MentorshipMentorshipAn alternative to Intensive An alternative to Intensive

supervisionsupervisionPresented byPresented byLynn WhiteLynn White

Why Intensive Why Intensive Supervision?Supervision?

The Intensive Supervision Procedure has been established The Intensive Supervision Procedure has been established to assist those tenured teachers who have been identified to assist those tenured teachers who have been identified as not satisfactorily fulfilling the duties and responsibilities as not satisfactorily fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of their position. The goal of the procedure is to provide a of their position. The goal of the procedure is to provide a structured environment in which these tenured teachers structured environment in which these tenured teachers will have the opportunity to improve their performance.will have the opportunity to improve their performance.

River East Transcona School DivisionRiver East Transcona School DivisionIntensive Supervision Procedure GCOE - RIntensive Supervision Procedure GCOE - R

Action ResearchAction Research• Research was conducted in the Spring 2009Research was conducted in the Spring 2009• Interviews were conducted with 5 Interviews were conducted with 5

Administrators and 2 Classroom Teachers Administrators and 2 Classroom Teachers from 3 School Divisions in Winnipeg, MBfrom 3 School Divisions in Winnipeg, MB

• Questions focused on the participants Questions focused on the participants experiences with the Intensive Supervision experiences with the Intensive Supervision Process.Process.

• Responses were grouped based on Responses were grouped based on similarity similarity

Participant ResponsesParticipant Responses• Administrators described the process as:Administrators described the process as:

– Labour intensiveLabour intensive– Time consuming/CostlyTime consuming/Costly– Detrimental to relationshipsDetrimental to relationships– Not leading to sustainable changeNot leading to sustainable change

• Teachers described the process as:Teachers described the process as:– StressfulStressful– ExhaustingExhausting– Harmful to their relationship with Harmful to their relationship with

AdministrationAdministration– Not leading to sustainable changeNot leading to sustainable change

Things to ConsiderThings to Consider• Why are we continuing to use the Intensive Why are we continuing to use the Intensive

Supervision Process if both administrators Supervision Process if both administrators and teachers are not finding it a helpful and teachers are not finding it a helpful process?process?

• Is there another method that School Divisions Is there another method that School Divisions could implement that would assist in bringing could implement that would assist in bringing about sustainable change in teacher practice about sustainable change in teacher practice that would help teachers feel supported that would help teachers feel supported instead of judged?instead of judged?

• What are some other factors that should be What are some other factors that should be considered when deciding how to best considered when deciding how to best support a struggling teacher?support a struggling teacher?

Teacher Career Teacher Career CharacteristicsCharacteristics

8 Stages a teacher may pass through in a 8 Stages a teacher may pass through in a careercareer

• Pre-ServicePre-Service• InductionInduction• Competency BuildingCompetency Building• Enthusiastic and GrowingEnthusiastic and Growing• Career FrustrationCareer Frustration• Stable but StagnantStable but Stagnant• Career Wind-DownCareer Wind-Down• Career ExitCareer Exit

Tom SkinnerTom SkinnerSupervisory Policy and PracticeSupervisory Policy and Practice

Mid-Life VariablesMid-Life Variables• Growing sense of mortalityGrowing sense of mortality• A need for self-assessmentA need for self-assessment• Transformation in family structureTransformation in family structure• Generativity/MentoringGenerativity/Mentoring• Reduced drive and competitivenessReduced drive and competitiveness• Security and stability become a prioritySecurity and stability become a priority• Strong need to enjoy workStrong need to enjoy work• Growing sense of obsolescenceGrowing sense of obsolescence

Marginal TeachersMarginal TeachersTaken from Eileen Beverley Kaye’s article Taken from Eileen Beverley Kaye’s article

Turning the Tide on Marginal TeachersTurning the Tide on Marginal Teachers

FlotsamFlotsam Consciously unskilled teachers Consciously unskilled teachers ex. beginning teachers / those new to a positionex. beginning teachers / those new to a positionThought to be temporary as they are self motivated with Thought to be temporary as they are self motivated with the ability to seek out the type of support required to the ability to seek out the type of support required to assist them to improve their teaching practice assist them to improve their teaching practice

JetsamJetsam Teachers left behind in times of change.Teachers left behind in times of change.Overwhelmed by changes to curricula and the Overwhelmed by changes to curricula and the implementation of new technology and new initiatives implementation of new technology and new initiatives without the time, resources and support put in place to without the time, resources and support put in place to help them adapt to these changes.help them adapt to these changes.Exemplify a tiredness resulting from rapid change Exemplify a tiredness resulting from rapid change occurring. Tend to erode the energy and will of othersoccurring. Tend to erode the energy and will of othersAware of their ineffective teaching practices but lack the Aware of their ineffective teaching practices but lack the resources to make the necessary changes to improve due resources to make the necessary changes to improve due to fatigue, frustration and loss of hopeto fatigue, frustration and loss of hope

ClubmedClubmed Teachers who make a career out of marginal teaching.Teachers who make a career out of marginal teaching.Appear lax and lazy with little connection for students Appear lax and lazy with little connection for students learning and the profession of teaching.learning and the profession of teaching.Do not necessarily view themselves as unskilled and in Do not necessarily view themselves as unskilled and in fact may think that they work very hard.fact may think that they work very hard.

Plans for Professional Plans for Professional GrowthGrowth

• First identify the type of marginal First identify the type of marginal teacher that you are assisting. What teacher that you are assisting. What is their age & stage?is their age & stage?

• Consider the type of support that Consider the type of support that will best suit the struggling teacher.will best suit the struggling teacher.

• Certain kinds of marginal teachers Certain kinds of marginal teachers will respond better to mentoring will respond better to mentoring than others. Ex. Flotsam, Jetsamthan others. Ex. Flotsam, Jetsam

MentoringMentoring• Vital and necessary for increased Vital and necessary for increased

teacher retentionteacher retention• Increases the knowledge base and Increases the knowledge base and

general awareness of best practicegeneral awareness of best practice• Increases collegiality, collaboration and Increases collegiality, collaboration and

continuous professional developmentcontinuous professional development• Encourages reflective teaching practiceEncourages reflective teaching practice

James B. RowleyJames B. RowleyThe Good Mentor, Educational Leadership May 1999The Good Mentor, Educational Leadership May 1999

Qualities of Effective Qualities of Effective MentorsMentors

The good mentor is:The good mentor is:• Committed to the role of mentoring.Committed to the role of mentoring.• Accepting of the teacher.Accepting of the teacher.• Skilled at providing instructional support.Skilled at providing instructional support.• Effective in different interpersonal Effective in different interpersonal

contexts.contexts.• A model of a continuous learner.A model of a continuous learner.• A communicator of hope and optimism.A communicator of hope and optimism.

Mentorship ProposalMentorship Proposal• Through Supervisory Process a struggling teacher is Through Supervisory Process a struggling teacher is

identified.identified.• Collaboratively the struggling teacher and the Collaboratively the struggling teacher and the

administrator decide to initiate mentorship as a strategy administrator decide to initiate mentorship as a strategy to assist with teacher growth and development.to assist with teacher growth and development.

• Master teacher is brought in as mentor.Master teacher is brought in as mentor.• A timeline is set up and collaborative time is scheduled A timeline is set up and collaborative time is scheduled

for planning, mentoring, co-teaching, and reflection to for planning, mentoring, co-teaching, and reflection to occur.occur.

• Administration continues to perform formative Administration continues to perform formative assessments to track performance and growth as the assessments to track performance and growth as the mentorship is occurring.mentorship is occurring.

• A summative assessment is done by administration at A summative assessment is done by administration at the completion of the mentorship timeline. the completion of the mentorship timeline.

What Next?What Next?• Teacher Performance Teacher Performance

Improves:Improves:-confidence in ability -confidence in ability

increasesincreases-dignity is restored-dignity is restored-relationship between -relationship between

administrator and administrator and teacher is maintainedteacher is maintained

-teacher feels supported -teacher feels supported in the processin the process

• Teacher Performance Teacher Performance Does not Improve:Does not Improve:– Recommendation is Recommendation is

made to made to Superintendent for Superintendent for further action such asfurther action such as• CounsellingCounselling• TransferTransfer• Change of assignmentChange of assignment• Professional Professional

developmentdevelopment• TerminationTermination

The FutureThe FutureIt is time to be reflective about It is time to be reflective about

the process that many the process that many school divisions have in school divisions have in place for working with place for working with

struggling teachers. If the struggling teachers. If the Intensive Supervision Intensive Supervision

Process is not bringing Process is not bringing about sustainable about sustainable

improvement in teaching improvement in teaching practice, we need to be practice, we need to be

looking for other options. looking for other options. The bottom line must always The bottom line must always

be what is best for the be what is best for the children in our classrooms.children in our classrooms.

Mentorship may just be one Mentorship may just be one viable option.viable option.