Pathwise Mentoring

UA Fort Smith College of Education

Laura Witherington

Spring 2009

Western Arkansas Education Renewal Zone

Director, Laura WitheringtonAssistant, Penny CaseyPartnering universities and

schools for comprehensive reform and improvement

Expectations

On handout 2, respond to the questions about expectations for Pathwise, teaching, and mentoring.

We will share responses later. You will turn in this information.

Goals for these sessions

You will know the four domains. You will know the nineteen criteria. You will be able to articulate how each of the

nineteen criteria impact student learning. You will be able to articulate how each

criterion should be integrated and implemented in your teaching.

What is Pathwise?

Arkansas Pathwise Mentoring Model

What can new teachers expect?

The school milieu: The shock of the familiar Administrators: A mixed bag Peers: A mixed blessing Students: Friends or fiends? Instruction: So much more to learn! Parents: Allies with different agendas

With the new Arkansas Mentoring Model, beginning teachers can also expect…...

Support and guidance Professional growth and development Collaborative problem-solving Focused feedback $2,000 to support the growth of each new

teacher, each school year during induction year(s)

Expectations Revealed

The Domains

What is “good teaching?” What are some elements? How do we know it when we see it?

In groups, brainstorm for the elements of good teaching and how we can recognize it.

The Domains

A Planning

B Environment

C Instruction

D Professionalism

Domain A: Planning

A1: Becoming familiar with relevant aspects of students’ background knowledge and experiences

A2: Articulating clear learning goals for the lesson that are appropriate to the students

A3: Demonstrating an understanding of the connections between the content that was previously learned, the current content, and the content that remains to be learned in the future

A4: Creating or selecting teaching methods, learning activities, and instructional materials or other resources that are appropriate to the students and aligned with the goals of the lesson

A5: Creating or selecting evaluation strategies that are appropriate for the students and that are aligned with the goals of the lesson

A1: Background Knowledge

How do we define background knowledge and experiences?

Why is knowledge of student backgrounds important?

How does a teacher collect information on student backgrounds?

To what degree do we need to know about students’ backgrounds?

A2: Learning Goals

What is the difference between goals and activities?

How do you know your goals are appropriate for your students?

How can you differentiate goals for individual students or groups of students?

A3: Connections

How does your lesson relate to past instruction?

How does your lesson relate to future instruction?

How does your fit within the discipline?

A4: Methods, Activities, and Materials How can you justify your methods, activities

and materials as appropriate for The lesson goals? The content? The students?

How can you justify using the same methods, activities, and materials for all students? Or, how can you use methods, activities, and materials to differentiate instruction?

A5: Evaluation

How can you show your evaluation is aligned with your learning goals?

How can I show my evaluation strategies are appropriate for individual students or groups of students?

How can I ensure the evaluation is systematic?

How can I use the evaluation for planning in the future?

Describe your most memorable teacher.

We will share responses with the group.

Domain B: Environment

B1: Creating a climate that promotes fairness.

B2: Establishing and maintaining rapport with students.

B3: Communicating challenging learning expectations to each student.

B4: Establishing and maintaining consistent standards of classroom behavior.

B5: Making the physical environment as safe and conducive to learning as possible.

B1: Fairness

What does “fair” mean? How can you avoid unfair treatment of

students? How can you keep students from treating

each other unfairly? How can you promote fairness among

students?

B2: Rapport

What does it mean to establish rapport? How does a teacher establish rapport? How can a teacher establish rapport with

individuals and with the entire class?

B3: Challenging Expectations

What are some ways that we unconsciously communicate to students that we don’t believe they are capable of success?

How can we communicate our confidence in students’ success to the entire class?

How can we communicate our confidence in students’ success to individuals?

B4: Classroom Behavior

How can teachers prevent disruptive behavior?

How should teachers respond to disruptive behavior?

How can teachers be consistent in their responses to disruptive behavior?

How can teachers’ responses to disruptive behavior demonstrate respect for students?

B5: Physical Environment

What are potential unsafe classroom circumstances, and how can we avoid them?

How can the physical environment be altered to accommodate all students?

How can the teacher alter the physical environment to facilitate learning?

Homework

Review Kowalski data collection and sort the data by the criteria in Domains A and B.

For two of the sorted pieces of data, write a paragraph that describes how Mr. Kowalski did or did not meet the standard.

Note any questions you have about the Pathwise Overview, Domain A, or Domain B.