The first year I was teaching I met Barb, a teacher who befriended me and supported me as I worked through the early stages of developing my craft as a teacher. She was not my assigned formal mentor and was not paid anything extra for her efforts, but she was a generous soul who gave of her time because she cared about me as a person and wanted me to be successful as a teacher. We taught in different schools, but I gained much from our regular chats. I remember one conversation where she challenged me to shift my thinking about “going to work." She boldly reminded me that I was privileged to go to school each day and while it was work and required effort, we were privileged to be educators, and it should be considered an honor to serve our students. The only appropriate response to a conversation like this was to listen, acknowledge her wisdom, and say thank you. Many years later, I still reflect on some of our conversations and consider her a person of great influence on my career.
Today, schools approach onboarding, mentoring, and instructional coaching in a much more formal manner than when I first started teaching. And yes, that is a good thing. My dear coworker taught me a lot for which I am grateful. However, I am envious of the opportunities that are afforded to teachers in the State of Iowa. Iowa has invested heavily in the Teacher Leadership and Compensation (TLC) Model which provides funding for schools to focus on developing the capacity of teachers to assist in leading professional development, to serve as instructional coaches and mentors, and be compensated for doing so. This initiative has been an expensive investment, but it is making an impact on student achievement across the state. The Iowa Department of Education made a press release about the recent research on Iowa’s TLC model this week. The report suggests TLC is a promising practice to continue.
Shenandoah CSD receives State funding on an annual basis to implement the TLC grant. These funds are used to support the implementation of our Teacher Advancement Program referred to as TAP and has allowed the District to employ three instructional coaches that work alongside our teachers and administrators. Teresa Hughes, Keisha McHargue and Nicole Grindle have served in this capacity full time as they are no longer teaching in the classroom. The coaches have worked closely with Mr. Munsinger and other administrators to help design and facilitate professional learning and also spend time working with teachers one on one and in small “cluster” groups helping staff to make strong instructional decisions using data. Other teachers that have been identified as mentor teachers who also work with staff one on one and provide additional training. The mentors are full-time classroom teachers who receive some release time to be able to do some of this work. Maria Blake, Amy Bopp, Dana Finnegan, Traci Toms, Carleen Perry, Brett Roberts, Jenny Stephens, and Sarah F. Martin are currently identified as mentor teachers. Jon Weinrich was previously a mentor, but he is now serving as an administrator. Serving as a mentor teacher helped him advance and transition into this administrative position.
The Instructional Coaches and Mentor Teachers have provided a valuable service for the District. They have supported our staff in developing and refining teaching strategies that are known to be best practice and effective. Their work is not just targeted at new professionals; they meet teachers where they are at in their careers to facilitate new learning and offer support as they work through the challenges that exist.
Marcia Johnson has coordinated a different mentoring program targeted to support first and second-year teachers in the District for many years. This is not connected with the TLC program, but it also provides valuable support for new professionals. We have several new teachers this year, so this has been good support for them as they learn how to navigate the system, Iowa’s teaching standards, and professional ethics.
I had a great conversation with Linnea Shook and Marcia Johnson about the professional relationship they have developed and the support Linnae felt as a first-year teacher while participating in this program. Having someone to talk with about academic and instructional practices is important, but they both also emphasized the role of the mentor is to provide social and emotional support as they transition into their new role. It is unfortunate the recording mechanism failed as the conversation we had was priceless. As I listened to them talk, I was reminded of the professional relationship and friendship that was formed between Barb and me. Perhaps, someday, Linnea will find herself writing about her mentor Marcia.
I had a great conversation with Linnea Shook and Marcia Johnson about the professional relationship they have developed and the support Linnae felt as a first-year teacher while participating in this program. Having someone to talk with about academic and instructional practices is important, but they both also emphasized the role of the mentor is to provide social and emotional support as they transition into their new role. It is unfortunate the recording mechanism failed as the conversation we had was priceless. As I listened to them talk, I was reminded of the professional relationship and friendship that was formed between Barb and me. Perhaps, someday, Linnea will find herself writing about her mentor Marcia.
Marcia Johnson and Linnea Shook
The District is fortunate to have many teachers who are willing to serve in leadership roles and make a contribution. They are solid educators who have the skills necessary to help guide professional learning efforts and support their peers. Our teacher leaders serve in different roles, but they are making a notable difference in our learning environment. Their leadership and mentorship are worth the investment as it reinforces and keeps teachers in the profession, allows for career advancement, and has demonstrated an impact on student achievement.
