The Mentor Academy takes place over the course of a two-year period consisting of eight, three-day sessions. The Academy’s sequenced curriculum focuses on building the knowledge, skills, and understandings critical for new teacher mentors and coaches in a range of program contexts. Although the Academy does not presume prior mentoring or coaching experience, the course content offers learning opportunities that are appropriate for a wide range of experience levels. Each session has a specific focus; and also provides for the collection and analysis of data from the field, as well as for collaborative team planning. It is the intent that a community of learners be established to network and support each other in their own professional growth as mentors.
Mentor Academy 1 Foundations in Mentoring & Formative Assessment
Fundamental knowledge, skills and understandings critical for those who work with beginning teachers
Mentor Academy 2 Coaching and Observation Strategies
Collection of observation data related to professional teaching standards and ways data can be shared to improve new teacher instructional practice
Mentor Academy 3 Analysis of Student Work
Principles of adult learning and strategies in coaching new teachers as they use student work to guide instructional planning
Mentor Academy 4 Planning and Designing Professional Development for New Teachers
Strategies to help bring new teachers together for meaningful + responsive learning
YEAR TWO
Mentor Academy 5 Coaching in Complex Situations
Mentor formative assessment and building mentor capacity to engage successfully in difficult coaching conversations with beginning teachers
Mentor Academy 6 Mentoring for Equity
Framework for mentoring beginning teachers regarding issues of race, language, and culture within the context of the professional teaching standards
Mentor Academy 7 Artifacts of Practice
Analysis of data of practice related to mentor formative assessment and programmatic improvement
Mentor Academy 8 Teachers of Teachers
Concepts and strategies to build mentor leadership skills to influence, impacts and advocate for induction
