Over the years, in addition to educating the children, supporting the parents, being part of the staff, and growing personally, I have realized that lead teachers have another role...mentor. When working as a team, I believe it is the lead teachers' role to guide, educate, and model how to be a great teacher.In my classroom, we begin each year by creating a "vision" for the room. Each teacher in the team contributes ideas about what they feel is essential for the children, some things they do not like to see in a classroom, and some goals for their own personal growth. This can sometimes be a difficult conversation. On the one hand, I want to honor all members of the teaching team and their ideas. On the other hand, it is my job to make sure the room is developmentally appropriate, supportive of the children and their families, and reflective of the philosophies of both the school and the temple.
Particularly at the beginning of the year, I try to use my education and experience to set the tone for the class. Sometimes that means overriding the input of the other teachers. I explain the reasoning behind my decisions by describing typical development, theories of education, and some of my personal experiences. As the school year progresses, I encourage the teachers I am working with to put some of their ideas in to practice and then try to help them evaluate the experience. As is true with the children we teach, "hands-on" is often the best way to learn!
On a weekly basis throughout the year, we reflect on the children's development, our goals for them individually and for the class as a whole. I use these weekly meetings as a time for mentoring. Separation, parent orientation, curriculum night, informal parent conversations and formal parent conferences (both during preparation and the actual event), are other times when I am particularly cognizant of my role as mentor.
I am curious how others develop their role as mentor.
-Is it presumptuous to think all lead teachers are/should be mentors to the teachers in their teaching team?
-Lead teachers:
- Are there specific things you do as a mentor each year?
- How do you make this relationship successful?
- Do you find this role fulfilling? Challenging?
- What happens if the other teacher is resistant or not receptive?
-Assistant Teachers:
- Have you worked with a lead teacher you felt was particularly skilled as a mentor? What did they do?
- Have you had negative experiences in this situation?
- Do you have ideas about how this relationship can be most
successful?
-Directors:
- How do you support your lead teachers in this additional role?
- What have you seen/heard about that helped to make this relationship
successful? - How do you help when the teaching team is having difficulty?
I look forward to your responses!
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