Mentor/Intern On-line TrainingMentor/Intern

On-line TrainingACC Teacher Certification Program

Task: What type of crew member are you?

Imagine yourself in the following situations. Circle the letter of response that is most like you

1. If I won the lottery, the first thing I’d do with the money would be to:

A. Throw a big party

B. Put it in the bank for family and heirs

C. Share it with friends and relatives

D. Create a new venture or fulfill an ambition

2. When disaster strikes

A. Laugh it off and move on

B. Am emotionally distraught

C. Make the best of it

D. Figure out why it struck

3. I tend to be more interested in:

A. Arts and crafts

B. Literature and Humanities

C. Business and Law

D. Science and Engineering

4. My idea of a great vacation is:

A. A white-water rafting adventure

B. A traditional family vacation

C. A spiritual retreat or romantic getaway

D. A scientific expedition

5. I tend to seek relationships based on:

A. Excitement and adventure

B. Comfort and security

C. Romance and love

D. Shared intellectual interests

6. My ideal workspace tends to be:

A. Free-form and fun

B. Organized and neat

C. Friendly and cozy

D. High-tech and efficient

7. What I value most in a coworker is:

A. Action

B. Loyalty

C. Friendship

D. Intelligence

8. I tend to make decisions based on:

A. Impulses and whims

B. Past precedents and procedures

C. Feelings and emotions

D. Logic and research

9. If an extra-terrestrial appeared at my front-door, I’d likely:

A. Grab and capture it

B. Close the door and call 911

C. Try to befriend it and invite it in

D. Ask from where it was from and how it got there

10. If I could be anything I wanted, I’d likely be:

A. An actor or artisan

B. A chief executive

C. A spiritual guru

D. An inventor

11. I tend to work best when I am

A. The leader of the team

B. In a structured environment

C. With people I like

D. When I am left alone

12. The words that best describes the real me are:

A. Bold and adventurous

B. Practical and dependable

C. Warm and compassionate

D. Competent and knowledgeable

Crew Member Survey (cont’d)

Add your number of answers for A, B, C, and D

The highest number is your most predominant color; the second highest number is your secondary color

The purpose is to determine your personality type and that of your co-workers and students

Crew member specificsORANGE AStrengths•Strong resistance to too much structure•Relaxed tone in the office•Confrontation does not intimidate them

Weaknesses•Poor follow through an Implementation

GOLD BStrengths•Getting things done•Like to feel responsible•Very loyal to the company•Follow rules•Meets deadlines

Weaknesses•Can be overly loyal and disregard individual needs•Tendency to be perfectionists

Blue CStrengths•People Skills•People Oriented management•Encourage others to reach their potential-act as coaches and mentors•Cooperates with people•Create a harmonious environment where people can act in a collaborative manner

Weaknesses•Cannot deal with conflict and disharmony•Avoid unpleasant situations

Green DStrengths•Intellect•Confidence•Vision oriented to make improvements

Weaknesses•Must be careful to lead so others will follow•Tent to be autocratic in decision-making

Crew Member Assessment

(please turn in your answers via email to mwilkin@austincc.edu

by Oct 15)

1. Using what you know about your personality type and learning/teaching style, what are your perceived weaknesses in becoming an effective intern/mentor?

2. What skills do you already have that you can further develop in order to be seen as an effective intern/mentor

3. Give three ways that someone can support your goals in becoming an effective intern/mentor

*Used with permission by Stephanie Blanck

What is your Communication Characteristic?

The Achiever?The Persuader?The Supporter?The Analyst?

Task: What are your communication characteristics?

Circle the letter of response that is most like you

A. You are a high risk-taker, less people oriented

B. You are a high risk-taker and more people-oriented

C. You have high ideals and standards. You love calm environments and hate conflicts and confrontations

D. You are a low risk-taker and less people-oriented

2.

A. You appear confident and decisive

B. You love to be an inspiration to others

C. You generally need security and appreciation of others

D. You are highly disciplined and persistent

3.

A. You like to be in control of situations (both people and places

B. You are high-spirited and social

C. You are a low risk-taker and more people-oriented

D. You love to reason and need time to think things through before moving into projects

4.

A. You are generally forceful and direct when working with colleagues

B. You generally are articulate and intense when working with colleagues

C. You generally follow others that seem more confident than yourself

D. You are more orderly and accurateAdd your number of answers for answers A, B, C, and D

A. The Achiever

B. The Persuader

C. The supporter

D. The Analyst

The highest number is your communication characteristics (the way you communicate your needs and want others to. The second highest number is your secondary communication characteristic.

Task: Communicating with others

Understanding your communication characteristics and those with whom you work will facilitate a clearer and ultimately more effective interaction. Your delivery of information will differ depending on the characteristics of those you are speaking to.

Look at the different characteristics below and decide if they are describing:The Achiever

The PersuaderThe supporter

The analyst

1. • Information is delivered in a calm, casual, friendly, and informal manner• You actively listen and reflect their feelings and concerns• You show appreciation for their efforts• You present ideas that are consistent with their values and high standards. You

acknowledge and value their ideas

2. • You present ideas that are business-like and direct. You tell it like it is• You use factual her-and-now questions that imply clear goals specific objectives• You propose logical and efficient action plans, but let this person have (or at least share)

control over the final solution• You anticipate possible objections that they may have and be prepared to address them.

Communicating with others (cont’d)3. • You present information in a logical, step-by-step manner• You must pay close attention to details; if you don’t they will• You appeal to their logic, reason, order, and a systematic approach to solving problems• Expect to be challenged on your assumptions, intuitions, ideas, and procedures

4. • You acknowledge their strengths, importance, competence, humor, and friendliness• You present ideas in an enthusiastic, optimistic, and persuasive manner• You encourage and present ideas that are innovative and adaptable. Validate their love of

change• Always document plans in writing. It helps them stay focused.

Answers: 1. The supporter2. The Achiever3. The Analyst4. The Persuader

Adapted from:DeHaven, Jan and Sherry Marsh. Collaborative Teaching: Working together to Promote Learning! Region 20 ESC. Used with permission.

Mentor/Intern Conversations

With your interns, mentors please answer the following questions and turn in the answers to the

program via e-mail, mwilkin@austincc.edu by Oct 15…

Question #1What was your biggest challenge your first-year teaching and how

did you deal with it?

Question #2What is your favorite memory from

your first-year teaching?

Question #3What is one piece of advice you can

offer your intern about surviving and succeeding during his/her

first-year of teaching?

Question #4 How do you handle differentiation?

Question #5How do you use the IPG’s/scope and

sequence (or what your district is currently using) as a guide as you

plan your curriculum?

Question #6What is your administration looking for when they stop by classrooms? Any tips for your mentor on dealing with administration?

Teaching Improvement Plan

Ideally, the intern, supervisor, and mentor should sit down and work on this together. It is based on TxBESS’s Action Plan and gives intern a focus for needed improvements and changes. Most first-year teachers struggle with classroom management. They learn procedures and needed paperwork, and they create a “Behavior Plan” for their classrooms, paying particular attention to behavior modification.

On the TIP, focus on red flags – behaviors that keep students from learning effectively, procedures and organization not in place, or problems concerning clarity of assignments.

Be sure to specify how the intern will know when the problem is fixed and document the date completed.

As you work with interns, feel free to add goals to the TIP so that the intern knows how teaching can be improved throughout the year and in subsequent years.

Mentors- Please arrange a time to work on a TIP with your intern and his/her supervisor by Oct. 15, completing the online copy. Follow through on deadlines so interns can improve as quickly as possible.

Success!Teachers stay when they feel

competent and make a difference. Thank you so much for your time, patience, and caring to work with

teachers who have made a conscious decision to teach and to

serve.