Teaching the teachers

Angelique Flores

Teachers aren’t just teaching children anymore. They’re teaching other

teachers.

New educators who were part of the Beginning Teachers Support and

Assessment program last year are now in their second and final year.

The assessment program matches all new teachers in their first year

with a veteran educator. The one-on-one partnerships stay together for

two years.

“You’ve got someone you can connect with and support throughout the

year,” said Jan Marshall, the Huntington Beach City School District

program liaison.

Though the districts already had mentor programs in place, none of

them were as structured. During their first year, new teachers learned

about the classroom environment and management, as well as how to

evaluate students’ needs.

“You can’t teach content if you don’t have control,” Marshall said.

When the teachers can assess their students’ needs, they can better

meet them, she added.

During the second year, teachers fine-tune their teaching curriculum.

The mentor teachers also assess the needs of the beginning teachers

and work with them in those areas. Whether it’s getting advice on how to

handle parent conferences or just having a pair of ears to listen, the

program is intended to help the new teachers feel as if they aren’t in it

alone.

“It’s kind of like having water wings or life preservers,” said

Catherine Follett, assistant superintendent of instruction at the

Fountain Valley School District.

Time with the mentor teachers gives the new teachers a chance to

reflect on what they’re doing well and what they can improve.

“The veteran teachers look at what you’re doing right and build your

confidence,” Marshall said.

That confidence helps the students too.

“When the teacher has confidence, the students see that she’s in

charge,” she added. “And they feel more secure and more apt to listen and

are more able to learn.”

With more confidence, and hopefully more success sooner, district

officials hope the program will deter teachers from dropping out.

“When I started teaching, it was kind of sink or swim,” said teacher

Linda Burgos, who is now a mentor teacher at Perry Elementary School in

Huntington Beach. “They now have a networking system available to them

that I didn’t have.”

Burgos was invited by her new teachers into their classrooms to

observe lessons. Burgos took notes of what she saw and worked with the

teachers to see what areas should be developed.

“As a first-year teacher, I felt comfortable in asking questions,”

said Jennifer Matson, a third-grade teacher at Eader Elementary School in

Huntington Beach who is now in her second year of teaching. “It made it

easier just having someone you feel comfortable going to.”

Burgos and district officials say they’ve already noticed an increase

in confidence among the new teachers.

“That will help alleviate stress that comes with teaching and some of

the reasons people leave teaching,” Burgos said.

Another program for the teachers is Peer Assistance and Review, which

will begin this year. With this program, teachers who receive

unsatisfactory evaluations by their principals will receive a mentor.

“It’s good to formalize any kind of help for teachers who are maybe

having difficulty in class,” Follett said. “It allows us to continue our

assistance to all teachers on the whole area of curriculum in a good

teaching strategy.”

Though the Huntington Beach City School District has the program set

up, no teachers received unsatisfactory evaluations. The Ocean View

School District has not implemented the peer program yet but hopes to

start one this fall.