Mentor Teacher Responsibilities

•   Induction into the Profession.  The Mentor is expected to familiarize the Intern with the routines, rigors, and professional expectations of the teaching profession.  As such, the Intern should be fully integrated into the school environment, including hours and other school policies and procedures, other professional responsibilities, implementation of the full school program, knowledge and promotion of state and national standards (NCLB), Special Education (IDEA) and other exceptionalities, parent contacts, planning, grading, and classroom management. The initial internship should include a period of observation of the Mentor’s and other selected teachers’ teaching, familiarization with the Mentor’s classes and individual student needs, and a gradual assumption of teaching duties.  The rate of such induction rests with the Mentor teacher in collaboration with the Intern and University Supervisor.  The Mentor may have to retain exclusive teaching duties and control of certain classes for which an Intern could not assume responsibility.  This might include some classes in the following categories: AP, HSA, MSA, or inclusion.  It may be appropriate for an Intern to teach such classes, but the Mentor must be able to retain professional discretion regarding such situations.  The Mentor should anticipate that an Intern is at a point of readiness to engage in the internship, and any deficiencies in this readiness should be reported directly to the university supervisor as soon as possible.
   
• Problems in the Internship.   The Mentor is the main supervisor of the intern during each experience. They are with the intern daily, and thus they will see progress or problems long before a university supervisor can. It is the responsibility of the Mentor to keep the university supervisor apprised of any problems that may develop during the internship. The Mentor should not wait for a supervisor visit to voice concerns. Every supervisor is expected to provide each Mentor with their contact information at the beginning of the semester (both phone and email), and if any problems arise the first point of contact must be with the university supervisor. When problems develop in an internship, information must flow in this fashion:

Mentor Teacher    ►     University Supervisor      ►    Program Coordinator    ►       Office of Field Experiences

• Mentors should not directly contact the Program Coordinator, the Office of Field Experiences, or other administrative offices within the College of Education, without first contacting the university supervisor. Maintaining an appropriate chain of communication is key to solving problems in the internship as quickly as possible. The supervisor is the first person tasked with fixing problems, so they must be the first person informed of problems.

• Lesson and Unit Planning.  The Intern receives university instruction in planning and in state and national content standards.  Content themes may be validated for the university’s national accreditation through such planning.  As a consequence, it is vital that the Mentor uphold rigorous oversight and expectations in planning and that the Intern maintains a well-compiled planning notebook.  The university provides exceptional resources for lesson and unit planning.  The Intern is expected to utilize available resources to fulfill the demands for successful planning.  It is better for the Intern to over plan rather than to be lacking in this vital area.

• Instructional Methodologies.  The Intern is not expected to replicate the teaching style of the Mentor.  The Mentor will guide the Intern through appropriate variations in methods that complement the Intern’s knowledge, skills, and dispositions.  A sense of collaborative latitude should exist between the Mentor and Intern so that the Intern develops a basic professional repertoire of pedagogical approaches.  The Mentor should encourage the Intern to broaden skills that focus on successful student learning.  The Mentor should anticipate the need to call upon the University Supervisor when difficulties arise.

• Content Assessment.  This is the area where a wide range of expectations will exist.  Frostburg State University services over seven school districts in three states.  Interns are instructed in Maryland standards and in national content standards.  They must be able to cite and incorporate these in instruction.  However, state, division, and school assessment protocols may vary, and the Intern should meet any local requisites, too.

• Classroom Management.  Interns have received varying training in classroom management depending upon the program and content area.  Thus, the Mentor should anticipate a wide range of existing management skills on the part of an Intern.  Although it is recognized that each individual must develop classroom management skills and style that match the teacher’s personality, content mastery, and experience, it is also imperative for an Intern to realize that the Mentor is ultimately responsible for effective classroom management throughout the year.  The Mentor is in charge of the class before the Intern arrives and will resume charge once the internship is finished.  Therefore, the Intern must develop classroom management techniques that complement the Mentor’s system, even if the Intern has philosophical differences of opinion regarding the Mentor’s system.  Since each intern will have two mentors, the expectation is that interns will see and implement a variety of management techniques during the program.

• Other Professional Experiences.  The Mentor is encouraged to expose the Intern to the complete range of the professional job.  Observing other teachers is an excellent opportunity for the Intern’s professional growth.  In addition, having an Intern assist with, or participate in, other duties within the school and at extracurricular activities is acceptable.  The Mentor should realize that the medical internship model more closely resembles current professional training, and that the traditional one-to-one Mentor/Intern model is too limiting to achieve the goals defined in the Maryland Redesign of Teacher Education.  The Intern is an asset to the school, and the Mentor, department chairs, and administration should utilize that asset.