Overview

TEAM is designed to be a district-base program, supported by the CSDE, to ensure beginning teachers are provided with the induction and mentoring support they need to be successful, to accelerate their professional growth, and to reduce the rate of new teacher attrition. This page details the roles and provides resources for:

• District Facilitator Role and Responsibilities
  • Resources
• Administrator Role and Responsibilities
  • Resources

District Facilitator Role and Responsibilities

The TEAM DF oversees the implementation of the TEAM Program by:

1. Facilitating the local coordinating committee to guide the activities of the TEAM program;
2. Participating in the development of the district’s Three-year TEAM support plan, including a plan for the allocation of district resources as needed, along with the other members of the local coordinating committee
3. Orienting beginning teachers and their mentors or support team to the TEAM Program;

Keeping administrators informed about the TEAM Program and their role in placing beginning teachers with mentors, and in ensuring that the support plan is implemented in their schools. Placement and Registration of Mentors or Support Teams with Beginning Teachers

The TEAM DF monitors the placement and registration of mentors with beginning teachers by:

1. Ensuring that appropriate data related to the registration of beginning teachers in the TEAM Program is entered through EDS – verifying that data is accurate with respect to teaching assignment, grade level, school, and duration of employment for long-term substitutes and
2. Ensuring mentors are assigned to beginning teachers in a timely fashion – generally within 30 days of hire.

Recruitment and Selection of Mentor/Cooperating Teachers

The TEAM DF ensures that recruitment and selection procedures are in place by:

1. Working with administrators and the TCC to ensure that it fulfills its responsibilities in selecting quality mentor teachers;
2. Recruiting district personnel to be support teachers to ensure that there are adequate numbers of mentors/cooperating teachers within the district; and
3. Sharing support training registration information to selected candidates.

Administrator Role and Responsibilities

Research shows successful mentor programs are characterized by strong leadership and management. New teachers benefit from engagement in purposeful, ongoing, formal and informal learning opportunities that help them to become more reflective professional educators.

The TEAM program is a process of continuous professional growth. While TEAM completion cannot be used as a component of the teacher evaluation process, as the administrator, you can assist the beginning teacher in developing their instructional skills in a number of ways:

• monitor the mentor-mentee relationships;
• make good decisions about matching mentors and mentees- pair new teachers with trained mentors in similar grades and subject areas where possible;
• provide common planning time and frequent face-to-face interaction among mentors and beginning teachers;
• encourage novices to work with other teachers to develop, through co planning and co-teaching or through observing in veteran teachers’ classrooms;
• make sure that new teachers’ course schedules require as few separate preparation efforts as possible;
• if possible, avoid assigning schedules that require new teachers to change classrooms during the day;
• help beginning teachers choose and focus on a single area of focus to develop new learning; and
• provide release time to observe beginning teachers in action and document.

Relationships matter – it is important to take time to get to know the new teachers and establish a strong working relationship.