The Mentor Teacher Blueprint

Both higher education and P–12 faculty play a critical role in the preparation of new teachers, yet they have traditionally operated in silos. This book, designed to be read and applied immediately, will help teacher preparation programs and schools work together to best prepare preservice teachers. This is accomplished by clearly describing the roles and responsibilities of both groups of stakeholders, specifically with a focus on the preparation of the mentor teacher. The author outlines ways for schools and teacher preparation programs to collaboratively choose, train, and support mentor teachers, along with suggestions for connecting P–12 and higher education faculty more regularly. Driskill provides a replicable blueprint that has been put into practice and found to be effective. School districts and teacher preparation programs can use the blueprint to reform clinical practice, which ultimately puts more highly qualified teachers in more classrooms.

Book Features:

• Offers a proven-effective method for preparing and supporting mentor teachers in clinical practice.
• Focuses on what exactly clinical practice entails, including the roles and responsibilities of teacher prep programs and P–12 schools.
• Explores how mentor teachers are currently identified versus how they should be identified.
• Outlines topics and strategies for initial training and ongoing support for mentor teachers.
• ● Contains specific steps both school districts and teacher preparation programs can take to form successful partnerships.

Kristen M. Driskill is an associate professor of inclusive education at the School of Education, St. John Fisher University. She was co-dean of the School of Education and Social Work and an associate professor of teacher education at Roberts Wesleyan University.

“This book is a blueprint, not for professional reading, but for professional collaborative action. So pick up a few copies, gather your key clinical stakeholders, and ask the mentor teachers in the group to lead the book study!”
—From the Foreword by Mark LaCelle-Peterson, president and CEO, Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation

“The quality of the preparation and ongoing support of mentor teachers is a key indicator of high-quality clinical experiences. This book reflects a keen awareness of the realities of the complex work of mentor teachers and of what is needed to support their work. It is a great resource for supporting teacher education programs in one of their most important responsibilities.”
—Ken Zeichner, Boeing Professor of Teacher Education Emeritus, University of Washington

Contents

Foreword Mark LaCelle-Peterson  xi

Introduction  1
But I Already Do This  4
How to Use This Book  5

1.  The Clinical Practice Partnership  9
Chapter Outcomes  9
Defining Clinical Practice  9
The Value of Clinical Practice  13
Shared Lexicon  14
Accreditation Standards and Clinical Practice  16
Summary  17
The Blueprint  18

2.  Responsibilities of Teacher Preparation Programs  19
Chapter Outcomes  19
Assumptions  20
Teaching Theory and Pedagogy  21
Scaffolding Clinical Experiences  23
Aligning Curriculum with Certification Requirements  26
Professional Dispositions  27
Summary  29
The Blueprint  29

3.  Responsibilities of P–12 Faculty  31
Chapter Outcomes  31
Assumptions  31
Putting Theory into Practice  33
Scaffolding Clinical Experiences  35
Professional Dispositions  38
P–12 Administrators  40
Summary  40
The Blueprint  41

4.  Identifying Clinical Educators  43
Chapter Outcomes  44
Current Processes for Identifying Mentor Teachers  44
Best Practices in Identifying Mentor Teachers  46
Incentivizing Mentoring  50
Summary  52
The Blueprint  52

5.  Training Clinical Educators  55
Chapter Outcomes  55
Elements of Mentor Teacher Training  56
Impact on Mentor Teachers  60
P–12 Administrators  63
Brainstorming Local Needs  64
Summary  65
The Blueprint  65

6.  Ongoing Support for Clinical Educators  69
Chapter Outcomes  70
Best Practices for Professional Development  70
System for Ongoing Mentor Teacher Support  71

Summary  78
The Blueprint  78

7.  Assessing Effectiveness and Continuous Improvement  81
Chapter Outcomes  82
Assessing Clinical Practice Effectiveness  82
Data Collection in the Partnership  86
Continuous Improvement  89
Summary  90
The Blueprint  91

8.  Lessons from the Field  93
Lesson 1: Do Not Make Assumptions  93
Lesson 2: Honor Teachers’ Time  94
Lesson 3: Pay Close Attention to Responsibilities  94
Lesson 4: Plan on “Real” Ways to Measure Effectiveness  95
Lesson 5: Stay Grounded in the Idea of a Shared Responsibility  95

Appendix A. The Blueprint  97

Appendix B. Key Responsibilities  105

Appendix C. Sample Matrix of Scaffolded Clinical Experiences  107

Appendix D. Sample Mentor Teacher Selection Forms  109

Appendix E. Sample Survey for Mentor Teacher Preparedness  113

Appendix F. Sample Notecatcher for Data Analysis and Discussion  115

References  117

Index  119

About the Author  123