Mentors for Year One Students

Each student is assigned a mentor who is also his/her field experience facilitator. Mentors provide coaching, guidance and support to individuals or groups of students. A mentor group is comprised of all of the students assigned to a specific facilitator.

For year one students, meetings with mentor groups are held on a monthly basis, or more often as deemed necessary by the mentor and group*. Student attendance at mentor meetings is expected.
(*Some groups may decide to have additional meetings after school hours and off Concordia campus.)

Generally, the agendas are guided by the theme chosen for each month. In addition, the agendas include discussions about student issues that have arisen in the program that cannot be effectively handled in their courses. For example: professional relationships among students, professional conduct in the university or schools, and other topics that may be raised from time to time by students.

Monthly Themes for Year One Mentor Group Meetings

The program schedule is oriented around the observation and volunteer experiences the students are having with their cooperating schools:

October Theme: Professionalism

1. 1. Group discussion should centre around best practices for beginning and developing an excellent relationship with the school staff, cooperating teacher and students. The first contact with the schools will be approximately October 20. Discussions include how to frame the first meetings with the coop teacher--setting up the schedule and structuring questions that will be part of the student interview with the teacher.
2. Students begin their visits to schools as observers of the class and the classroom and prepare for their discussions of the November theme.
3. "Professionalism" is the touch-stone for each group meeting.

November Theme: The Class and the Classroom

1. 1. In October students begin to observe and understand the following for discussion in November:
   1. school philosophy
   2. the class size, characteristics of students
   3. the structure of the learning environment (desks, rows, tables pictures etc.)
2. 2. Students begin to observe the cooperating teacher’s planning and program design strategies in preparation for the January discussions.

December: No meetings are planned for December

January Theme: Planning, Curriculum and Instruction

1. In November begin to observe and understand the following for discussion in January:
   1. what is being taught--lessons, units, themes
   2. a day in the life of a student
   3. a day in the life of a teacher

February Theme: Student Assessment

• Content for this theme is developed in the Education 541 classes.

March Theme: Classroom Management

• Content for this theme is developed in the Education 541 classes.

Faculty Mentors for Year Two Students

In the Fall term, Facilitators provide mentoring through individual and group meetings at their cooperating schools. In the Winter term, these same facilitators provide optional seminar sessions on topics related to their field of expertise. Students are invited to participate in any or all of the sessions.  Seminar topics may include:  Getting hired as a teacher, professional portfolios, professional learning communities, and surviving job interviews. These facilitators may also meet with individual students at their request.

Monthly Theme for Year Two Mentor Group Meetings

January Theme: Scanning the Employment Environment

Students will be actively preparing covering letters and resumes for their application packages and will benefit from sharing these with others and working on improvements.

Discussions about teaching opportunities—where to look etc. Also, this may be a good time to introduce the notion of how teacher preparation and training can be helpful in getting started in other career and occupational paths.

Students will invited to attend employment seminars with school jurisdictions from around the province. Part of the preparation for their search for employment will be guided by THE INSIDE TRACK: Getting Hired to Teach in a Canadian School (Second Edition), Barlow S. Patten ISBN I-55077-114-0. Students will be encouraged to purchase

February Theme: Sharing the Portfolio - letting your light shine brightly

Students will be completing their paper version of the portfolio for presentation during their employment interviews. Opportunities for sharing and exchanging ideas would be appropriate this month. Mentors may wish to invite some graduates to show their portfolios.

Discussions about professional relationships during the job search process may also be appropriate at this time. Students need to be encouraged to show their talents and gifts. They need to be encouraged to build their continuing education and professional development plans by including professional reading and experiences in their portfolio.

March Theme: The Interview

Students will practice employment interviews. Mentors may wish to involve principals in mock interview situations.

April Theme: (Optional Meeting) Celebration!

Mentors may wish to plan a year-end celebration with their group.