That you are here in the first place may be the most powerful indicator that some good things can happen for you as a teacher who cares not only about your craft and your students, but also about your personal and professional growth and well-being. Way to go!

We have two suggestions, however, about how to make the most of your experience with all of the materials available to you in this web site. Both suggestions are important and involve commitments on your part. Only you can make them happen.

1. YOU AND YOUR MENTOR - You need some kind of concrete understanding (we would go so far as calling it a contract ) with your mentor about how and when you will be consulting with each other about your experience. It sounds easy, but you can get sidetracked during your busy days at school (busy days for both you and your mentor). The support and perspective of your mentor are core elements of these materials, as well as the heart of all meaningful growth and learning. Recall the following from "Before you Embark":
   
   

   SUPPORT AND CHALLENGE TO PROMOTE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. All persons learn and grow when they are appropriately challenged in an atmosphere of staunch support. Neither, in and of itself, will promote the growth. The challenges facing you as a teacher are numerous, and the support of an experienced mentor and others is essential to promote your ongoing development as a professional and as a person. Click here to review, if you wish, all of "Before You Embark" from the Decision Page.

   
   Specifically:

   How often will you meet?	Where will you meet?
   - When will that be?	- At school?
   - Same time every week?	- Away from school?
   - Variable times?

   How rigid / flexible will your schedule have to be in order to help you the most? Does it have to be in your DAILY PLANNER as "sacred time," or do you know that you and your mentor will follow through if the deal is that you negotiate times for a particular week, month, school term?

   IN GENERAL, WE WOULD RECOMMEND A VERY PREDICTABLE, CONCRETE AGREEMENT, AT LEAST AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR WORK TOGETHER. YOU ALWAYS CAN LOOSEN UP IF THINGS ARE GOING WELL.

   
   
2. JOURNALING - You need to commit to a process of journaling about your experience as a teacher so that there are not only "assignments" for you and your mentor to discuss, but also the issues and -- more importantly -- THEMES which you and only you are able to identify from your careful attention to your experience.
   
   Notes: Writing down some notes to yourself -- DAILY -- about what went on is the way to ensure that you will have the information available to you when it's time to reflect on your progress.

---

Click Here to Learn More About Journaling

to Nav Page