The Teacher Support Specialist (TSS) Program

1. The Teacher Support Specialist (TSS) Program TSS Training through Redelivery College of Education Valdosta State University Valdosta, Georgia (updated June 2004)

2. Written by: Shirley Andrews, Ed.D. Teacher Support Specialist Program Coordinator College of Education Valdosta State University E-mail: spandrew@valdosta.edu

3. Overview of TSS Preparation Phase/Phase I • TSS Redelivery Model • Agenda and Syllabus • TSS Mentor Manual • Table of Contents • Introduction to TSS • Roles/Responsibilities of the TSS • Teacher Reflection • Problems/Needs of Preservice, Beginning, and Inservice Teachers

4. Overview, contd. • Action Plan for Supervision • Characteristics of Adult Learners • Models of Supervision • Supervisory Skills • Learning Styles/Multiple Intelligences • Elements of Effective Teaching • Danielson’s “A Framework for Teaching”

5. Overview, contd. • Legal/Professional/Ethical Issues • Technology • Internship • Journal Articles • Journal Articles to Share with Protégé • Quotes • Resources

6. Introductions Activity 1. Find a partner - someone you do not know. 2. After you and your partner share with each other make a Calling Card for your partner using name tents. 3. Display your partner’s Calling Card and be prepared to introduce your partner to the rest of the group. 4. Tell one thing about your partner that you found interesting.

7. Introduction

8. Introduction to TSS • TSS Article: Mentoring Matters • Purpose • TSS Program Objectives • PSC Certification Rules • 505-2-.124 Teacher Support Specialist Endorsement • The Georgia Mentor Teacher Program • Informal Mentoring is Not Enough

9. Introduction to TSS, contd. • Benefits of Induction • Mentoring to Improve Teaching Practices • Assessment of Mentoring Strategies – Handout 8: Strategies for Using Mentoring to Improve Teaching • Components of an Effective Induction Program

10. Reflective Journal Part I Activity A Mentoring Reflections Guide • Complete the “Introductory Prompts” • Complete “My Motivations for Mentoring” • Be prepared to share Time: 5 minutes

11. Reflective Journal Part I Activity A, contd. • Complete Final Reflections • Share any personal sentiments about the importance of mentoring. Time: 5 minutes *Remove completed “Mentoring Reflections Guide” from MM to place in Reflective Journal Part I in TSS Portfolio

12. The heart and soul of mentoring is an outgrowth of belief in the value and worth of people and an attitude toward education that focuses upon passing the torch to the next generation of teachers. - Head, Reiman, & Thies-Sprinthall, 1992, p. 5

13. Roles and Responsibilities of the TSS

14. Roles of TSS Mentor Counselor Teacher Role model Coach Guide Sponsor Colleague Other? Roles and Responsibilities of the TSS

15. Roles and Responsibilities of the TSS, contd. • Primary Functions of the TSS • To support the development, refinement, and advancement of effective teaching practices • To provide appropriate technical assistance and guidance to improve the teaching performance of others • Meeting regularly with protégé, both formally and informally, is necessary to provide support structure for protégé

16. Roles and Responsibilities of the TSS, contd. • Responsibilities of the TSS • Characteristics of a TSS • A TSS needs to be…

17. An effective, skilled teacher Good communicator Good listener Enthusiastic Confident Dedicated Sensitive Caring Patient Nonjudgmental Professional Experienced Flexible Energetic Tactful Trusted role model Other? Qualities/Characteristics of an Effective Mentor

18. Qualities of the High-Performance Mentor Teacher: Knowledge, Skills, and Values

19. Roles and Responsibilities of the TSS, contd. • 100 Things a Mentor Teacher Might Do

20. Levels of Teacher Support • Preservice Teachers • Field Experience Students • Practicum/Apprenticeships • Student Teachers

21. Levels of Teacher Support, contd. • Inservice Teachers • Beginning Teachers (traditional/nontraditional) • Interns • Intern (provisional certification/alternative preparation, career-changers, TAPP) • Experienced Teachers New to School System • Experienced Teachers Needing Revitalization

22. What is a Mentor? Activity: 1. Form 4 groups of approximately 3 people 2. Groups Yellow and Blue: Create an acrostic using the word MENTOR 3. Groups Green and Orange: Create an acrostic using the word PROTÉGÉ 4. Display acrostic on wall – be prepared to share Time: 10 minutes

23. Reflective Journal Part I Activity B What is a Mentor? 1. Recall one of your mentors from each of the following areas: • Your childhood • Your neighborhood • Your professional career 2. How were each of these mentors alike? Different? What qualities/characteristics made them stand out in your mind as mentors? *Place in Reflective Journal Part I of TSS Portfolio

24. Reflective Journal Part I Activity C • Elaboration Upon One or Two Episodes • This activity is an out-of-class activity to be included in the Reflective Journal Part I of TSS Portfolio. • See the TSS Reflective Journal section of the TSS Preparation Phase Syllabus for directions for completing this activity.

25. What Can Schools Do to Help Beginning Teachers? • Activity: In groups of four…1. Individually read Moran’s (1990) article, “Schools and the Beginning Teacher” 2. Discuss what is being done in schools. 3. Discuss what schools CAN do to help beginning teachers. 4. Create a visual and prepare to explain what schools can do to help beginning teachers. 5. Display your visual. Time: 15 minutes

26. Out of Class Assignment • Read the following articles before the next training session: • “The Good Mentor” • “Reflection is at the Heart of Practice” • “Approaches to Teacher Reflection” • “Lifesaving 101: How a Veteran Teacher Can Help a Beginner”

27. Three Common Mentor Problems • Activity: • In groups of four brainstorm possible ways to effectively respond to the problem assigned to your group. • Group 1– 1st problem • Group 2 – 2nd problem • Group 3 – 3rd problem • Be prepared to share. Time: 8 minutes

28. Needs Assessment • Needs Assessment Questionnaire for Mentors

29. Mentoring A nurturing process in which a more skilled or more experienced person, serving as a role model, teaches, sponsors, encourages, counsels, and befriends a less skilled or less experienced person for the purpose of promoting the latter’s professional and/or personal development. Mentoring functions are carried out within the context of an ongoing, caring relationship between the mentor and protégé. (Anderson and Shannon, 1987)

30. The degree to which I create relationships which facilitate the growth of others as separate persons is a measure of the growth I have achieved in myself. Carl Rogers

31. Problems/Needs of Beginning Teachers

32. Reflective Journal Part I Activity D My Chief Concern as a Classroom Teacher • Directions: Respond in writing to the following questions: • What is your chief concern as a classroom teacher? Why is this a concern? *Place in Reflective Journal Part I of TSS Portfolio

33. The Most Common Problems of Beginning Teachers • Activity: • Working in groups of three (3), in the left-hand column of the handout “The Most Common Problems of Beginning Teachers,” list what you believe are the eight (8) most commonly reported problems of beginning teachers • Be prepared to share • Listings will be compared to Veenman’s Research. Time: 10 minutes

34. Problems/Needs of Beginning Teachers, contd. • Perceived Problems of Beginning Teachers (Veenman, 1984)

35. Problems/Needs of Beginning Teachers, contd. Top Five Problems For BTs Related to School Environment (Ligon, 1988) 1. Low salary 2. Stress 3. Lack of classroom materials/supplies 4. Inadequate equipment 5. Heavy teaching load • Not having a classroom • Change in schedule Agree? Disagree?

36. Problems/Needs of Beginning Teachers, contd. • Sources of Problems for BTs (Deal & Chatman, 1989) • Classroom Management Needs of BTs (Cangeloni, 1988) • Challenges that Lead to High Turnover Rates • Needs of BTs (Brock & Grady, 1997) • Ten Factors That Contribute Positively to School Climate (Sweeney, 1988)

37. “The teaching profession is one of the few, if not the only profession, in which beginners are expected to assume full responsibilities the first day on the job.”(Huling-Austin, 1988) • “We tend to give the hardest job to the least experienced.” (ASCD, 1987)

38. “We use the ‘sink or swim’ approach.” (Lortie, 1975) • “92% of new teachers do not seek help unless required to do so.” (Gray & Gray, 1985) • “Education has been dubbed the profession that eats its young.”(Halford, 1998)

39. All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Noah’s Ark • 1. Don’t miss the boat. • 2. Remember: We’re all in the same boat. • 3. Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark. • 4. Stay fit. When you are 600 years old, someone may ask you to build something really big.

40. 5. Don’t listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done. • 6. Build your future on high ground. • 7. For safety’s sake, travel in pairs. • 8. Speed isn’t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs. • 9. When you’re stressed, float a while. • 10. Remember, the ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

41. Problems/Needs of Beginning Teachers, contd. • Activity: Perceived Problems: Carousel Brainstorming • Form groups of three (3) • Report to assigned station and record relevant effective practices and resources to meet perceived need written on chart paper • At the signal move to the next station to your right • Groups will rotate through all 8 stations

42. Action Plan

43. Action Plan for Supervision • Action Plan for Supervision • Examples • Student Teacher Action Plan • Beginning Teacher Action PlanOptional: • New Teacher to System Action Plan *Action Plans will be placed in TSS Portfolio

44. Action Plan, contd. To develop your Action Plans bring: Handbooks Guidelines Forms School calendars Any other materials

45. Adult Learners

46. Characteristics of Adult Learners • Glickman’s Adult Development and Life Transitions • Krupp’s Steps in Achieving a Skill • Gordon’s Skill Development Ladder

50. Burke, Fusler, & Christensen’s Components of the Career Cycle • Preservice • Induction • Competency Building • Enthusiastic and Growing • Career Frustration • Stable but Stagnant • Career Wind-Down • Career Exit