There are many characteristics needed to become a high-quality mentor.  Expertise, time and communication help to lay a foundation, but to take it to the next level a mentor should have a respectful positive attitude and be invested in their mentee.  Someone who criticizes you harshly and unconstructively, mistreats you or others close to you, can make for an unproductive and frustrating partnership (Kalish, 2020).   Additionally, a mentor who is invested in the process don’t expect immediate gains, and they care about maintaing and growing their professional relationships (Kalish, 2020).  A mentor who exhibits the characteristics of a respectful, positive attitude and sees the process as a marathon, and not a sprint, are two things I looked for when selecting my mentor.  

 

The characteristics of time management, communication and a positive attitude help to lay a foundation for a high-quality mentee.  However, when I considered my mentee, I also considered the characteristics of a drive to succeed and an openness to learn.  I didn’t want to work with someone who was being forced, or one that didn’t put in a lot of effort.  I wanted my mentee to demonstrate a drive or ambition to succeed and have clear ideas of what they want in a mentorship (Reeves, 2018).  Furthermore, I wanted my mentee to be open to learning.  I wanted my mentee to try new things, adjust their current way of doing things, and be willing to learn so that the opportunity is not wasted (Reeves, 2018).  

 

Considering the characteristics of my mentor and mentee where important because it is a long process.  Investment, respect and a drive to learn make the process of learning and teaching so much more enjoyable.  I want to enjoy what I do, and if those around me share the same passion and vision for teaching and learning, it not only makes the process fun and enjoyable, but it can also improve the lives of our students.  

Personal Vision:

 

Create an educational environment that promotes the use of technology.  Equitable access of technology will prepare staff and students to be successful digital citizens, meet the needs of both teachers and students, and prepare everyone to become responsible contributing citizens within the digital society and global culture.

 

My personal vision supports being a visionary leader and change agent because I vision an educational environment that is created on equitable access and high-quality learning.  By meeting the needs of my colleagues and giving them the skills and strategies to effectively implement technology, they in turn can use this information to meet the learning needs of their students.  As a change agent I hope to create a shared vision built upon this foundation of equity, meeting academic needs, and digital citizenship.

 

Mission Statement:

 

A responsibility to provide both staff and students with safe, equitable access, and effective implementation strategies when using technology in various learning environments.

 

My mission statement supports being a visionary leader and change agent because as the technology coach for my district it is my responsibility to ensure the proper and effective use of technology in the classroom.  Others will look to me for guidance, and as the coach I hope to inspire educators and leaders to use technology, as well as create equitable and ongoing access to high quality learning (ISTE, 2022).

 

  

The Kake City School District currently does not have a district level vision or mission related to technology, nor do they have a strategic plan for technology.  The support of technology integration is usually aided with general district funds and supplemented with grants when applicable.  Technology tips and resources are provided during professional developments sessions and occasional email articles.  

Currently students have 1-to-1 technology in terms of access to iPads, laptops and desktops.  Each teacher is equipped with their very own iPad, laptop, desktop and Smartboard.  Current software includes: Nearpod, Reading Eggs, Newsela, Class craft, Edmentum, PowerSchool’s and G-Suite.  The entire district is connected through Alaska Communications System (ACS) using both hardwired and wi-fi connective devices.  Currently there is no on sight support system, as the only support is  by phone, or email, through a contracted helpdesk.  Commonly used technology-based resources include: Edhelper, Teachers Pay Teachers, Google, Nearpod and Edmentum.  

Working with my mentor we will use this information to lay the initial foundation of a mission, vision and strategic plan for implementing technology.  As a coach I can help to ensure that our current use of digital tools and technology are being used and implemented effectively.  I can also share my expertise and guidance, as well as introduce new technologies and digital tools.  My focus will be on getting to know my colleagues as to better serve their technology needs.  

 

ISTE. (2022).  ISTE standards: Coaches.  ISTE.  https://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards-for-coaches

Kalish, A. (2020).  7 qualities that make a good mentor (and how to find someone who as them all).  The Muse.  https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-find-qualities-good-mentor

Reeves, M. (2018).  Characteristics of a good mentee.  Together.  https://www.togetherplatform.com/blog/characteristics-of-a-good-mentee 

There weren’t a lot of surprises in what the data revealed about the types of technology professional development needed as a school, team/small group, or at an individual level.  Over the past 3 years technology has been somewhat thrown at us to implement and figure out.  We are blessed with the amount of technology and digital tools we have, but most staff felt that they were at a basic, or below basic level, in terms of their skills in implementing and using educational technology.  I understood, even before the survey, that part of the development of the year long professional development plan is to lay a technology foundation to build on.  Currently, our district has no vision or mission statement regarding technology, and our staff has received little to no training on implementing technology effectively. As a technology coach it is therefore my responsibility to create a shared vision and be a professional learning facilitator.  Using this survey, I can plan, provide and evaluate the impact of technology for educators and leaders to use technology to advance teaching and learning (ISTE, 2022).   Furthermore, the results can help me to design professional learning based on needs, build the capacity of educators, and continually make improvements in order to meet the schoolwide vision for using technology for high-impact teaching and learning (ISTE, 2022).  

 

The needs identified in the survey were almost identical as those identified by my mentee.  With a very basic understanding of how to implement technology effectively in the classroom, my mentee wanted to learn how to implement technology to supplement lessons and improve student engagement.  They survey results reflected this need, as most of the staff expressed the same concern and notion for learning. Supporting my mentee, while still meeting the professional development needs of the school community, I believe are one in the same.  Our district has an abundance of technology at our fingertips, but as a whole many staff are unsure or unaware of how to use the technology effectively.  By creating a shared school vision and mission statement regarding the implementation of technology, we can begin to build on the technology needs of our district, our staff, and our students.  

ISTE. (2022).  ISTE standards: Coaches.  ISTE.  https://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards-for-coaches

 

A few changes were made to my initial draft of the yearlong professional development plan.  In my initial plan I had included professional development sessions that centered around the legality and ethics of technology, but as a result of their feedback there was consensus that those topics could be included in the digital citizen professional development session.  In its place, both my mentee and my mentor believed that a P.D. session on the use of our new Smartboards would be more beneficial to everyone. As a result, I’ve been asked to attend a few of the P.D. sessions offered by the Smartboard company and share what I have learned with the rest of the staff.  

 

 

 

As a technology coach, one of the standards is that of a Data-Drive Decision-Maker in which a coach should model and support the use of qualitative and quantitative data to inform their own instruction and professional learning (ISTE, 2022).  Qualitative and quantitative feedback from stakeholders is an important part of the technology coaching role because that data is used as a guide to help meet the teaching and learning needs of staff and students when implementing technology.  As a technology coach, collaboration and feedback is essential to the academic success of both teachers and students.  By using the qualitative and quantitative data gathered both at a school level, and a small or induvial level, as a coach I can aim my professional development topics to meet their needs, thus establishing a trusting and respectful relationship.  Through collaboration and feedback, I can also help to personalize support for educators.      

Characteristics that I consider to be good for professional development sessions include need, relevance and experience.  First and foremost, there needs to be a need for the P.D. session.  All too often I’ve participated in P.D. sessions that myself, nor my class has any need for.  If I don’t feel that I could use, or that I need the information presented in a P.D. session I am immediately turned-off and disengaged. Second, the information presented in the P.D. should be relevant to what I am doing and/or using in the classroom.  I should feel confident and comfortable with the information as I implement it into my classroom and/or lessons.  For example, there may be a need for digital citizenship in our district, but if the P.D. session is centered around using a digital tool I am not comfortable with I will have a hard time finding relevance as it relates to improving the academic success for myself and my students.  Finally, I should experience the information presented in the P.D. as a teacher and, when applicable, as a student.  Watching others navigate new technology, does not provide the same experience and self-learning opportunities that come with experiencing the technology for myself.

 

As a presenter I want someone who is knowledgeable and highly motivated in what they are presenting.  There have been great P.D. sessions that have been ruined by bad presenters.  Motivation, engagement and humor are all skills that can help a presenter achieve teaching and learning success during P.D. sessions.  As a presenter, those who provided hands-on activities, movement, and collaboration I have found to be more enjoyable and successful.  The quality and content of the materials provided should vary based on needs of the district and the individual.  Content and materials should be current, and not the center of a particular P.D. session. We can all read through a manual or document, successful presenters use this type of information to supplement their session.  

 

I believe that a high-quality coach and a high-quality presenter go hand-in-hand.  As a coach we are always presenting new ideas and ways to do things.  Coaches must have the ability to get others to “buy-in” to their program whether that be in sports, academics, or workplace professions.  Coaches are teachers and teachers are presenters of information.  Most of us have experienced bad coaches and bad teachers, and some of them are very knowledgeable and experienced in what they do.  However, these same people have trouble producing successful colleagues and students simply because they way in which they present themselves and the information.  High quality coaches and presenters are passionate about what they do, they are motivated by the success of others, and they truly enjoy what they do.  Furthermore, high-quality coaches and presenters consider the needs, interest, and skill sets of those they will work with.  At the heart of the ISTE-C standards is being a model and support for others.  When facilitating group and individual P.D. sessions these standards can be used as a guide to help coaches ensure that learning with technology is high impact, sustainable, scalable and equitable for all (ISTE, 2022).  

References
ISTE. (2022). ISTE standards: Coaches. ISTE. https://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards-for-coaches

Overall, I was very pleased with both the professional development session and the individual coaching session.  Providing my colleagues with hands-on experiences throughout each session helped to motivate and engage them. I was also happy with the survey results at the conclusion of the P.D. session but felt that there is room for future P.D. sessions that will help teachers confidently and consistently use Nearpod in their classrooms. One SMART goal for improving my skills in planning and executing professional development activities in the future include:

 

Specific: Using the technology to teach the technology.

 

Measurable: I will conduct future P.D. sessions using the technology that is being introduced.

 

Achievable: Plan and utilize the technology in the P.D. session.

 

Relevant: Using the technology to teach the technology will provide a model for others to use in their own classrooms.  

 

Time-Bound: Implemented during all future P.D. sessions.  

 

            The above SMART goal is supported by the ISTE-C standard 4.4 Learning Designer.  As a learning designer I will develop authentic learning experiences and model the use of instructional design principles (ISTE, 2022).

The mentee was very pleased with the individual coaching session.  He was thankful for my coaching plan, and that his time was not wasted.  Furthermore, he appreciated the fact that I used the “I do, we do, you do” approach to helping him navigate the Nearpod site, as well as locate and use the data to improve teaching and learning.  Having a 10-year relationship with my mentee helped me to establish rapport and ensure that the individual coaching session was informative and effective for my mentee.  One SMART goal for improving my technology coaching include:

 

Specific: Build a personal rapport with all staff.

 

Measurable: Get to know each staff member and a little bit about them before Christmas break.

 

Achievable: Start with those that are new, or those who I have yet to build a personal rapport with.

 

Relevant: Building rapport with colleagues will help to ensure that the needs of my colleagues are met in professional development and individual coaching sessions.  

 

Time-Bound: Know each staff member by name and build a personal rapport with everyone before Christmas break.

 

The above SMART goal is supported by the ISTE-C standard 4.3 Collaborator.  As a collaborator I will establish trusting respectful relationships and help to personalize support for educators by planning and modeling the effective use of technology (ISTE, 2022).

 

ISTE. (2022).  ISTE standards: Coaches. ISTE.  https://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards-for-coaches

I have grown tremendously as a professional throughout this course.  I have added numerous teaching strategies and tools to my tool belt.  I look to implement these new strategies and tools in my daily lessons to improve the academic lives of my students.  With everything I have learned, I think the most important aspect is that technology, when used intentionally, and effectively, can have such a large impact on student education and teaching.  Learning with technology is fun but teaching with technology has been an inspiration to find new ways and current tools to continue to improve upon how my students learn.  

 

As a technology coach I’ve grown to understand that there are many similarities and differences in coaching children and adults.  I’ve also learned that building a professional relationship with my colleagues, one that is built upon trust and communication, can help meet their technological needs in the classroom.  Throughout my educational journey I’ve come to understand that teaching philosophies, strategies and style all play a prominent role in how I approach the coaching process with groups and individuals.  

 
To continue to improve and expand my skills and abilities as a technology coach I will continue to build upon the skills I have obtained through practice, professional development, and as a role model.  Joining professional organizations such as the ISTE professional learning network, Common Sense Media, and numerous social media groups will also help me to stay current and expand my skills and abilities.  Two ISTE-C standards that I plant to target as I put my skills into professional practice include being a Connected Learner and a Professional Learning Facilitator. As a role model and Connected Learner my responsibility is to model the ISTE standards for both teachers and students and actively participate in professional learning networks (ISTE, 2022).  Furthermore, as a Professional Learning Facilitator I am also tasked with providing professional developments that meet the needs of my colleagues and their students, build the capacity of educators, and continue to improve and evaluate the impact of professional learning (ISTE, 2022).   

ISTE. (2022).  ISTE standards: Coaches. ISTE.  https://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards-for-coaches