BCPS Mentor Teacher Information
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Thank you for playing a vital role as a Mentor Teacher!
What is a Mentor Teacher?
A Mentor Teacher (MT) is an experienced and highly qualified teacher who has committed to assuming a critical role in the development of a beginner teacher. This experience can be an opportunity for both the MT and Teacher Intern to explore a co-teaching model.
A successful Mentor Teacher assumes the following responsibilities:
- Building an open, caring rapport with the teacher intern
- Being a positive and reflective teacher and role model for the teacher intern
- Providing a highly supportive climate, accepting the teacher intern as a team member by implementing co-teaching methodologies
- Providing constructive feedback to the teacher intern about your daily observations
- Creating and maintaining an open and honest reflective dialogue process that promotes teacher intern reflection and growth
- Prompting the teacher intern to self-evaluate and be reflective about his/her teaching
- Conducting regular conferences with your teacher intern and co-planning and asking for his/her input
- Involving your teacher intern in the decision-making about what targets are to be assessed during specific lessons, being transparent about your teaching decisions to allow the teacher intern to understand why those decisions were made
- Holding high expectations and standards of performance for yourself and the teacher intern
- Working collaboratively with the GVSU University Supervisor to monitor and encourage the teacher intern’s progress, as well as completing the necessary evaluations and documentation
Professional Development Modules
These modules are designed to be self-paced independent learning experiences that will guide you through the internship process and help familiarize you with the various requirements of hosting an intern. While this training is not required, we do strongly suggest that you consider completing it, as it will benefit everyone involved. You will receive a certificate of completion as you finish.
For more information regarding the specifics about being a Mentor Teacher for one of Grand Valley State University’s Teacher preparation programs, or any information regarding the Teacher Intern Pipeline Project through the GVSU/BCPS Partnership, please contact Liz Winter at [email protected] or Dr. Sarah Cox at [email protected]
