BEST Tips for Mentors: November 2024

Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction sent this bulletin at 11/01/2024 08:00 AM PDT

Beginning Educator Support Team (BEST)

November & December: Intentional Program Pause

BEST's calendar of events has an intentional pause with most events in November and December.

This structural break allows for our program to engage in necessary reflections and planning. It also honors the break many school districts take this time of year.

Events that will still run in November and December include NAKIA Academy and Mentor Roundtables.

Upcoming BEST Events

Registration is open for our 2024-2025 BEST Academies for the ENTIRE YEAR! Click here to get to our Events & Trainings page.

Foundational Learning

Mentor Academy 101

Mentor Academy 201

Extended Learning

Observation & Feedback: Using Instructional Frameworks in Mentoring

Feb. 4, 11 (Tue), 4-7pm

Mentoring School Nurses

Jan. 13 (Mon), 8-3pm

Mentoring Teachers of Special Education

Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27 (Thu), 4-7pm

Mentoring ESAs

Feb. 10, 8-3pm

Academy event registration will close 48 hours prior to the academy. Please plan ahead and register prior to 48 hours to the event. If registration has closed and you want to get in, please contact us: best@k12.wa.us. We can help! Thank you.

BEST Resources

Contact BEST

E: best@k12.wa.us

P: (360) 725-6430

Tips for Mentors
November 2024

Mentoring Learning-Focused Conversations for Reflection, Rest, and Recovery

Dear Mentors,

How has your Fall been going? Fall brings a change of scenery and energy. The transition of seasons offers an opportunity for us to pause, reflect, and recenter our wellbeing.

As we engage in this month's learning-focused conversations, we invite you to think about:

What are some successes/ strengths you can share with your mentee about their practice during this time of year?
How might we support our mentees' reflective practices to promote equitable student learning outcomes?

Standards to Connect With:

Standard 2a: Positive, Strengths-Based Mindset: I engage my mentee in continuous
improvement by fostering
a strengths-based mindset.

Here's another resource to help you and your mentee reimagine the phases of a new teacher by seasons.

Lori Cohen Consulting Newsletter (Fall 2023)

Become a Transformative Mentor by tending to Emotions

"Emotions are entwined with ways of being. Emotions can reflect ways of being, or emotions can generate ways of being." From Arise, p. 59

Consider starting your conversations with these questions to offer support and acknowledge your mentee's emotions:

What is something that has impacted your emotions recently?
What are 3 things that have brought you positive emotions in your mentoring work?
What challenging emotions have you experienced during your work?

November Roundtable Sneak Peeks

In our Roundtables this month, we are going to share practical tools for you to use when engaging in above conversations.

We will read Three Good Things, Coaching for Equity, Elena Aguilar, pg. 110-111

We will share Three tools to support Mentee Reflective Practices

Mentor Roundtables are a wonderful, on-going, professional learning community. You can mix and match sessions to fit your schedule, needs, and interests.

If you would like to learn more about the practice and tools to support mentee reflective practices, sign up for our Roundtables!

Andrea's Roundtable: SPED, Mondays, 4-6pm

Ashley's Roundtable: NAKIA/BIPOC, Wednesdays, 10-12pm

Alicia's Roundtable: SPED ESAs, Tuesdays, 4:30-6:30pm

Annie's Roundtable: Burnout/Wellness Focus, Wednesdays, 3:45-5:45pm

Hilari's Roundtable: Inspired by the book, Thanks for the Feedback, Wednesdays, 10-12pm

Julie's Roundtable: Full Release Mentors, Tuesdays, 10-12pm

Katie's Roundtable: School Nurses, Wednesdays, 2-4pm

Kathy's Roundtable: Colleague Mentors, Tuesdays, 4-6pm

Kjell's Roundtable: General/Open to All, Mondays, 10-12pm

Linda's Roundtable: General/Open to All, Mondays, 4-6pm

Mary's Roundtable: General/Open to All, Tuesdays, 9-11am

Tanisha's Roundtable: NAKIA/BIPOC, Wednesdays, 4:15-6:15pm

Tara's Roundtable: Smalll/Rural Districts, Thursdays, 10-12pm

Ongoing Orientation Support

Are you supporting a late-hire mentee?

If yes, please check out this list of suggestions:

Tips for Instructional Orientation for Late-Hire Educators

Coaching & Mentoring Tools

Choose from the following list of tools to support your practice:

Tools and Guides from Elena Aguilar (www.brightmorningteam.com)

ALL STUDENTS PREPARED FOR POST-SECONDARY PATHWAYS, CAREERS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
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