Spring Contract for Grade (Part 1) Brian Rud During the course of the school year I mentored seven different apprentice teachers in my classes. Three of the apprentice teachers were doing observations and teaching in an internship. This was their last step before student teaching. The other four came from the Darland Intergenerational Program and worked with my EXCEL classes. They were getting in needed volunteer hours for their program. In all, I worked with these college students from September through February. One of the interesting aspects of mentoring this many people is that you get to see a variety of approaches to teaching. My approach to working with all of them was to try and remember what it was like four years ago when I was a beginning teacher, and to remember my struggles and successes. The most important thing for me to remember was that they were all in a learning process. Each apprentice teacher who worked in EXCEL was there mainly to lend tutoring support. They were not expected to make lesson plans, but solely to follow the days activities and help wherever they could. In some ways they were to represent a "big sister or brother" role. They worked with a group of approximately fifteen students each day. The days which they were there helped ease the burden on myself trying to keep up with fifteen at-risk students daily activities and work. It was a real boost to the class as some positive relationships were built through spending more individual time with various students. My concern many times in these situations is having a college student come in and attempt to be every student's friend instead of being professional, but the group I worked with this year was very professional. I think it helped that they were all in at least their third year of college or further. When giving feedback to them I attempted to be as honest as I could. One individual needed to be more assertive. Another spoke too quietly at first. A third spent too much time with certain members of the class without checking if other members needed help. These are just some of the improvements I felt they needed to be aware of. I made sure they understood I was in their shoes not too long ago and in fact I was still learning many aspects as well. I told them not to be afraid if they made a mistake, just to learn from it if they do. It helped them to see me make a mistake here and there to realize no one is perfect in what they do. Overall, this was an introduction to the world of secondary education for them, but definitely a positive experience. I encouraged them to observe other "regular" academic classes in their respective fields so they could develop a little feel for what it would be like for them in the future. The second group of three apprentice teachers who worked with me in physical education were expected to do much more. In their requirements they were to provide lesson plans and teach one unit, work with both small groups and individuals, observe five classes outside of their field, and volunteer time for the school as needed. This was their final preparation before student teaching. All three of the people I worked with were at least fifth year seniors and were to be student teaching the next quarter of school. After working with each individual for a few weeks it was easy to see that one was going to succeed and that the other two had some work to do in order to become successful. One of the most difficult aspects for all three of these young teachers to overcome was the ability to separate themselves from the students. What I mean by that is being able to draw the line of what a teacher-student relationship should be. Two of the them were at first too willing to accommodate the students wishes instead of holding to their original plans. They were easily swayed in an attempt to win the students over to their side. After a couple months, with a bit of urging from me, they began to tighten the reigns so to speak and begin asserting themselves more. The third came in with more confidence and was not as easily coerced by the students. One of the things which most impressed me about each of these young teachers was that they were unafraid to ask questions. Each one would constantly be asking for feedback on everything they did as well as ask questions about that which they were uncertain of. At times they felt as if they were bothering me by asking so many questions. I made sure they continued to do so because it was how they were going to learn. It was refreshing for me to work with beginning teachers because it showed me the progressions which I have made. I was not too different than some of them four years ago, and made many of the same mistakes. It shows just how valuable having experience truly is. Just as importantly, it shows where you can get if you actively learn from the mistakes you make. When looking back upon this experience, I hope that each apprentice teacher looks back at this time as a positive experience and that they were able to learn something from being there.

-- Anonymous, June 17, 1999