~Education is learning what you didn't even know you didn't know.
Daniel J. Boorstin
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| Jennie Lorenzen(Middle School Mentor Coach) Sue Atwater (High School Mentor Coach) and Carol Kesl(Elementary Mentor Coach) prepare for a recent book study and celebration with Linn-Mar's first and second year teachers. |
If you have attended PLC, you know how important it is to celebrate the accomplishments of your staff, teams, and students. You know that even small steps in the right direction deserve applause. This philosophy is one the Mentor Coaches at Linn-Mar Schools understand and live by with their first and second year teachers.
Coming into the education profession today is no easy task. For many new teachers they have plenty of content knowledge from college, and some practicum/student teaching experience, but not always do they have all the tools in their teacher bags to face all the various situations that arise in the classroom. Linn-Mar's Mentor Coaches have spent a tremendous amount of time observing, coaching, listening, reflecting, and advising new teachers on best student engagement strategies, best instructional practice, and classroom management. They see that new teachers are equipped with the materials they need, and that they implement, and use our district curriculum with fidelity.
I marvel at all they do, but I also marvel at our new staff, and how they rise to the occasion and follow what our Mentor Coaches, and Mentor program has outlines for them. In addition to all the day to day support that Mentors provide staff, they also host a book study with the teachers.
This month the Mentor Coaches decided that they needed to honor the strides and progress their teachers have made with a celebration for all the first and second year K-12 teachers in the district. It was complete with games, team building, collegial conversations, food, fun, and gifts. Hats off to our Mentor Coaches and the work they are doing to strengthen new teachers in our district.
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