1. The Mentoring Process
Martha Majors

2. The Essence of Deafblindness
I used NEASC terminology---used the
What we’ve done
Mention Steering Committee-their role to date

3. Goals for Every Program That Educate Learners Who are Deafblind
Under the guidance of an experienced administrator
Maintain a quality program
Retention of highly qualified teachers
Sustainability

4. Goals for Every Program That Educate Learners Who are Deafblind, continued
A model to mentor teachers at each competency level
Professional development to increase content based on the competencies for deafblind
Recognize strengths, interests, and overall commitment to teaching students who are deafblind

5. To achieve these goals, we need:
On-going professional development programs
Deafblindness competencies / strategies / communication with families
Support and feedback for all teachers to improve in all areas

6. Competencies/Knowledge/Skills that teachers are expected to learn:
The development of trust and relationship
Work with families
The impact of vision, hearing, and communication on deafblindness

7. Competencies Assessment Curriculum development and IEP
The Impact of cognitive challenges on learning
Impact on physical challenges on access to the curriculum
Source: (CEC Competencies for Deafblindness)

8. What We Know: Knowledge and Skills
Teachers have their own individual strengths in teaching
Teachers develop these competencies through experience over time
Teachers may take longer to implement the skills related to each competency area based on their own strengths

9. Master Intermediate Beginning
Teacher Excellence
Teachers Rise
To The Highest
Level: Master
Intermediate
Beginning

10. Formal Definitions
Beginning: Teacher understands the knowledge and skills of basic and Deafblind teacher competencies and attempts to implement the elements. Implementation is intermittent. Intermediate: Teacher understands the knowledge and skills of basic and Deafblind teacher competencies and implements the elements thoroughly and consistently. Master: Teacher is a master teacher and contributes to the field of deafblindness (program/campus/local/nationally and internationally. Classroom operates at a qualitatively higher level.

11. Surrounded by Experienced Administrator and Experienced Teachers
Beginning Teacher
Child-centered meetings
Staff meetings
Attends/listens/ makes list of questions
Meetings with mentor teacher
Attends trainings in deafblindness
Benefits from modeling strategies and interaction with students from experienced teachers
Surrounded by Experienced Administrator and Experienced Teachers

12. Feeling confident and competent
Intermediate Teacher
Shares ideas, materials and resources with beginning teachers
Begins to present training topics to new teachers, teaching assistants
May be mentored by master teacher
Feeling confident and
competent

13. Intermediate Teacher, continued
Understands and uses several strategies
Assesses use of a variety tools
Writes comprehensive IEPs with accommodations and strategies
Increases access to curriculum and content

14. Master Teacher Mentors new teachers Give tours and meets new families
Performs evaluations for visiting students
Presentations specifically for ELPs and visitors
Presentations on campus, nationally and internationally (trainings and conferences)
International consultation/Perkins Academy

15. DB Staff Profile

16. Profile Of A New Teacher
How Did I Get Here?

17. The Process of Mentoring
What do we do?
What do you do?

18. Profile Of A New Teacher
Worked As A
Teaching Assistant
Began Graduate School In Severe Special Needs Or
Moderate Special Needs
Completed graduate work in severe special needs or moderate special needs
May have emphasis on deafdblindness
Goal of professional development and mentoring
Applied for a position as teacher in Deafblind Program
Was hired with the goal of professional development and mentoring

19. When a new teacher arrives at Perkins…
The mentoring process: FORMAL Process
The Informal Process:
Work with a team to complete the calendar profile with regard to communication for each student
Attend behavior meetings
Attend introduction to deafblindness in-service training
Meet with senior staff to plan lessons and strategies
Modeling by experienced staff

20. Who Do New Teachers Learn From?
Students and families
Senior-level, highly-experienced teachers who mentor
Administrators
Each other
Collaborate with those who share topics / brainstorm
What we are currently doing and will be addressing in the next 3 months
15 Standards from Mission to Program to Infrastructure
Identification of 25 Key recommendations
Key recommendations such as:
Professional Development
Curriculum and Instruction
Communication
Climate Study
These will address critical areas that cross Standards
Also identified recommendations that are in-process:
Mission Committee Development to include Educate, Empower, Engage & Guiding Principles socialized to lead to a plan to assure the actualization of the mission.
Training in Collaboration for all Educational Program staff
Our timeline is to finalize reports and action plans by May 31st
Action plans developed, reviewed by Steering Committee & adopted
Committee Reports finalized
Final report and supplementary documentation (evidence) is prepared and posted on NEASC portal

21. What Do New Teachers Learn?
The essence of deafblindness: learning about the child and family
Develop trust and relationship with each child
Learn basic teaching strategies
Develop ideas for content and assessment
What we are currently doing and will be addressing in the next 3 months
15 Standards from Mission to Program to Infrastructure
Identification of 25 Key recommendations
Key recommendations such as:
Professional Development
Curriculum and Instruction
Communication
Climate Study
These will address critical areas that cross Standards
Also identified recommendations that are in-process:
Mission Committee Development to include Educate, Empower, Engage & Guiding Principles socialized to lead to a plan to assure the actualization of the mission.
Training in Collaboration for all Educational Program staff
Our timeline is to finalize reports and action plans by May 31st
Action plans developed, reviewed by Steering Committee & adopted
Committee Reports finalized
Final report and supplementary documentation (evidence) is prepared and posted on NEASC portal

22. We Mentor…..
Why?

23. We Mentor….
What?

24. What Is A Mentor? The Formal Process
An experienced and trusted advisor
Advise or train (someone, especially a younger colleague)
The Perkins Handbook defines a mentor as an experienced professional who takes a personal and direct interest in the development of a colleague (in the Deafblind Program, he/she is a colleague who is highly experienced in the area of deafblindness)

25. Recommended Criteria for Perkins Mentors
Recommendation from their direct administrator / supervisor
Holds a current license or certification to match the mentee
Completed three years of employment at Perkins
Fulfilled one or more training experiences for mentors, provided by or approved by Perkins School for the Blind

26. Mentor At Perkins Patient Creates a safe environment Sense of humor
Encourages risk taking
Supports independence
Willing to share
Knowledgeable
Good role model
Positive
Knows how to listen
Respectful
Collaborative

27. We Mentor….
HOW?

28. Share Classroom With Intermediate/Master Teacher
The Mentoring Process
Lead
Teacher
Master Level
Teachers
Use Resources:
Staff/Materials
Share Classroom With Intermediate/Master Teacher
Administrator
Designs
Mentor Program

29. Mentoring Support
Mentoring provides beginning educators with a one- on-one relationship with an experienced staff member
The mentor and new educator will have a regular, weekly meeting established in their schedules

30. Mentoring Support, continued
The activities may include:
Planning curriculum and lessons/clinical treatment options
Observing one another’s classes/sessions
Co-teaching class/co-treat sessions
Analyzing and assessing the beginning educators practice in relation to evaluation criteria in order to help the beginning educator improve
Reviewing assessment strategies
Discussing classroom and time management

31. Great Teachers Provide Positive Outcomes For Students

32. What Do You Do When You Hire A New Teacher?
Who?
What?
Supports
Use of Resources (people and materials)
Discussion

33. References Remarkable Conversations Danielson Group
Council For Exceptional Children (CEC) Competencies For DEAFBLIND
Mentor Handbook Perkins School for the Blind