- Disgruntled parents claim that you have been treating their child unfairly, and as a result of your discriminatory behavior, they will be going to the administration.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- A child asks you for a cup of water so he can take some aspirins that his mother gave him that morning. He says he had a headache when he left the house.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- You would like to go to a board of education meeting to inform the board that class sizes are too large.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
- You jam the photocopy machine and have no idea how to fix it.
- What is the key issue in this scenario?
- Which resource andor person would you use to find a solution?
- Create an action plan to resolve the situation
Reflection
Based on these seven scenarios, how comfortable do you feel about your action plans? Using a scale of one to five, indicate how confident you are about your plans.
Uncertain |
|
Good |
|
Confident |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
Comments
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