Teacher Mentoring Teacher Scenarios by Jessica Williams https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu Please read each weekly scenario and respond as you would if you were this teacher's mentor. en-us 2019-02-25 21:36:49 UTC 2024-07-29 11:09:18 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Apple.png I will start with reassuring this teacher that possibly happens to all educators, and I will advise him/ or her not to beat themselves up about that. Then I will set up a time and review the lesson plan with the teacher. Next, I will advise and may be model to the teacher how they plan the assessment first . I will ask the teacher about why does he/she need students to learn about a specific lesson objective , and what the teacher want to the outcome to be, then based on that, teacher should start planning. also I would model how can I use students data to deliver differentiated instruction. elarabyamany https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/337733461 2019-03-05 01:12:18 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/337733461 srsche18 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/338228621 I too, would let the teacher know that he/she is doing a fine job.  Things like this happen and it is a part of teaching.  It even happens to veteran teachers.  Rather than feeling defeated by the test results, I would use this experience as a chance to thrive and reflect on their teaching.  I would set aside some time to sit down with the teacher and look over the lessons for the topic and compare them to the questions on the test.  Were the test questions valid?  Did they measure what you wanted them to measure?  Next, I would look at the questions the students missed. Perhaps, there was a portion of the topic that many of the students hadn't mastered yet and some reteaching is required to help them understand it better. ]]> 2019-03-06 03:46:22 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/338228621 emwelh06 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/338685220 First, I would positively reinforce my mentee for his/her efforts to design engaging lessons, and I would encourage my mentee to not give up hope. Next, I would set up a meeting with my mentee to go over the unit goal, lesson plans, and assessments. Together, we would reflect on these aspects of the unit, including what was effective in the actual execution of the unit. We would brainstorm areas for improvement and write up a unit improvement plan. ]]> 2019-03-07 02:04:14 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/338685220 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/339682711 2019-03-10 14:51:26 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/339682711 brian_duffy2 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/339687497 I would likely begin by using what they call in catalyst coaching as a "sanity confirmation". Letting the teacher know that although the results were disappointing, they do sometimes happen. I would emphasize that what is encouraging is the teacher's concern for the results. That concern shows they care. Imagine if the teacher did not care about the results? That would be a true cause for concern. Digging deeper I think it would be useful to analyze the test itself.  Is the test an accurate representation of the skills you want the students to know?  Is it designed in such a way that students can demonstrate their actual learning?  Also, what does the data reveal? What specific elements of the test did students struggle in? Let's pinpoint the specific content the class struggled with. 
If the test turns out to be a valid assessment, then we would have three paths to take: 
1. Reflecting on instructional practices, especially as they relate to the areas of the test students struggled with.  
2. Reflect on the formative assessments used. Formative assessments should give a teacher a strong indication of how students will do on a summative assessment.  There really should not be a lot of surprises if you are using formative assessments properly.  
3. Asking DuFour's question of what are you going to do when they don't know it? I would help the teacher design lesson plans moving forward that provide remediation, either in large group, small group, or one-on-one interventions.  ]]> 2019-03-10 15:26:35 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/339687497 elarabyamany https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/339756462 As a matter of fact I was exposed to the exact same situation, I was asked the same question from our reading team in my current school. I started letting them know that happened to me with specific students, and that we should reflect on that the students we have in class have different backgrounds, cultures, personalities. In addition , we have to consider teaching our students the skills that they need in order to help them meet our expectation. Also, I have suggested to implement some protocols for discussion, I have modeled some strategies that I have used and I found success with , such as : "The talking stick , " Round table discussion " when they should assign 2 different students to be time facilitator, and time keeper in order to keep students engage and to help them understanding the importance of having equal voice . i have also provided resources such as Culture responsive teaching book and website.]]> 2019-03-10 23:10:46 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/339756462 srsche18 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/340238148 I would tell this teacher that it is okay to continue to call on these students, but not all of the time. I would suggest having a longer wait time after questions to give others time to process and think about the question. Another suggestion would be doing a "cold call" once in awhile. Call on students at random. This tells the eager hand raisers that raising their hand won't get them recognized and the ones that don't raise their hand are going to have to be paying attention and be ready to say something. Finally, I would have this teacher look at his/her classroom management and expectations. Do all the students feel a sense of belonging and safety in class? Some students are comfortable answering questions in class while others are more reluctant because of how others might respond to their answers. If students feel safe and belonging participation from others may increase. The eager hand raisers will then need to respect that participation from others and be reminded not to interrupt. This could also lead into a discussion about respecting each others learning. Some things that come easy for the eager hand raisers may be a little harder for others. Continue to remind the class that they are a team and each member has the same right to learning!]]> 2019-03-12 02:57:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/340238148 Roy Jonjak https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/341051911 When teaching goes well, there should be no end to the enthusiasm students demonstrate for learning and sharing ideas. Too often, teachers are taught to maintain classroom control over allowing the natural expression of ideas. Rather than acting as a referee or judge to ensure everyone gets heard (often even when they don't want to speak), a teacher can work at tapping into the natural chemistry of any group of learners. Things can get out of hand in extreme cases, but it is interesting to let students negotiate their own rules of engagement. I have found empowering the kids to manage their own discussions is always an interesting breakthrough in learning: they need to feel they are the communication centers of their own curiosity and managers of their own construction of meaning. I may be misinterpreting the prompt, but it sounds like this classroom is too teacher-centered with too many right answers and not enough construction of meaning and sharing of responses. Engaged classrooms of kids love the construction process, and they also develop their own mediums with their own unique rules for making them work in ways that don't hurt anyone's feelings or make them angry or frustrated.]]> 2019-03-13 19:08:53 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/341051911 emwelh06 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/341134701 I think it's important to provide opportunities for all students to share their thinking whether that be with a partner, in a small group, or with the whole class. I would share a few techniques I have used for questioning and class discussions with this teacher. Almost every morning we have a morning "chit chat." In the chit chat is a question. I ask my students the question. They think about it for a minute or so. After I say "turn and talk," they share their answers with the people at their pod. When I hold my hand up, they put their hand up. Talking stops. I ask the question again. Whoever wants to share their answer with the whole class keeps their hand up. I call on the students with their hand up. Another technique I would share is the talking stick (only I use a stress ball). My students sit in an oval shape on the floor. I ask a question and hand the ball to someone. He or she answers the question before handing the ball to the person sitting to his or her left. If someone does not want to share a response out loud, he or she says "pass." Sometimes I use a call and response technique, in which I pose a problem or question. The students work independently to find an answer to the problem or question. I say "On the count of three, whisper your answer." ]]> 2019-03-14 01:08:30 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/341134701 brian_duffy2 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/342065628 I would begin by asking the teacher, “What might be some reasons these students are continually raising their hand?”.  Through this question the teacher begins to figure out why the students have a need to answer every question and why they get upset when he doesn't call on them.  All students have needs and learning what the needs are of these students will help inform the teacher of how he/she might respond to them.  There are a host of reasons as to why a student is always raising their hand to answer and/or ask questions (the material is too easy for them, the material is too hard and they are confused, they are highly engaged and have a lot of ideas they want to process through and share, they feel pressure, maybe even anxiety, to be the “smart kid” who is always right, they are an extrovert and just enjoy dialoguing, etc.).  The greater effort the teacher puts in to understanding the needs of the students the more likely he/she will be able to design a solution.  I would ask the teacher, “Now having a better understanding of their needs, what might be some solutions you could consider?”.  Through this process the teacher stays engaged and responsible for solving the problem and builds skills to do so in the future.  Simply giving them an answer makes them dependent on me, and my goal is to help them become interdependent to the learning community.  If the teacher really struggles to come up with ideas I would provide 3 suggestions that I have seen be effective in the classroom with other teachers and ask if any of them resonate with him/her.  From there the teacher could select one or a modification of one and try it in the classroom.  
My suggestions in this case would be:
  1. The use of more think, pair, shares (with the possibility of intentionally grouping these students together in turn and talks) so that all students have time to work through their thinking.   
  2. Use an ENVoY technique of nonverbally showing with fingers how many reponses you will take, putting down a finger everytime someone give a response. In this way students understand ahead of time that only a certain number of students will get to respond to this question, which leads to less frustration when not called on.
  3. Offer opportunities for kinesthetic responses (“Put your hands on your head if you had the same thinking as Susie just shared.”).  In this way students get the opportunity to demonstrate their thinking to the teacher quickly and nonverbally, which keeps the lesson moving forward.
]]> 2019-03-17 02:07:22 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/342065628 I will start saying that I agree that grading concept is a hard concept to deal with as a teacher, but you will be able to deal with it once you have a structure , and routine in place I would suggest that the teacher can correct the homework on the board with his students as a group, and the students would follow the teacher and self-correct their home work, and this way, you will be working smarter not harder, and the students would benefit from the instruction that you would provide in solving each question. I would also state that implementing this strategy would take sometime until it becomes a routine for students as well. elarabyamany https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/342197022 2019-03-17 23:57:54 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/342197022 srsche18 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/342675343 I agree that correcting the assignments as a whole group is a great idea. I do this with my kindergarteners and it allows for me to do some reteaching if necessary and eliminates time spent on correcting papers. I would also suggest that you need to MAKE time for yourself. Teaching is not a sprint, but a marathon. Be patient, determined and make a clear plan and time to grade assignments. Your students won't thrive if you are exhausted and stressed. Another option would be to offer to sit down and carefully look at their time management during prep times. Make sure they are using that time efficiently getting as much done at school as they can.  Help them prioritize what is most important to grade and what can wait for another day.  This will lead to more time to enjoy life away from school. Finally, remind them that they are not alone and that we all feel this way sometimes. See the problem as an opportunity to learn, make a plan, stick to it and remember tomorrow is another day.]]> 2019-03-19 02:36:59 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/342675343 Roy Jonjak https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/343135581 As an English teacher, I was old school: theme a week all the way! I really got into reading what students had to say, really figuring out their ideas and feelings as they took on the world at that very difficult time in life. So a very basic question is where I would start: Do you love hearing what kids have to say or do you see correcting papers as a chore? If it's a chore, trying shifting your mindset a bit: figure out strategies to make it engaging for you. Your students will see the difference right away. So, I'm chuckling here: it's the "Cool Hand Luke" scene where Luke gets the other prisoners to finish the road they are shovelling as fast as they can so they can take the rest of the hot afternoon off. When they finish a day's work in only a few hours, they sit on their shovels and just start laughing. OK, so my discussion with the teacher would also be very honest: how deeply do you resent kids taking away your time? I can think of a couple of teachers in my life who made me realize some teachers get so upset by the time it takes to be a teacher that they start to hate their job and hate their kids. That is a hard mindset to crack, and at this extreme level, I have actually helped some teachers who weren't actually leave the profession, especially when they would say things like, "I became a teacher so I could get my summers off!"]]> 2019-03-20 01:12:50 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/343135581 emwelh06 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/344365719 If I was this teacher's mentor, I would share with him or her that, as a first-year teacher, I used to grade everything my students turned in (i.e. daily work, homework, tests, quizzes, etc.). I quickly learned that I could not sustain that practice for very long. Later, I learned that it is not necessary to grade everything the students turn in. I started to grade students' formative and summative assessments. This data is helpful for understanding students' mastery and areas for improvement. I would ask this teacher to look at what he or she is asking students to do for homework and to think about the purpose for it, whether the homework is achieving its purpose, and how he or she knows whether it is achieving its purpose. What tasks is he or she assigning that can be let go? What homework assignments can be completed in formats other than papers (i.e. photos, drawings, dioramas, posters, etc.) and shared during class time, so the teacher is spending less time outside of the school day grading papers?]]> 2019-03-22 19:15:18 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/344365719 brian_duffy2 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/344453107 I would ask them what it is they are grading. I would also ask what is their purpose in putting a grade on everything? What is their why? It's essential that the teacher has an established reason for grading. Are you grading to give points and fill up a gradebook or are you assessing to learn more about what the students need next in your instruction? When we assess to inform instruction we quickly understand that not everything needs a grade. When we teach with the end in mind, putting a homework grade in the gradebook loses its importance quickly. When we consider that our students also need to understand their own personal learning needs, we realize that self-assessment is a powerful learning tool. Then, when we add the next layer of peer to peer assessment , suddenly we see that "grading" in class is actually an instructional tool and a necessary part of meaningful student growth. As we learn to let go of these self-imposed obligations, we see that including students in the assessment process creates empowerment of student learning. We move from the sage on the stage to the guide on the side, which is healthier for everyone.  There are obviously times when we do need to grade. For this aspect, I would have the teacher share their grading practices and help them evaluate how they might be more efficient in their work (what's their process, are the rubrics clear, what's their grading environment look like, what parameters are they setting for themselves to maintain healthy balance, etc.).]]> 2019-03-23 13:24:49 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/344453107 I would suggest that the teacher start with stating positive comments about the student , then start projecting the grade level meeting standards , then start comparing student's data to the meeting criteria. Also I will advice the teacher to explain the student' s behavior in a positive language , and reassure the parents that he is working with student on that. the teacher also ask the parents if they have any suggestion or ideas that both home and school should implement in order to help the student to meet grade level standards, and to be successful. I would also advice the teacher not to take the families comments personal , and to keep a high level of professionalism , keep smiling , and show that he cares and he believes in the student's abilities. elarabyamany https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/344595068 2019-03-24 18:58:34 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/344595068 Roy Jonjak https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/344635293 My common theme from the first day of classes is that each student assumes primary responsibility for his/her learning, but I am there to help as much as I can along with their classmates – and their parents. We keep a constant dialogue going, and we share perspectives and support when things are going better than expected (with clearly defined expectations and benchmarks for success), exactly what we expected, or not as well as expected. This dialogue takes the form of casual conversations, quick notes back and forth, phone calls or text messages, and even deep journaling if the student so chooses. By the time we get to the formal review during conferences, we know each other quite well and are willing to address the good, the bad, and the ugly in ways that are constructivist: always with a clearly defined plan (contract) where everyone knows what the student can do on his/her own initiative to improve grades or behavior, how the parents can engage in ways that provide support but also feedback to me about their questions and concerns, and how, at the end of the day, everyone agrees what progress was made (always consider progress in any grading system) and what benchmark with stipulated grade was actually achieved.  

]]> 2019-03-25 00:02:23 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/344635293 emwelh06 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/344656713 If I was this teacher's mentor, I would suggest that the teacher shift his or her distorted thinking (jumping to conclusions). The teacher is already interpreting the event (parent/teacher conferences) negatively because he or she is in a negative place. I would suggest to this teacher that he or she not disqualify the students' positive behaviors and areas they've shown improvement or mastery. Tell those empowering stories along with the areas of concern. I would support this teacher in crafting new stories using the three routines Aguilar suggested: visualizing what this teacher wants to be true, using affirmations, and setting intentions.]]> 2019-03-25 02:28:56 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/344656713 srsche18 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/345043897 I would begin by asking the mentee about their relationship with these particular parents and if he/she has been in contact with these parents about these concerns prior to the upcoming conference.  Building those relationship with parents right from the start will sometimes make these difficult conversations a little bit easier.  Next, I would advise the teacher to start with a the positive things the student is doing, accomplishments and growth he or she has made thus far. I would then suggest moving the conversation into the areas of concern for this student. Asking the parents if they see any of these behaviors at home or if they notice that their child is struggling in any learning areas. Then I would suggest ending the conference with more positives about their child. FInally, I would remind the mentee to stay calm and professional. We are all in this together and our ultimate goal is to support the academic and social growth of our young learners.]]> 2019-03-25 23:12:53 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/345043897 brian_duffy2 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/345503654 There are a couple things to focus on with this teacher that would help them. Most of these would be a feedback style because in this case, the teacher just needs some information to help them. 
1. I would begin by helping the teacher with her mindset. If the "not so good" comments are true statements then they aren't bad comments, just honest ones. Expressing factual statements to parents about their child is a good thing to do, it's an important part of our work. All kids are good kids, but sometimes they do things that are not good. Separate the acts from the goodness of the person. We avoid characterizations (He's disrespectful) and tell the truth of the student's academic, behavioral, or social ability (Your son blurts out while others are talking. I charted it yesterday and he blurted 9 times in the morning and 13 in the afternoon.).That's just good data tracking that helps pinpoint a problem and starts a conversation on finding solutions.
2. If this information will actually be very upsetting to parents then this is a good lesson for the teacher about communication. Any bad behaviors or severe academic concerns should have been communicated before conferences. Through good communication efforts on the teacher, the parents should not be blindsided at conferences that their child has severe academic or behavior concerns. It's a negligence of duty to finally reveal to a family at conferences that their child has behavior concerns in their class. 
3. The research says that the ratio of good interactions to corrective ones should be 5:1. Five good communications for every "negative" one. By consistently communicating positive messages, when it is time to have challenging conversations, a rapport is established and the family is more open to the constructive feedback because trust has been built.
4. Finally, for this case, I'd role model the conversation for them so that they can see it and hear it, including how we sit at the table, how I present data (a 3rd point), how to make visuals in a conference that engender problem solving and avoids the looping of the problem, and how to close it. I would then have the teacher try it with me. Modeling and role playing is a great way to learn. This teacher needs to practice her words and responses to questions. Like anything, it's all about practice. ]]> 2019-03-27 00:25:52 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/345503654 srsche18 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/347427406 Using the mentor language I would respond to this teacher something like this....
"Planning for differentiated instruction can be difficult and time consuming, but it doesn't have to be.  It can be done effectively without spending a lot of time planning for it.  Tell me more about the kinds of things you have been planning and doing in your classroom so far. "
At this point we would discuss what has been happening in the classroom.  Then I would move into the mediational questions, non-judgemental responses and suggestions.
"What might happen if you considered possible learning styles or different levels of mastery for the skills your teaching?  Those who have no background of the skill, those who have some building blocks and those who have already mastered the skill.  What parts of the instruction do you feel have been successful?  I noticed that when you were excited about the skill and concept the students were engaged and focused.  A few things that have worked for me are creating learning stations where students choose the station they want to go to.  They are given the opportunity to practice the skill using a learning style that works for them.  You could also consider doing more open-ended projects or assignments.  That allows students to work at their own pace, engage in the content they understand and demonstrate knowledge as effectively as possible.  Do you feel this would help with some of the planning and chaos your experiencing?"
Lastly, I would encourage them to keep trying.  
"Differentiated instruction can be done.  I always tell my kindergarteners the more you practice, the better you will get.  Same goes for planning and implementing differentiated instruction.  Stay positive, use the things that are working well, build from them and learn from the things that aren't."]]> 2019-04-02 00:32:08 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/347427406 I would start our conversation with a smile or a nice laugh, as that is what happened to me when I read the scenario, and I would let that teacher know that he is not the type of person that can easily give up. I would suggest that the teacher should keep modeling to students what to do on each center, and explain to the teacher that it would take time for that to become a routine, also I would advice the teacher to help students practice more often to be on those centers, and to closely supervise students and circulate around the classroom. In addition, I would suggest that the teacher have a kind of incentive system for the most on task center to motivate students to follow directions , and may be use a timer or may be a call and response phrases to facilitate transition. elarabyamany https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/347439332 2019-04-02 01:31:22 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/347439332 Roy Jonjak https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/348010908 "Don't give up the ship just because seas are a bit pitchy!" Life in a classroom is always spontaneous, but especially when the lessons are challenging or the structure of the instructional moment is a bit complicated. All learning begins with focus: the teacher's as well as the students'. A trick to the art is to understand when kids are or are not ready to learn -- and to realize they are always honed in on you as their teacher to see your emotional state. A sign that things are beginning to slip gets their attention right away, and they will do what they can to move that pitching forward. Stay calm and focused and pretend to be on top of your game, learn how to psych out your kids like every other teacher does every day. Even feel free to ask the ridiculous question like, "Why are you guys have so much trouble with this, it's just like working in teams to play three dimensional checkers." SO, the real instructional problem with differentiated staffing is that not everyone is doing the same thing at the same time, and people are naturally curious about what is happening next door. This requires the teacher to be three places at once (if lessons are differentiated across three groups). Empowering students to manage their own small groups is an art form. Kids have their own ways of working things out once they know who their real boss is (sitting next to them at the breakout table). Allow that to happen, then allow students to reflect through open discussion or anonymous journal how things went in their group that day, and plenty of kudos to team leaders who kept their group on task and on focus!]]> 2019-04-03 11:37:50 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/348010908 brian_duffy2 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/349250262 I would begin by affirming the teachers feelings. The actual mentor language I use would depend on the efficacy and craftsmanship of the teacher.  In this case, the teacher is sounding low in both, but I would still ask mediative questions to help engender thinking.  If they are struggling to make connections, I would then move to suggestions, saying something like this:
Using learning stations, activity centers, etc. are fantastic ways to differentiate instruction, but at first, they can indeed be challenging. They require 2 important elements to be successful.  Often, when activity centers fail it is because students do not understand how to do the activity or they simply do not have the skills to do the activity. Here are some ideas I have seen other teachers use successfully. 
1. Clear and visual directions.  Has the teacher clearly explained what to do at each station, including modeling?  The use of visuals is a powerful tool, whether on the board or at each station, because they provide the student a go to reference if they are unsure what to do.  This eliminates the need of asking questions to the teacher after the stations have begun.  Also, did you provide students the opportunity to ask questions during your exit directions?  This is a fantastic opportunity to clarify procedures.  If one kid doesn't quite get it or is confused, odds are others are too. 
2. You cannot release students to independence if they do not have the ability to function independently on the given activity.  The work done at activity centers should be achievable work. Work that stretches them just enough but not so much that they cannot actually do the work. If you are going to release them to independence you need to make sure they can independently do it. For some students that might involve some modifications of the activities. 
Finally, I would stress that procedures take time to establish.  The first few times you might keep the times at the stations short just so students get used to the procedures themselves.  The content work will come after students feel confident in how to navigate the process.  You don't have to do it all in a day. 

It might be that modeling how to provide exit directions would be useful, or at the very least role playing. ]]> 2019-04-07 14:15:52 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/349250262 emwelh06 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/349306904 First, I would paraphrase what this teacher is saying: "It sounds like you have good intentions about meeting the needs of your students, but your differentiated learning centers are not going as well as you had planned." Then, I would ask the following clarifying questions: "Would you tell me more about the differentiated learning centers (i.e. planning, what students are expected to do, how those expectations are conveyed, etc.)? What do you mean by 'ends up in chaos?'" Lastly, I would provide suggestions. Since students are asking a lot of questions about what to do, I might suggest the following to this teacher: modeling the expectations and directions, posting visual directions in a consistent spot, and modeling what to do when students forget the directions. I would pose this suggestion with the following suggestion stem: "Some teachers I know have tried different things in this sort of situation, and maybe one of these will work for you." Lastly, I would invite this teacher to choose one and explain how it might work in his or her classroom with his or her students. In the past, I would have skipped paraphrasing and asking clarifying questions. I would have jumped right to providing suggestions.]]> 2019-04-07 22:07:41 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/349306904 based on the fact that the mentor have tried a lot of approaches such as modelling, co-teaching, con planning , and other coaches and how that could be very frustrated . It is time to video tape this teacher and have the teacher reflect , listen to the teacher and start discussing her/ his observation, then next step will be projecting the facts, as well as the data, then take what we call baby steps by starting to analyze every single aspect, come up with a system in place for all the issues, for example: give her different ideas for classroom management , ask the teacher to choose which idea or activity she/he want to try , then ask for a time frame in order to reinforce accountability , then continue with the list. The teacher has to know that it is mandatory for what you both decided on to be in action within a time frame, and that there will be a follow up , and of course that has to be conveyed with respect . Also the mentor has to make sure that the strategist or the ideas that have been suggested are supported by research, and aligned with the standards to cultivate a sense of credibility. elarabyamany https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/349311649 2019-04-07 22:56:54 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/349311649 srsche18 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/349740101 My advice for this mentor would be to step into more of a coaching role and ask the mentee questions regarding her lesson expectations and intent, as well as, questions about the districts expectations, outcomes and policies.  The mentor can use these questions in an effort to try to get the mentee to figure out the answers on her own and do some self-reflecting on her teaching style.
For the mentee I would encourage her to reflect on her lessons, classroom management and learning environment.  How does she feel these areas are going?  What's going well and what isn't going so well?  I would continue to ask these mediational questions to help the mentee extend her thinking into others areas and discuss other possibilities and scenarios.  
I feel that the root of this scenario is that the mentee is unclear of her purpose, her emotions, sense of community and many other areas we have discussed thus far in Aguilar's book. I feel the mentee needs to take some time and learn about herself and figure out what it is exactly she wants, her purpose. Step into the role of a learner and get to know herself!!]]> 2019-04-08 23:37:20 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/349740101 Roy Jonjak https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/350167408 This sounds like a Crucial Commentary moment where there simply does not seem to be any common ground. Using the STATE principles from the video (rather interesting video, though it came at 500 miles per hour) the first step of sharing facts seems critically important. The mentoring teacher sees one reality, and everyone else, including the students, sees another. The facts may be hard to digest into a common understanding, since this situation seems very bifurcated and disconnected, but talking things through will hopefully yield some understanding of the differing realities. The "Telling your story" step 2 seems to build on the first, but hopefully the common ground has shifted enough that more conversation with a better translation evolves. Asking others to share their paths helps bring in several perspectives and many voices, and it would be really good for everyone to hear the student voices as well. Getting to the "Talk" of step four makes sense now. It does not seem like the modeling etc. that started this conversation because it simply wasn't working might now become more meaningul, leading to things ending in common encouragement and well-wishing: everyone benefits when any teacher becomes stronger and more effective, and that is generally accomplished through encouragement, rather than critical critique based on a power relationship rather than a collaborative one.]]> 2019-04-09 23:56:11 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/350167408 brian_duffy2 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/350945337 Wow, there's quite a bit here to unpack.  First and foremost I would only coach the mentor.  I am not about to insert myself into their professional relationship.  It's the mentor's duty to carry her own water in her role.  I would encourage the mentor to think about five things: 
1. I think in these situations going to the data would be most effective. What does the data reveal? If all is as disastrous as the mentor believes, the student data should support that.  Start with the results to help inform the teacher in what areas and in what ways to modify instructional practice to improve student performance.  Review formative and summative assessments with the teacher.  Break down the data and see what it reveals. Use the data as a tool for the teacher to build correlations between their practice and student learning. Sometimes the teacher needs to see the honest results of their teaching before they are willing to make changes.  
2.  I would encourage the mentor to accept non-closure.  As frustrating as it may be, everyone is on their own growth path.  Not all gets solved in a school year of coaching.  You continue to have the conversations, understanding that growth is going on inside of them that has not revealed itself yet.  I can easily look back at instruction I received when I was younger that I just wasn't ready for until much later, sometimes years.  The instruction I received was percolating inside me and when I was ready for it, I applied it.  Just like some of the students we work with, our efforts don't bear fruit until much later.
3. As coaches it's important we don't impart our beliefs onto the teacher. In other words, my definition of a what a "chaotic" classroom looks like might be quite different to someone else. My definition of chaos might be another teacher's definition of a stimulating, engaging environment where voice & choice is valued.  As coaches we need to check ourselves often.  
4.  Thinking of the 5 states of mind, this teacher seems to be low in consciousness and interconnectedness: they believe they can do what they want and can function independently from the whole.  What things can the mentor do to build up the teachers awareness of the larger school structures and connect to them?  
5. Think of personality profiles.  Maybe they need to do typecoach or other types of tests so that the mentor can learn more about the learning moves of the mentee?  What type of coach does the mentee need?  What type of personality type is the mentee and how can the mentor support those needs?
6. Finally, video tape the teacher and review it together. Going back to the use of data, the truest form of teacher data is video because it involves zero interpretation. The data does not lie. For example, as a mentee you can share something like: During your whole class instruction, out of 28 students in your class, 7 students were on cell phones, 6 students had their heads down on their desks, and 4 students were engaged in side conversations. Then you ask a mediative question to the teacher to get them thinking.]]> 2019-04-11 19:24:15 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/350945337 emwelh06 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/350997772 I would paraphrase what the mentor is telling me: "From what you're saying, you've tried different strategies to help this teacher see and hear effective teaching, and you're not seeing the results you were hoping for." I would ask the following mediating question: "What do you think would happen if the teacher reflected on her own teaching?" The teacher has seen and heard effective teaching, but has she reflected on her own teaching? I would suggest that the mentor begin by asking the teacher to summarize her lesson. Then, the mentor can paraphrase what the teacher said. The mentor can ask a clarifying question, such as "Would you tell me a little bit more about the goal of the lesson?" They can discuss how this does or does not tie into the curriculum. The mentor can invite the teacher to self-assess by asking, "In what ways did the lesson go as you expected? What didn't you expect?" The mentor can ask a mediational question, such as "What would it look like if you began your lesson with an attention grabber, such as a game?" This might get the teacher to think about those students who were off task and how to pull them in right away. Lastly, the mentor can offer suggestions in invitational, positive language and vocal tone to help the teacher improve her organization skills. He or she might say, "Perhaps making copies and laying out materials for your lessons before school, during your prep period, or after school the day before might work for having everything you'll need to teach that day on hand." Then, the mentor could ask, "Which of these ideas might work best for you?" Seeing and hearing effective teaching can be very helpful. However, I think most teachers have to discover what effective teaching is by trial and error. Teachers, whether they are new or experienced, have to fall down and get back up on their own. It's one thing to tell new teachers what they have done and what they should do. It's another thing when new teachers discover that themselves. ]]> 2019-04-11 23:36:58 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/350997772 I will start with acknowledging and appreciating that the teacher is trying to meet the goals that she/he has set , and the fact that the teacher is trying to ensure that the students need to practice and apply their learning. Then I will use teachable moments mentor language , and try to explain to the teacher that the goals we set for ourselves have to be driven from students needs and abilities . we have to consider students unique differences and set goals to address them. I will suggest that the teacher consider the students request, and may be reduce the home practice to 3 days a week or so elarabyamany https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/351512148 2019-04-14 21:43:53 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/351512148 srsche18 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/351518768 In this scenario I would encourage my mentee to still have student goals, but also encourage her to think about goals related to teaching practices. I think sometimes it is okay to simply state to the mentee what your thinking. Let her know that the goal she has set is more of a student goal and then guide her to set another goal that will address her practices and student needs. Next, I would introduce her to SMART goals. Goals that are specific, measureable, achievable, relevant and time-based. SMART goals help to move thinking to a different, deeper understanding and create a collaborative learning experience from beginning to end. SMART goals also target professional development, focus on teacher practices and self-reflection, increase student achievement and focus on specific student needs. After guiding her through the SMART goal process and facilitating her with her goals she will build her skills, knowledge and teaching practices.]]> 2019-04-14 23:10:13 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/351518768 emwelh06 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/352157906 First, I would positively reinforcement my mentee for writing appropriate goals for his/her students. I would invite my mentee to reflect on those goals by asking my mentee what role he or she plays in helping the students achieve those goals. Then, I would encourage my mentee to write a few SMART goals for him- or herself to help meet the needs of the students. If my mentee is not familiar with SMART goals, I would introduce him or her to SMART goals as a way to ensure goals are clear and achievable. I would share my experiences of using student data to write SMART goals and the action steps to achieve those goals. We would talk about how action steps reflect what the teacher is doing to meet the needs of the students. We can't depend solely on students practicing skills at home. Teachers have to provide multiple opportunities for students to practice skills in meaningful ways in the classroom. ]]> 2019-04-16 23:55:33 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/352157906 brian_duffy2 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/352458523 The teacher is definitely on the right track. I would congratulate them for looking at student learning needs; meeting educational needs is definitely our purpose as educators.  I would guide them to the action steps that as a teacher, she would need to take to meet the student achievement goal she has in mind, that is where their personal goal lies. I would ask the teacher what specific steps does she need to take to meet the student goal, then have her pinpoint a growth goal within those action steps. In other words, out of all of the steps needed to achieve the student achievement goal, where does she feel she needs to grow? Maybe it's on differentiating instruction, or designing informal assessments, or using questioning and discussion techniques, etc. Whatever they pinpoint, that is where their individual goal is. We would then create a SMART goal around that. In this way the teacher has a personal growth goal that aligns with the student achievement goal.  By helping the teacher craft a personal growth goal that is in SMART goal format and aligns with the student achievement goal, they begin to understand the direct correlation between their actions as a teacher and student learning. In doing this the teacher builds their empowerment, which as Aguilar states, is a key component to resilience in the classroom.

]]> 2019-04-18 01:04:20 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/352458523 Roy Jonjak https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/352892284 I would share with my mentee that the most challenging part of establishing goals is actually putting them into practice and making them work! Certainly, she is on the right track: outcomes should always be expressed in terms of student learning, but the risk we face as educators is to blame our students rather than ourselves if goals are not met. One of the things I discuss with my mentoring teachers is Dewey's remarkable chapter on ends in view when he says we do not practice in order to hit the target, we practice in order to kill the rabbit. Setting goals using the SMART goal model is an effective strategy if it leads students to a proper end in view and does not become an end in itself!]]> 2019-04-21 02:45:55 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/352892284 I believe the mentor need to build a strong relationship with this teacher, the mentor should start acknowledging the teacher's considerable teaching experience and the importance of learning from one another, have the teacher tell her story and consider her different perspectives , the mentor can use the research facts regrading the importance of shifting towards the newly developed teaching standards, and I believe that it is acceptable if the mentor can be very clear and direct about that implementing the new teaching standards is mandatory , as well as data driven instruction. Regarding the ELL Students, I believe that the teacher needs a comprehensive training on how to provide a non-treating low effective filter environment for Ell students in order to facilitate language acquisition , as well as SIOP model and practices. However, I am anticipating that the teacher might be resistant to that , and in this case I believe that the mentor and the admin-team would have to implement El co-teaching model. In other words, I believe that the Mentor should discuss this issue with the Ell department , and they would have to place an Ell teacher in this class in order to model the Ell teaching strategies, and to help learning equitable to students. The mentor also should discuss the importance of co-planing . Also the mentor should schedule regular data meetings as well as follow up meetings with this teacher in order to encourage some accountability elarabyamany https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/352954090 2019-04-21 23:30:31 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/352954090 srsche18 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/353217100 I would begin by examining my relationship with this teacher and building that relationship to show respect, care and trust. While making the relationship stronger I would talk to her about why she is so resistant towards change, rather that just assuming she is irrational or difficult. She probably has a logical, reasonable explanation and I want to hear more about it to understand it better. Once I have a better understanding of her ideas and perspectives we can discuss ways that we could work together. Getting to this point may take some time because building the relationship has to come first. Next I would suggest to her the "bright spots" strategy that Aguilar mentioned. Maybe by focusing on what's going well it will eventually spark conversations about other things and other areas of her teaching. Throughout the whole process, and it will be a process, it is important to remember that to accept mentoring is to make oneself vulnerable, so the mentor needs to show the teacher that she is worthy of her trust. It is also important to acknowledge her efforts, specifically and intentionally, and emphasize confidentiality in order to continue to build the relationship. Finally, I would stay committed to helping her through the process and not get distracted. Most of this process will be spent building the relationship. If there is no relationship than none of the other things will happen.]]> 2019-04-23 01:26:46 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/353217100 brian_duffy2 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/353549398 This relationship is definitely not fully formed yet and is in need of trust. The teacher has had previous experiences that to her, do not validate the purpose of mentoring. She is also experienced (15 years) and so she is probably bristling against the idea of being "coached" because she feels that it is something just for new teachers. First and foremost, she is lacking in consciousness; an awareness of the overall picture of how we are all learners on a growth path. I would ask to observe her classroom and just focus on the positives to start. Find 5 positive teacher actions in a lesson that resulted in positive student behavior. I would share the data with her and ask her what her takeaways are from the data. This process helps her to connect how her decisions influence student behaviors. The more the teacher can understand how her actions influence student behavior the more she will be willing to modify her teaching strategies, which builds her efficacy in a positive way. I would slowly embed a teacher action that did not result in the desired behavior and let the teacher break that down, such as the example of students being squirmy after 30 minutes of rug time. Here, I would hold her accountable to use first person "I" statements and not third person student statements. Again, I'm working to connect her actions to student behavior and to own how her actions influences others. Over time the teacher will likely begin to theorize on her own "what might happen if I"....which is ultimately the goal. This process of focusing on positives at first, while still always holding the teacher accountable to "I" and not "they", will build trust and at the same time, teacher craftsmanship. As her craftsmanship builds, so will her flexibility and willingness to become more interconnected to the larger teaching community.  This is not a quick fix. Accepting non-closure for a long period of time will be important for the mentor, while continuing to assume positive intent of the mentee every step along the way. Building trust to the point where someone is willing to be vulnerable with you takes time and intentional interactions. I would advise this mentor to give them self the grace of time as they implement this process.]]> 2019-04-23 21:25:19 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/353549398 Roy Jonjak https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/354497194 Unfortunately, she is not so different from a lot of mentoring teachers (as well as established teachers if you ever have lunch in the teacher's lounge), but the only real difference is that she is so vocal about it! In the school where I work which measures the impact of all instructional efforts on the basis of demonstrated improvement in student learning (using high stakes test data along with a lot of other measures), I as mentor feel I must make the mentee understand how she will be assessed as a teacher and that her contract may depend on coming to understand how we measure that and track progress in measurable ways. As mentor, I maintain a performance feedback loop that is both positive and constructive, but I do pay close attention to emotional impact to assess how my mentees really feel about their performance in particular and the teaching profession in general. I like to invite mentees to hear directly from her students as they provide feedback directly to her: "from the mouths of babes." If that doesn't work, I have coached many mentees out of teaching. ]]> 2019-04-26 15:37:16 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/354497194 emwelh06 https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/354782641 If I was this teacher's mentor, I would work on building relational trust. To gain this mentor's trust, I would listen to her well, care about her personally, believe in her competence, and do what I say I will do. Then, I would help this teacher identify her strengths and support her in using those strengths to address the things she needs to learn and develop. This teacher needs to understand the concept of mindset and become aware of her own. Working together, we would "Mind the Gap," so she can recognize her true potential, what lies in the way of fulfilling it, and create a plan of action. ]]> 2019-04-28 15:51:46 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaaprilwilliams/kzhl2dh6sgnu/wish/354782641