Policy Roundtable Discussion

This afternoon I'm attending a policy roundtable discussion with Educators for Excellence.  Our discussion topic is focused on new teacher mentoring.  It's interesting to me that Minnesota does not have any state provision for new teacher mentoring but 22 other states do have state-funded induction programs. 


I'm excited to learn more about how an induction program would work in Minnesota.  I especially loved this quote from the Teacher Support Partnership:

"Finally, induction systems are not about evaluation. Activities that involve assessment of performance, either self-assessment by the educator or collaboratively with a peer observer, are used for formative purposes. Formal evaluation requirements that lead to summative decisions remain the responsibility of the school administrator. Induction systems are focused on the growth, development, and sustained learning of educators." Minnesota Educator Induction Guidelines

The video above is a link to a PBS story that highlights what Chicago is doing to mentor their teachers and prevent burnout.

Summer

Summer is all about recharging the battery, digging in to new ideas and reflecting on the old. I'm always thinking about my classroom, and that's okay with me. Can your career be your hobby and still live a balanced life?

I think so. I've wondered the past few years if I should be adding more non-school things to my life. Right now, I don't feel like anything is missing. Hobbies are supposed to energize, and thinking about my craft does that for me.

When school starts, there just isn't always enough space to dig into new ideas. So I happily use this space: Juut, coffee, Focus by Schmoker, and summer.