- Mentoring Media
-
How can we use the internet, computers, and other
technologies to assist us in our work with mentoring new teachers
and each other? This is an aspect of mentoring which holds
greater promise than has yet been realized, especially for people
in remote settings. Here are the resources and tools I have found
so far.
Telementoring
NOTE: See more on the web page on Telementoring
Resources for a number of links and other resources on this
topic, as well as a discussion on the limitations of this strategy.
Basically, telementoring is electronic mentoring which uses e-mail,
videoconferencing, and other technologies to connect the mentor
and the protege for conversation about the needs of the protege
and assistance from the mentor.
One very good telementoring site is the H-P E-Mail Mentor Program.
It is sponsored by Hewlett-Packard, the technology company. This
telementoring program links H-P employees from all over the world
to students and teachers in the United States. Visit this site to
see how a telementoring program is organized, the program's purposes,
the sign-up process and forms, newsletters, etc. Also, you can sign
up on this site to get yourself a mentor, especially if you are
a teacher needing assistance with the use of technology in your
school. The H-P E-Mail Mentor Program web site is at<http://www.telementor.org/hp>.
Mentoring Software
This software was available from John Ingram, at 1-900-522-1500. It
is called "Personal Portfolio of Professional Development"
and is available for Mac or PC platforms for $54.95 plus $5 for shipping
and handling. While this contains many of the things that a paper-based
professional portfolio does, this is an electronic format for easy
entry and revision of any portfolio element, and it can be adapted
to your needs. The software can run on the internet so it is a perfect
tool to supplement telementoring. Be aware that this info may be outdated.
Video
Tapes:
Mentoring to Improve Schools, published by ASCD in 1999. ASCD is at, 1703
N. Beauregard St. Alexandria, VA 22311-1714. A set of 2 video tapes,
including 1 tape on "Mentoring & Induction Programs"
(how to develop and/or refine them) and another tape on "Mentoring
Practices" (how to facilitate the growth of others, the mentoring
process, etc.). The set costs less for ASCD members and more for
non-members, so see if someone in your district is a member and
can order it for your program's use. Includes a Facilitator's
Guide with overheads and materials for 7 workshops that build
on the videos. Barry Sweeny, the author of this web site, was the
principal consultant for the videos and the author of the Facilitator's
Guide. He uses segments from this video series in his own mentor
trainings. Reach ASCD at www.ascd.org
For more info on this set here on this web site,
click HERE.
Gaston County New Teacher Induction Program, by
Harry K. Wong Publications, 1030 W. Maude Ave. #507, Sunnyvale,
CA 94086, Fax (408) 732-2206
Mentoring The New Teacher, by ASCD, 1703 N. Beauregard
St. Alexandria, VA 22311-1714. A set of 9 video tapes, including
1 overview tape and 8 others, each using a case study to focus on
mentor support for learning to solve the 8 most common problems
of new teachers. The set costs$685 for ASCD members and $785 for
non-members. Includes a Facilitator's Guide and 2 ASCD books
on mentoring. Reach ASCD at www.ascd.org
What Matters Most: Teaching for America's Future is a video
about the work and recommendations of the National Commission on
Teaching & America's Future, which includes the NCATE work called
the "Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium"
(INSTASC). These standards include preservice teacher education
program standards, teacher internship and initial license standards,
induction process standards, certification standards, and on-going
certificate maintenance and advanced certificate standards. All
of this is explained in the video, What Matters Most: Teaching
for America's Future which is available from NCTAF for $15,
at PO Box 5239, Woodbridge, VA 22194-5239 (212)678-3204.
Reflective Teaching, is a Training Manual ($27.50),
Participant Guide ($3), and video tape ($35) which models the use
of the materials. The set was developed to provide preservice teachers
with teaching experiences before their student teaching. A laboratory
approach is used to give the preservice students this prior teaching
experience. The set is from Phi Delta Kappa, 8th & Union, PO
Box 789, Bloomington, IN 47402-0789.
Strategies for Classroom Management, A set of videos with
Pam Robbins and Pat Wolfe for $390 from NSDC. Includes tapes on
developing rules, giving clear directions, using transition time,
and creating a positive classroom climate. Ideal for staff development
of new teachers.
Audio Tapes:
- Induction: Helping Beginning Teachers Become Successful Professional
Educators, by Harry Wong, taped at an NSDC annual conference.
Includes discussion of three model induction programs. Available
for $20 from NSDC. http://www.nsdc.org
The Art and Skill of Mentoring, is a 2 cassette set
of audio tapes from the 1995 National Staff Development Council
Annual Conference in Chicago Illinois. Pam Robbins is the presenter
and she is one of the best in peer coaching and mentoring. These
tapes explore the range of mentoring roles and activities, suggest
ways to find mentoring time, review strategies to build administrative
support, and provide tips to enhance the mentor-protege relationship.
The tapes are $15 for NSDC members and $18 for non-members. Add
$6 for shipping of $16 for express delivery. Order these tapes with
item # 5985-33 from National Cassette Services, 613 N. Commerce
Ave., Front Royal, Virginia, 22630, or by phone at (540)635-4181
X 223 or fax (540)636-4240 |
