What I learner as a Mentor

 Last August I was contacted by the Boulder Valley teacher induction program coordinator. He asked me if I was interested in mentoring not one but two new BVSD Family and Consumer Science teachers. My first thought was a if I would have time to give so many hours while being 3 months away from having my first child. After some discussion on the terms and flexibly of working with these new FACS teachers, I realized I wanted to help. I also wanted to help the "future" of BVSD FACS programs. The time management component would work itself out. After all, us FACS teachers know all about muti-tasking!

Shortly after taking my new roll as a mentor, I thought about my intention (besides the required components). I knew that after teaching for 6 years myself, being a new FACS and new to a district can
be a lot to wrap your head around. I really wanted to help educate, inform, and excite these new teachers about CTE, FACS, and BVSD. There were many sessions where I met with the two ladies from other BVSD High Schools to go over everything from district policy, CTE State accountability, and best classroom practices. Before, during, and after my maternity leave I worked to hopefully make the new teacher's first year a bit smoother.

It wasn't until near the end of of my mentor experience that I realized that I got more that I could have imagined from the program. I believe it's easy to get into a routine over the years with our teaching patterns. Once we develop our lesson plans, it's east to use them over and over again. Through working with these new teachers, I found a new spark for trying newer lessons, looking at teaching in different styles, and basically thinking outside of the box. I now believe that while I taught a thing or two to my mentors, perhaps I was the one who really learned a lot!

I urge your to always have a motivator to keep you fresh and hungry as a teacher. Sometimes it takes an unexpected experience but, through making an intention in the beginning of the school year, we are most likely to receive something by the end of the school year!