Questions that new teachers have but are afraid to ask?

Question

I am going to be a coach/mentor to new/transfer teachers this coming year. I have already been assigned a coachee, and I am trying to anticipate some of the things that she might be concerned about. I want to make her transition into a new school as easy as possible, because she is taking over a huge program and following the teacher who started the program at the school.
What types of questions might she have and might be afraid to ask me? What things might she need help with right off the bat? What can I do to help her out?!?!

Thanks!

Answer 1

I wouldn't "try" too hard. Just be honest, trustworthy, and straight-forward with her.



She'll probably have questions about operational stuff (how attendance, procedures, etc) works, where things are (the reliable copy machine, extra this and that), and who to go to for what (introduce her to office staff, counseling staff, etc).



If you feel comfortable, I've always appreciated knowing a bit about the way the politics work. Go to this person for this, but not for that, ignore this guy, he's nuts... stuff like that. She might be afraid to ask you outright.



I've had great and awful mentors in my day. The best ones were laid back, cool-headed, open and available, honest, and trustworthy.



The worst one was always "watching" me, lecturing me, guarded, judgmental, condescending, and wasn't trustworthy. I got rid of her in a hurry. She caused me more stress than help.



Now when I mentor a new teacher, I try to be like the good ones I had. I am also generous with materials and lesson plans. New teachers have very little, and might appreciate a little something. But I'm not pushy about it. I put my files in a public folder, and tell her that it's there if she wants it. If I have extra stuff (posters, materials, etc), I'll leave it in our office and let her know that she can help herself.



PS - T.i.f.f.a.n.y --- I don't know what the rules are in your state, but in MI, you can log your mentoring hours, as well as those workshops, towards PD. Anything school improvement outside of the school day that isn't mandatory.

Answer 2

You're in luck. I've been the Lead Mentor to new staff at my campus for 10 years and have developed informational notebooks for all my mentors to use in order to share with their "mentees." You are on the right track to anticipate their questions. You will want to read the following: The First Days of School by Harry and Rosemary Wong and pick up a copy for your mentee. Also check into A Better Beginning:

Helping New Teachers Survive and Thrive from the NEA.

Answer 3

If your coachee is new to teaching, she'll really appreaciate solid tips about...



Start-of-class warmups she can use will taking attendance and doing other managerial tasks (someone in the same dept. might have good ideas).



Student assessment--how not to be overwhelmed by volumes of student homework or quizzes, for example, and what other, meaningful assessments can be done in addition to the traditional ones. Also, if your school doesn't have a grading program, recommend a good one to her.



If she's not in a professional organization yet, recommend some good local, state, or national groups she can join. If she's the only teacher in her program, she needs to be able to network with other teachers in her field and become aware of professional development opportunities.



Provide her with a list of good websites with free lesson plans, project ideas, webquests, and rubrics. Ditto for low-fee quiz makers and student practice sites like Quia.com.



In response to Jan's answer, those kinds of answers should be spelled out in written form in the contract, and she should receive a copy.

Answer 4

I have an awesome teacher mentor at my school. She does a variety of optional after school seminars for new teachers such as:

Classroom Management strategies

Report Cards/Comments/Parent Teacher Conferences

How to write GOOD sub plans

How to manage culum files

Engaging the Learner

IEP/SST meetings



I personally would have liked it if someone had explained how to acquire professional development credits because theere are so many opportunties that I missed out on because I didn't know the procedures to do so.

Answer 5

When I first started teaching I found out how to search for or ask for help/answer questions I had related to teaching but I could never bring myself to ask those taboo questions without feeling embarrassed.



By taboo I mean discussions about money. Like salary, raises, payscale stuff, contract stuff (like what time can I leave, should I arrive, how to file for personal days off, how many sick days, do sick days roll over?), how do I get tenure?, what do I get reimbursed for if I buy with my own money, classroom budget supply ordering, all the medical and dental benefits, how to get the school to pay for my professional development (classes/workshops/classes), etc.



So please start there. Dont make them ask.

Answer 6

One of the things I do for my new Mentees is put together a file folder containing all of the forms typically in use in our school. I enclose both a blank form and one that has been filled in correctly, so they know what to do. I also try to cover as much of the "untaught curriculum" as possible. Things like that our principal expects all of us be in our doorways during EVERY class change, and that we are all on trash duty in the hallways. I try to think of as many of those kinds of tips as possible.



I think that offering that sort of information unsolicited allows your new teacher to rely on you and allows them the comfort level necessary to come to you with more formal student and policy related questions.



Good luck!

Answer 7

hi Ryan i'm a instructor and became so flattered the 1st time a pupil asked to via my TA (instructor's aide). i became a extensive compliment to me to not point out liked help. i might inspire you to capture your instructor before or after college and tell him which you will have an interest in being a TA. instructors want bright, nicely behaved, and quiet TA's. looks such as you! good success!

Answer 8

It would be good to tell her people to avoid. I know it doesn't sound nice but when I was new to teaching, I wanted to know which other teachers/administrators I could go to with a problem and which ones were trouble.



I'd let her know who to avoid, but diplomatically :)

Answer 9

what do i teach?

how do i get the kids to listen to me?

what if they don't?

who can i go to if there is a problem w/o repercussion's?

how do i handle angry parents?

should i join the teacher union/group?