https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/edbqpoazxli1 What are some crucial conversations you have had? How might you change them if you could go back to incorporate some mentoring language or even different body language to change the outcome of the situation? How will you use this lesson moving forward in your work as a mentor? en-us 2019-03-13 19:10:34 UTC 2019-10-25 01:07:55 UTC hello@padlet.com bxkrau17 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/edbqpoazxli1/wish/396624518 This is my first year where I have stepped into the mentoring role, so I have not had any crucial conversations with my mentee (yet anyway). However, I have had crucial conversations with parents whether it be their child's behavior or what I am teaching in the classroom. Reflecting on those experiences, I remember that my body language was warm and inviting (at least I thought it was). I made sure not to cross my arms, slouch in my chair, or have a stern look on my face. I also made sure to be an active listener. The area I would like to improve on would be my defensiveness. Recently I had a parent come up to me and say, "Mrs. Rider, quite frankly I am disappointed in you." I was confused by the message she was trying to send because she said it with a smile on her face. Come to find out I took her daughter's reading log out of her folder one day early. I apologized for the mistake and gave her daughter credit. However, that message stuck with me the whole day. I tried to reason with myself that she didn't mean to come off rude. I'm hoping that in the future I can let comments like that roll off my shoulders and not sink in.]]> 2019-10-11 11:53:46 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/edbqpoazxli1/wish/396624518 c_yohnk https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/edbqpoazxli1/wish/396939045 So far, my mentee and I have not had to have any crucial conversations.  In reflecting on past personal crucial conversations, I am thinking things could have ended much better had I started with facts instead of the inaccurate stories that were in my head.  Had I been more mindful of mutual purpose and mutual respect with these people. 
I tend to use the silent treatment during crucial conversations. I realize now that this makes the person I am having these conversations with feel unsafe.  This is something I will have to practice so that IF the occasion were ever to arise with my mentee, I will be able to have a dialogue and listen to him or her and they will feel safe.  ]]> 2019-10-12 03:49:16 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/edbqpoazxli1/wish/396939045 j_rubenzer https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/edbqpoazxli1/wish/397023904 This has been the best section of material for me. I learned about the phases of the first year of a new teacher and ways I can make the conversations with a new teacher meaningful for them and myself. I also liked the examples of the mentor log. I am going to try to incorporate a log or notebook to help facilitate our meetings. ]]> 2019-10-12 19:22:21 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/edbqpoazxli1/wish/397023904 jaritc17 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/edbqpoazxli1/wish/397199429      As I have not mentored a new teacher yet, I have not had any formal crucial conversations.  However, I have had to have a conversation with a new teacher about students who kept leaving his class and coming in and interrupting mine.  I recognize now that I dominated the conversation.  I told him my observations and that something needed to change.  I didn't give him much of an opportunity to explain the situation.  I didn't LISTEN!!  I also gave him advice without talking through strategies for solving the issue.  I didn't let him work through the problem.  I realize that I have a lot to learn as a new mentor.  Going forward, I am going to utilize active listening skills and work on helping my mentee discover what works best for him/her.  I am not going to just offer the solution that I believe will work.]]> 2019-10-13 23:31:49 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/edbqpoazxli1/wish/397199429 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/edbqpoazxli1/wish/397958997 Crucial conversations that I have had with co teachers include dissecting everything from concert set up, student concerns, and parent connections. I have yet to engage in a conversation in which I am a figure of authority, as I am more of a novice teacher at my schools and have yet to have a teacher mentee. 

When discussing calendar items with my specials co-teachers last January at an in service date tension between our PE teacher and other Music teacher was insane. They had verbal sparring matches over little things, and at one point the PE teacher left the room to do other things more productively with her time. Their relationship made me feel a lot like the little kid in the room when the adults were fighting about something over my head. In that situation both teachers came to me later about the other’s behaviors. Those conversations were TOUGH. How could I continue to have positive working relationships with both strong women while encouraging them to reconcile and treat one another with dignity and respect? Well, knowing what I do now I would have done more active listening. I think providing different engagement questions and -dare I say it- summarize what I was hearing would have been effective strategies in this situation. 

After this happened I brought my concerns to our principal, simply to share what had happened and how as an observer the degradation in words and actions was concerning. I don’t know what ever came of it all, as the music teacher later resigned from teaching and our principal took a job at another school. I can only hope that the last man standing comes to new relationships in a more positive manner now and in the future. ]]> 2019-10-15 15:01:47 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/edbqpoazxli1/wish/397958997 b_canfield https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/edbqpoazxli1/wish/402362460 I have had a few crucial conversations with my mentee this year. He had dealt with some classroom management issues at the beginning of the year. He came to me to ask for suggestions. I used some probing questions to get more information and guided him to a solution that would work in his classroom. I thought these conversations were very meaningful. Especially since I can walk past his classroom and see him using his techniques and watching them work. I like to offer suggestions but I prefer to allow him to make his own solution while I offer feedback and guidance. ]]> 2019-10-25 01:05:28 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/edbqpoazxli1/wish/402362460