As educators, having gone through various training experiences, we have all had our share of mentors. Some of whom were more effective than others.
Coaching and mentoring are often used interchangeably, but how different (and similar) are they in the workplace? Read more about this topic here and learn how to differentiate them.
Just over ten years ago, Karl Fisch wrote a blog post that has stuck with me through the years. In it, he asked if it was OK to be a technologically illiterate teacher. Even though we’ve learned…
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Read the article to understand what is a mentor and learn how to find the right one to help you achieve your goals. Ultimately, having a mentor...
One of my craft projects for this upcoming school year is to put quotes in picture frames in my office, kind of like this: I haven’t decided yet if I am going to do them all myself or let the…
There are no right or wrong questions to ask your mentor, but here are some guidelines that many help further develop a meaningful and productive conversation: 1. How did you get where you are today? Chances are you would like to someday be where your mentor currently is in their career. Hearing their story can often help you in writing your own. 2. What qualities do you look for in the people you hire? Someday at an interview, you will probably find yourself face-to-face with someone very similar to your mentor. Get the scoop on what these people are really looking for in a casual setting. 3. What do you see are upcoming trends in the industry? Since your mentor probably has more experience than you, it’s good to hear in advance what you might be facing in the future. 4. I am looking to _____ (e.g. switch my career from account management to account planning.) If you were me, what would you place your attention on and what are some pitfalls you would avoid? You mentor is there to guide you. Therefore, use your mentor's experience and knowledge to plan your own career advancement. I'm sure they wish they knew what they know now when they were in your shoes. 5. How should I approach my boss about _____? When you want to propose a new idea or tell your boss about an issue, it is often not what you say, but how you say it. You mentor’s previous experiences will help you find the superlative approach allowing you to arrive at the best solution. 6. What do you like most about your career? This could be a valuable question especially if you are thinking about switching careers or are not sure about what your next step should be. Your mentor could be a source of great insight into another area of the industry. 7. What characteristics or skills set you apart from your peers and enabled you to be so successful so quickly? Membership in AWNY is all about developing skills that will help advance your career quickly and more effectively. Who better to learn this from than your mentor? 8. How do you manage work/life balance? With a demanding career, it sometimes seems impossible to separate your job from your personal life. Your mentor probably has some tricks up their sleeve as to how to get the most out of your personal time. 9. How was your weekend? Getting to know your mentor on a personal level through their hobbies and interests is a very significant part of the mentor to mentee relationship. Feel free to form both a friendship and professional relationship with your mentor and sharing stories can help strengthen the bond. 10. When do you want to meet next? Both you and your mentor probably have very busy schedules so it is very important to plan ahead in order to stay on the same page. Do not let your time with your mentor lapse. If you can not meet set 15 minutes aside one day to speak over the phone. More References: 25 Questions to Ask Your Mentor: http://ezinearticles.com/?25-Power-Questions-to-Ask-Your-Mentors&id=169121 Five Questions Every Mentor Must Ask: http://blogs.hbr.org/tjan/2009/03/five-questions-every-mentor-mu.html
I love teaching figurative language! It can be a really fun way to encourage students to make their writing come alive. It also makes the writing process
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In episode 23 of HACCP Mentor Review find out about the importance of critical limit validation along with how to document a micro acceptance table.
“When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal; you do not change your decision to get there.” – Zig Zigler Change in any organization is an arduous task at some point, especially during the initial implementation stage. The onset of the process is typically fraught with challenges such as overcoming the status quo, a mentality of if it isn’t broke why fix it, fear, a void of leadership somewhere in the hierarchy of schools, lack of knowledge on initiating change, no clear vision, too many initiatives at once, naysayers/antagonists, and a one size fits all approach. One must realize that change is really hard and a commitment to see the process through is vital if the end goal is cultural transformation that sticks. Success also lies in a leader’s ability to make difficult decisions when needed. Leadership is not a popularity contest. True leaders make the tough decisions instead of trying to please everyone. I fell victim to the allure of putting popularity first early in my career as a young principal. It took some self-reflection, after realizing that the school was stuck in a rut, to get myself on track and do the job that I was getting paid to do. From that point on several change initiatives were implemented and sustained resulting in a culture that worked better for our students and staff. In the end, real leaders take action and their ability to be catalysts for change are not defined by a title or position. They are defined by the example they set. One must develop a mindset for change. This process begins with an examination of why change does not work in organizations and then looking more closely as to why it has failed in your school or district. The challenges described in the first paragraph provide a good starting point, but by no means are an inclusive list as each school/district has it’s own set of unique roadblocks. Pinpoint areas of potential difficulty beforehand that morph into challenges or excuses such as time, lack of collaboration, finances, limited support, poor professional development, resistance, mandates/directives, and frivolous purchases to name a few. Once the challenges and potential obstacles are in front of you, begin to develop a road map for change using the following questions: Where do we begin? What are the school factors that influence student learning and ultimately achievement? How do you change culture and move past the status quo? How do we get educators and school systems to embrace change as opposed to always fighting for buy-in? There are many frameworks and ideas on change leadership. You can’t go wrong with the work of Michael Fullan and his Six Secrets of Change. When I began to develop a shared vision and strategic plan for change with my staff back in 2009 I referred to the Katgar Model of Change. While there is virtually no elaboration that I could find on this model an image provides some detail on the elements that are essential to successful change in any organization. The central tenets of leadership described in this model center on why change is needed. Effective leaders develop a shared vision with input from all stakeholders, including students. They then craft and implement a plan for action that supports the purpose for the change. The glue that holds the entire process together is a leader’s passion for how the change will positively impact students and staff. The Katgar Model for Change then identifies five essential elements that leaders can focus on to ensure success: Strategy – After developing a shared vision a plan for action has to be developed. The plan not only identifies the purpose and focus for the change, but also provides methods to monitor to ensure successful implementation and sustainability. Always model the expectations you have for others. Communication – You won’t find an effective leader who is not an effective communicator. The art of communication allows leaders to accomplish tasks and get things done, pass on important information, acquire information, develop a shared vision, reach many decisions through consensus, build relationships, and move people to embrace change. Leaders in the digital age leverage available technology to transform communications. People – Successful change initiatives rest on moving the masses, but you must begin at a foundational level. This can best be accomplished by building positive relationships at the individual level. Empower staff to embrace change by putting them in a position to experience the value firsthand for themselves. Provide autonomy to those who are already on board while focusing more time and effort supporting staff who are not yet willing to change. The Work and Fun – With any change initiative ensure that a solid foundation aligned to teaching, learning, and leadership is in place. It is always good practice to align the work to the latest research and best practices. As change takes hold have fun by celebrating the successes of your staff and students. Nothing moves change along better than showing people how proud you are of their hard work. This will also assist in motivating others to embrace the change effort. Learning – The best and most effective leaders never stop learning, as they understand that there will always be work to do, not matter how much success is encountered. As Antoni Cimolino states, “There is something to be learned every day, both by looking in the mirror at yourself and by looking at the people around you.” Today’s leaders have a great advantage when it comes to learning and that is social media. The ability to learn anytime, anywhere, anything, and from anyone through Personal Learning Networks (PLN’s) is a leadership game changer. A great deal of effort, time, and hard decisions embody every successful change effort. With this being said it is imperative that the changes being implemented stick. Hargreaves and Fink (2004) provide some key points on sustaining change that will enable you to develop a clear focus during the initial visioning and planning process: Improvement that fosters learning, not merely change that alters schooling. Improvement that endures over time. Improvement that can be supported by available or obtainable resources. Improvement that does not affect negatively the surrounding environment of other schools and systems. Improvement that promotes ecological diversity and capacity throughout the educational and community environment. If you are serious about implementing change then lead with conviction so that your efforts result in sustainability. Just the willingness to change doesn't cut it. Making change stick is what separates great leaders from the good ones.
The Benefits of Online Timeout Sessions for Stressed Professionals In today’s fast-paced world, many professionals find themselves weighed down by the stress and responsibilities of their jobs. However, there is a unique solution that offers an escape from the pressures of real life: online timeout sessions. These sessions allow individuals to surrender control, follow commands, […]
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I’m a big advocate of students assisting other students in a variety of ways (see The Best Resources On The Value & Practice Of Having Older Students Mentoring Younger Ones and The…