Toni
McAfoos has joined the
chat.
Lee Gabor[6:55:48 PM]: Toni, in this process with your mentee,
what did you find was the best experience?
Toni
McAfoos[6:56:59 PM]: I
found the best experience was getting to know another teacher, personally and
professionally. I felt
understanding goals and objectives of the teacher was very important to me to
see and understand what they are searching for in their curriculum.
Lee Gabor[6:57:36 PM]: You mention goals and objectives. How did
you determine the goals and objectives of the mentee?
Toni
McAfoos[6:58:06 PM]:
The mentee determined her goals and objectives. It was just my job to help her find the tools to get there.
Lee Gabor[6:58:29 PM]: So when you first began discussing the
lesson goals, she was able to fully articulate them?
Toni
McAfoos[6:59:38 PM]:
She knew she wanted the kids to gain content knowledge and she wanted them to
learn Microsoft Tools. I filled in
the blanks.
Toni
McAfoos[7:00:08 PM]: My
principal thought it was great that she read the words I wrote that she would
learn how to articulate her goals.
Toni
McAfoos[7:00:19 PM]:
She is a first year teacher.
Lee Gabor[7:00:30 PM]: You mention you filled in the blanks. How
did you avoid just telling her what to do and, instead, you were able to draw
ideas from her.
Toni
McAfoos[7:01:34 PM]: I
just kept her talking, while I listened.
Much like you are doing now.
I kept asking questions about how she was going to accomplish this, or
that, etc. until we wound up with a successful end result.
Lee Gabor[7:02:26 PM]: That sounds very successful. When you
first started, was she able to talk about the goals as TEKS or were they more
generic? I ask because many first year teachers don't quite feel comfortable
talking about TEKS. I know I didn't.
Toni
McAfoos[7:03:33 PM]:
She knew the that this lesson was to address a TEKS item, but she only spoke in
generic terms. I put the words in
TEKS lingo.
Lee Gabor[7:04:22 PM]: It sounds like you helped her to become
more comfortable with the idea of TEKS. Is there anything regarding setting
goals that you would do differently next time?
Toni
McAfoos[7:04:58 PM]:
Setting goals as far as my mentoring her? or her goals for the lesson?
Lee Gabor[7:05:30 PM]: When you mentor the next person, would
there be anything you would do differently as you and mentee discuss goals?
Toni
McAfoos[7:05:59 PM]: I
would spend more time with them.
Toni
McAfoos[7:06:30 PM]: I
would want them to be more specific with what they wanted, now that I know what
I am looking for.
Lee Gabor[7:07:36 PM]: I understand what you mean. In light of
the need to be more specific next time, did you feel not being really specific
hindered the students' ability to understand and comprehend the lesson OR do
you think everything turned out OK?
Toni
McAfoos[7:08:05 PM]: I
think everything turned out this time, but I don't know that this would work
every time.
Toni
McAfoos[7:08:26 PM]:
Especially with more complicated lessons
Lee Gabor[7:08:41 PM]: Since it sounds like things worked well
this time, was there any one thing that helped you and your mentee build a high
level of trust?
Toni
McAfoos[7:09:36 PM]: I
think the tone was set early on. I
told her I wasn't there to judge anything she was doing. My job was only to help her reach the
goals she had set for herself. I
think this really helped her and I get closer.
Lee Gabor[7:10:34 PM]: In your video, the two of you seemed like
you really have a great relationship. Applause to you! What do you think was your mentee's
greatest challenge in this process?
Toni
McAfoos[7:12:21 PM]: My
mentee didn't know me at all. I
had hardly even had a chance to get to know her, as we are both super
busy. My mentee's greates
challenge is understanding the whole process. Being a first year teacher, one can only see so far
ahead. She is learning classroom
management and what works with kids and what doesn't - motivational
things.
Lee Gabor[7:13:41 PM]: It seems more challenging to me when I
don't have enough background knowledge. Her reactions on the video tape were so
animated and enthusiastic, it looked like she had been teaching for quite
awhile. Do you know if she was familiar with Bloom's and Higher Level Thinking
when you two started the relationship?
Toni
McAfoos[7:15:36 PM]: I
hope so. She does have a son of
her own. She has been going to
school, hopefully taking classes with Bloom's information - I hope. I really don't know for sure. Natascha is very enthusiastic. I hope she doesn't lose it as so many
seasoned teachers do.
Lee Gabor[7:16:49 PM]: Was there anything in the area of
modifying the lesson for special ed, ESL, or other students that was especially
difficult?
Toni
McAfoos[7:17:50 PM]:
No. She had a legally blind
student, but with the magnifying on the computers, and peer teaching everything
worked out find. The other
students had IEPs to follow. There
were no problems.
Lee Gabor[7:18:41 PM]: That is wonderful to know. As you
observed the lesson, was there anything you wanted to tell her in the middle of
things - anything you saw that you wanted to "fix" quickly?
Toni
McAfoos[7:20:35 PM]:
The only thing the first time I observed her was classroom management. I also felt that her explanation of
what to do, the directions, she rushed through so that the kids weren't exactly
sure what she wanted. I wanted to
re-explain things, but didn't
Lee Gabor[7:21:28 PM]: Were you able to address this with her
later? And, do you think it would have helped her to have a video tape of her
handling the lesson?
Toni
McAfoos[7:23:53 PM]: I
do think it a video would have helped.
You know how that goes. It
would help all of us. She and I
did talk about her PDAS and she told me that the principal had marked her down
for her classroom managment skills.
Natscha has a mentor on her team, tell me where does her mentor as a
technologist and her mentor as a team person begin and end.
Toni
McAfoos[7:24:41 PM]:
Natscha knew classroom management was her downfall and she said she is working
in this area, but has not elaborated on this to me - excpet in the computer
lab.
Lee Gabor[7:25:06 PM]: That is a good question. Do you think
that the two mentors' influence is overlapping to the point that it is
distracting to the teacher?
Toni
McAfoos[7:26:21 PM]: It
could, especially if they are saying different things. I tried to stay focused on the technology
part of her lesson. Maybe if I had
picked a different, seasoned teacher, I know this issue would have been
completely different.
Lee Gabor[7:27:08 PM]: That seems logical. May I offer a
suggestion regarding a resource that helps with classroom management?
Toni McAfoos[7:27:24 PM]: Yes. Always
Lee Gabor[7:28:49 PM]: One of the things that
helped me most my first year was a set of 8 video tapes created by Harry Wong.
You may already know about these. His book on successful class management was
fine, but the videos really helped me to see what I should be doing. If you are
in Dallas County, the Dallas County School Library has them. Other counties may
have them or could borrow them. This might be something that could help her to
better clarify what she needs to do.
Toni
McAfoos[7:37:13 PM]: I
do know about Harry Wong and I have his books and I have seen his videos.
Toni
McAfoos[7:37:25 PM]: I
could ask Natascha if she has.
Lee Gabor[7:38:03 PM]: She might enjoy them.
Lee Gabor[7:38:54 PM]: Final question, unless you can think of
something I'm leaving out, is there anything you would change about the
mentoring experience and, if so, what would that be?
Toni
McAfoos[7:41:26 PM]: I
wouldn't change what mentors are supposed to do. I think the whole concept is a great thing. Personally I would like more time to
mentor more teachers and to become fairly knowledgeable about more teachers'
curriculum. However, to wish this
to happen immediately is only a fantasy.
I think if applied properly, the mentorship program can work exactly
like it is.
Lee Gabor[7:42:15 PM]: Good. Unless there is something you want
to add (and please tell me if I'm forgetting an important part of the post
conference that I should mention), I'm ready for you to question me.
Toni McAfoos[7:42:59 PM]: No, I think you did a great job. You really asked me some in depth questions. I hope I can do the same