3142 - MENTOR PROGRAM FOR PROBATIONARY TEACHERS

Willard City School District

Administrative Guidelines

In accordance with Board policy, each teacher and guidance counselor on a limited contract is to be provided with evaluations of their performance in order to determine the feasibility of recommending a continuing contract. In order to assure that the probationary staff members are being evaluated on critical aspects of their responsibility for student learning, each is to have a Mentor Plan which is to serve as the basis for his/her professional growth and evaluations during the probationary period.

THE BASIS OF a Mentor Plan FOR A PROBATIONARY TEACHER

The Mentor Plan for probationary teachers should include all of the essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes that a teacher should be using to help students accomplish individual learning goals, the objectives of each course of study, and the educational goals of the District.

In addition to the noninstructional aspects of a teacher's responsibility that should be included in the Mentor Plan, the following instructional responsibilities and tasks should serve as the basis for evaluation and professional growth of the teacher.

	A.	Pre-Instructional Responsibility

		Task One - Select/Analyze Learning Objectives

		It is almost impossible to provide effective instruction if a teacher is unable to decide what particular learning students need and why, what such learning consists of (knowledge of subject matter), and what thinking/actions students need to do to achieve the learning.

		Task Two - Assess Students' Current Level of Achievement

		Unless the teacher has a clear, accurate picture of students' needs relative to the expected achievement, the instruction could be irrelevant, inappropriate, or insufficient for one (1) or more students.

		Task Three - Diagnose Students' Achievements That Fall Below Pre-Requisites


		Unless the teacher knows how to identify the causes for students' underachievement, the instruction may not be appropriate because it could be dealing with wrong or unimportant contributing factors.

	B.	Instructional Responsibility

		Task One - Plan Appropriate Learning Activities for Students to Achieve the Learning Objective

		Instruction is such a complex process that if a teacher has not properly organized the necessary materials, facilities, and identified the procedures associated with the type of learning that is needed (knowledge, skill, attitude) for the learning to take place, the time and effort spent could easily result in nonachievement of the learning, in misuse of resources, and in heightened student deficiency and frustration.

		Task Two - Create an Environment which Maximizes the Opportunity for Each Student to Participate Appropriately in the Learning Activities

		If students do not recognize the relevancy of the learning, are not organized for appropriate actions, are distracted by their surroundings, etc., such roadblocks may make the learning impossible or more difficult than it needs to be.

		Task Three - Conduct the Lesson (Learning Activities) as Planned

		While planning provides the necessary preparation, it is the actual doing by the students, guided by the teacher, that produces learning. If the plan is appropriate and complete, and if the teacher is skillful in carrying out the plan, then the likelihood is far greater that the students will achieve the intended learning(s).

	C.	Post-Instructional Responsibilities

		Task One Assess/Diagnose the Extent to Which the Students Achieved the Learning


		If the teacher does not know how to find out accurately what the results of the instruction were and what caused those results, then it is highly unlikely that effective "follow-on" (remediation, reinforcement, application, extension, etc.) can be provided.

		Task Two - Evaluate the Effectiveness of the Instruction

		Since the teacher is the prime facilitator of learning, his/her actions have a major influence on what and how much students learn. If the teacher is unclear about what s/he did that contributed to or hindered student achievement, it is highly unlikely that effective teaching acts can be done properly again or that ineffective teaching acts can be modified and improved.

		Task Three - Revise/Refine Teaching Acts

		Short of perfection, all teachers need to improve their strategies. Since the teacher's actions are a major factor in student achievement, then continued efforts to enlarge knowledge and improve skills should increase the likelihood of improved student learning.

		Task Four - Revise and/or Recycle Activities that Particular Students Need to Achieve the Intended Learning

		Many students do not, the first time, reach the needed level of learning. If such learning is prerequisite to subsequent learning, then they need appropriate and sufficient opportunities to learn what has not been learned and in a way that does not reduce the learning already achieved.

THE BASIS OF a Mentor Plan for a probationary COUNSELOR

Professional improvement should relate to tasks associated with the school counselor's three (3) major responsibilities:

	A.	counseling with students, individually and in groups
	B.	consulting with staff on effective ways to think through problems and to work with students
	C.	coordinating various services for helping students

In fulfilling these three (3) responsibilities, the counselor needs to be able to perform the following tasks at an acceptable level of proficiency.

	A.	diagnose student needs
	B.	counsel individually and in groups to help students deal effectively with personal, educational, and career issues by making appropriate use of skills related to:

		1.	problem identification
		2.	problem analysis
		3.	problem resolution
		4.	goal setting
		5.	planning for goal accomplishment
		6.	implementing plans and monitoring progress
		7.	making decisions
		8.	following through on decisions

	C.	administering and interpreting achievement, interest, aptitude, and personality tests
	D.	identifying and making appropriate referrals
	E.	communicating with staff and parents
	F.	reducing race, gender, and disability bias
	G.	planning and conducting staff development programs for teachers and support staff on issues related to guidance and counseling of students
	H.	locating and maintaining resources and materials related to the guidance and/or counseling of students
	I.	explaining to the Board, administration, staff, parents, and students the purposes and functions of the school guidance and counseling services
	J.	evaluating the effectiveness of each of the guidance and counseling services offered by the school