BY SUZANNE KOTY

We are entering another week of distance learning, and the novelty has worn off as we settle into new routines. Guidelines have changed regarding how much time students should be spending on school work each day, and procedures have been modified as we have all learned what is working and what can be done better. Our new teachers may be in need of additional support at this time.

With the help of Saluda School District, we were able to gain some insight from mentors and their Induction teachers about how things are going during this period of distance learning. Differentiated mentoring means meeting new teachers where they are and adjusting our roles to meet their needs as they evolve. 

What needs did Saluda's Induction teachers say were most important right now?

Availability and  Moral Support

​The following are some questions that new teachers had for their mentors:

Staying in touch has not been a problem outside of the building. Even with something as simple as this, it is important that mentors keep the mentee's comfort zone in mind. Some people are comfortable with texts and emails, but some need more personal communication methods. We learned that mentors were stepping up to the plate and using a variety of formats to stay in touch with their mentees. Social connections may be more important now than ever before.

Are you looking for ideas to support Teacher Learning Opportunities (TLOs)?

This district has encouraged their new teachers to use this time to learn something. Each new teacher is deciding on a topic they want to learn more about, and then they will read an article related to the topic with their mentor. They can also work in teams to learn with others interested in the same topic. Each new teacher will provide a written summary on a shared document to showcase their learning. This is just one example of how mentors can continue to help the new teachers identify TLOs and work towards improved practice.

BY SUZANNE KOTY

​Are you a mentor to a new teacher and wondering how to support your mentee through this difficult time?  Before we begin thinking about how to support each other, let’s remember the familiar advice to put your own oxygen mask on before assisting others. It is okay to take a breath or two. It is okay to stabilize your own needs and not feel like you have to put everything and everybody ahead of yourself. Once you have some oxygen flowing and can think clearly, you are going to be better prepared to support others.
 
How can you help the person you are mentoring?
 
1. Be vulnerable. My guess is that you are feeling somewhat like a new teacher in all of this. In mentor training we talk about how moving into a new teaching situation can make you feel like a new teacher all over again. This is a new teaching situation. Everything is different. Some of you are teaching online. Others have sent home packets and are reaching out to students. There is a different scenario based on where you teach. It can be tremendously comforting to hear that you are not alone in feeling stressed about the lack of familiarity or the change in routines. Share with your mentee how you are feeling.
 
2. Offer your expertise. As much as you may feeling be stressed, you have a wealth of knowledge to fall back on to make this work. Your mentee lacks that experience and historical knowledge. Share how you are managing certain aspects. Offer advice and support.
 
3. Remember Maslow. Just as we take care of students’ basic needs before we move up the hierarchy, we need to ensure that we do the same for our teachers. Knowing that he/she can contact you for support will help ease concerns. 
 
4. Tending to mentoring tasks. Once you have taken care of the relationship and the person, you can offer to help support the teacher academically just as you would in the traditional setting. If you have online learning, offer to attend a Zoom meeting or online session. Perhaps they could use a set of eyes on their instructions to students or perspective on their expectations. There are a number of ways you can offer your help. 
 
5. Understand your audience. You may be working with someone who needs space to work through particulars. You may be working with someone who feeds off contact. Some people will want some type of routine or normalcy while others will want new structures in place. Meet your mentee’s needs.

Module 1, Section 2 of the South Carolina Mentor Training has been revised to include the most up-to-date SC teacher turnover data. Trainers should review the revised Module 1, Section 2 Content and Relevance sections, which can be found on the Mentor Trainer Hub by clicking on the grey bar labeled "Module 1 Section 2." 

The updated teacher turnover data sheets can be found under the same bar. We also added the Supply and Demand data for the 2017-18 academic year as a supplemental resource for trainers. The Day 1 PowerPoint has also been updated to reflect these changes.

.We are happy to announce that the new SC Induction and Mentoring Guidelines were approved by the State Board on December 12, 2017. The new guidelines are available on the CERRA website and on the Mentor Trainer Hub. The new guidelines will be implemented during the 2018-2019 academic year.

The current guidelines offer a concise description of the superintendent's, the induction and mentoring coordinator's, and the school-level administrator's responsibilities within the induction program. 

CERRA, the SCDE, and the RETAIN Center at Newberry College are committed to supporting districts through the implementation of the new guidelines. Please email Jenna Hallman at hallmanj@cerra.org for more information. 

BY JENNA HALLMAN
​
CERRA launched version 2.0 of the SC Mentor Training in August and all materials have now been updated on CERRA's Mentor Trainer Hub. Version 2.0 contains seven modules as compared to the 9 modules in Version 1.0 due to a reorganization of information and activities. The overall content remained the same. The major changes are listed below: 

• Version 2.0 contains the language of the SC Teaching Standards 4.0 Rubric.
• Module 9, from the original version, has been removed from the SC Mentor Training. The instructions and resources from Module 9 have been added to the CERRA Mentor Trainer Hub and can be used as a "refresher" for trained mentors. 

All participant handbooks ordered after August 1 will be version 2.0 handbooks. Trainers are encouraged to visit CERRA's Mentor Trainer Hub to review the new materials, PowerPoints, and updated "Content and Relevance" sections. Trainers have the option of purchasing a new trainer handbook using the link on the Hub or simply printing their own copy of the updated handbook. Mentors and Trainers who completed training under the 1.0 system DO NOT need to be retrained.

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) has completed revisions to Module 3 to include the SC Teaching Standards rubric. CERRA will revise the current mentor training to ensure consistency in language across the other eight modules. Other revisions, based on anecdotal feedback, will also be made. These revisions will be completed in May/June 2017. For now, the SCDE has made the new PowerPoint slides and script available to trainers. This information can be found under the Module 3 accordion tab. Trainers should feel free to begin using these materials immediately. CERRA will embed the new documents in the revised PowerPoint and training manuals which will be available this summer. ​

Module 1 / Section 3 has been revised to include the most up-to-date SC teacher turnover data. Trainers should review the revised Module 1 / Section 3 instructions which can be found on the Mentor Trainer Hub by clicking on the grey bar labeled "Module 1 Section 3."

The revised teacher turnover data sheets and table group questions can be found under the same bar. Until further notice, trainers will need to provide their participants with a copy of the "Table Group Questions." The Day 1 PowerPoint has also been updated to reflect these changes. We anticipate making these and other changes to the participant handbook in May/June 2017. 

Suzanne Koty and Todd Scholl led two dozen educators through our state's Trainer Certification at the SCEA Headquarters in Columbia. Educators who complete the training will be certified to train mentors who will support induction teachers as they navigate their first year in the classroom.

Read more about upcoming training opportunities.

The Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement has released a report on the recent redesign of South Carolina's Mentor Training.The report, composed by Dr. Jennifer Garrett, details the reasons for the redesign, the process in which the redesign occurred, and the components that now make up the new training.


South Carolina school districts are required to provide every beginning teacher with a trained mentor to support him/her during induction. In order to become a mentor, one must complete the two-day South Carolina Mentor Training. CERRA, in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Education, recently completed a redesign of this training. Extensive research and data collection, combined with years of anecdotal evidence and expert feedback, led to the decision to redesign the mentor training. 


The South Carolina Mentor Training is now a two-day training that consists of nine modules, each with one to four sections that contain in-depth information about mentoring beginning teachers and activities that allow participants to apply their new learning. Significant additions to the training include instruction on the four-step mentoring cycle, specific guidance on writing Student Learning Objectives (SLOs), and an introduction to the Coaching Dialogue Protocol. Also included in the training are instructions on how to: align a mentor’s role to the beginning teacher's needs, prepare for and conduct classroom observations, analyze observation data, give effective feedback based on the observation data, and set SMART goals that will improve practice. The training allows participants more time to apply their new learning in preparation to work with beginning teachers as effective mentors. ​