Proficiency 7

Name Carolyn Gassmann
EPPSP Group 39
Butler University
The Experiential Program for Preparing School Principals
STANDARD:
7. Participate in the orientation of new staff members – Design and/or assist in the
implementation of an orientation program for new faculty members. (ELCC 2.3)
Summary:
This school year I have had the privilege to serve as a new teacher mentor for my new first
grade Dual Language teaching partner. She is an experienced teacher with a wealth of
knowledge, but is new to teaching first grade and, more specifically, is new to teaching in the
United States. This past summer she was contracted to teach at our elementary school and
moved from Puerto Rico to Indiana. When I was informed that she would be a part of the first
grade team, I was excited to have the chance to serve as her mentor and guide through her first
year here.
As I worked with her, I tried to bring myself back to my first year as a teacher in our Dual
Language program, and gave her some of the advice I wished I had. Thus far, we’ve worked on
lesson planning, classroom management, writing learning objectives, technology pieces, and
observation information.
One particular moment sticks out in my mind as beneficial to both of us. Earlier in the year, she
was looking for advice on classroom management and strategies to engage students. I had
shared some ideas with her and she tried to implement them, but was not completely confident
in her execution. I offered to allow her to observe my class as I taught for a period of time. She
then came into my classroom and watched as I taught. I made sure to be very intentional about
the strategies I was using and the way I was teaching. She left with notes and questions.
After implementing these strategies with her class, she was looking for even more or ways to
alter them for her group of learners. In order to familiarize myself with her class and tailor my
suggestions appropriately, I asked if I could come to her classroom and give a lesson. She
agreed. I then ensured that I planned a lesson that would involve some of my favorite and
proven successful strategies for student engagement, classroom management, and concept
attainment. After I taught the lesson she was able to continue using some of the strategies I
modeled and weeded out those that did not serve her class effectively. From this experience,
she was able to get a better pulse on her students and how they can best engage in content.
Reflection:
Serving as a new teacher mentor has been a new and exciting challenge for me. It has caused
me to be more intentional about the strategies I am using in my planning, classroom
management, and lesson implementation. I have become more reflective about the everything
that I do, and find myself thinking through the lens of “how can my experiences help my mentee
grow?” I am always looking for ways to help her feel more comfortable in her new role and
onboard the many different systems and procedures we have in place in the school.
I believe that serving as a mentor for my teammate has, in turn, made me a better teacher and
leader. Because I am spending time reflecting on what is going well in order to share it with her,
I find myself refining and adapting the things I do with my students more frequently. I cannot rest
in my teaching, because I know that there is someone who is always trying to learn from me and
my successes and struggles.
As a leader, I have learned the importance of effective teamwork and communication among
team members. I now know that putting in the work to onboard a new team member early and
ensure that they feel comfortable with the systems and procedures of the school pays off in the
long run, as they are able to do more in a short period of time with a bit of strong guidance.
I also have gained insight into how I, when I am a future building leader, can successfully
integrate new staff members. I love the idea of mentors. Having gone from being a mentee to
being a mentor, I have seen the benefits of always having someone to turn to through the
confusion and commotion that can be the first year of teaching, or of teaching in a new
environment. While I would certainly keep the mentor/mentee structure in place, I think it is
important to create a list of things that the mentor should discuss with the mentee as the year
gets started. This could serve as a strong starting place for these teams, and can help the
mentor better serve the mentee with a guided and structured approach before adapting and
tailoring the time together to meet the needs of the mentee.
Overall, this experience of serving as a new teacher mentor has been very positive. It has been
humbling to offer advice and see the results of our work together. I believe that because of this
experience I am a stronger current teacher, and will be a stronger future building leader.

Proficiency 7

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Name Carolyn Gassmann

The Experiential Program for Preparing School Principals

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