By LLED 4461 Seminar

Pre-Planning Guide for the Teacher Candidate

The days and weeks leading up to the beginning of the school year are a whirlwind of meetings, planning, and copy-making as teachers prepare for students and the first day of school. During this time, you are expected to help your Mentor Teacher prepare for the year, while also learning a bit about them, the school, and the community surrounding the school. To guide you through this process, we ask that you work through the following list of questions/tasks during pre-planning. Please take your time as you progress through the following tasks, responding to the questions thoughtfully and thoroughly.

 

Get to know your MT

During pre-planning, find some time to discuss the following questions with your Mentor Teacher. Don’t be afraid to offer your own answers to some of the questions during your conversation.

  1. How long have you taught at this school? What is your favorite part about teaching here? What is a challenge you face here?

Eight years, which is the same time as the school opened. The fact that it feels like family, it is really close knit but not in a cliquey way. General low resources, as there isn’t as much money poured into here. The teachers have to do attendance and RTI in addition to teaching as well as cover for subs when needed.

  1. What is the best way for us to communicate outside of school hours?

Texting and Email.

  1. How do you envision the Mentor Teacher-Student Teacher relationship?

I envision my mentor/ student relationship as being one that is very open and supportive. I like to know when I need to improve on something that I am doing and I want someone who is willing to do so in a constructive way. I like someone that is outgoing and can keep the energy up when need be.

  1. During the fall semester, what would you like for me to do during class time?

Helping with supervision, finding your own space in the room, warm ups, distinguishing between you from a student teach and more of a co teacher; similar to the SPED teacher. As you, the TC, become more comfortable you slowly take more and more over.

  1. How should I go about receiving feedback from you on my teaching, planning, communication skills, and/or interactions with students?

Touch base in planning and talking to each other.

  1. How do you go about planning lessons and units? During the fall semester, what would you like for my roll to be in this process?

I participated in planning during the summer and know what is going on and I will miss planning as it is on Thursday so my MT and I will meet on Monday to talk about the fleshed out plans.

Get to know your school

Spend time in your classroom, helping your Mentor Teacher prepare for the school year – but also find time to roam the school and inquire into the following:

  1. What type of school are you working at? Is it a charter or public school? Do you have any special programming (like IB) available to students?

Haymon-Morris has a writing program that is specific to the school that the language arts created. This program happens every Monday during ELT and takes place in all grade and content areas.

  1. Get a sense of the size and the demographics of your school. How many students attend the school? How many faculty and staff work at the school?

There are around 800 students enrolled at Haymon-Morris currently, around 250 per grade. There are 60ish people on staff.

  1. Introduce yourself to the administration and counselors. Ask them what their responsibilities are within the school and also let them know who you will be working with this year. Write down their names here.

Dr. Bowen: Principle

Ms. Crosswhite: Assistant Principle

Ms. Cox: Administrative Assistant

  1. What support staff will you be working with during the year? This could include ELL teachers, SPED teachers, media specialists, etc. Write down their names here.

Ms. Connelly is the media specialist/ librarian who we see whenever we take the kids to the library. Ms. Zeagler is the language arts SPED teacher that is with us form out colab class, which is second period.

  1. Locate the library and introduce yourself to the media specialist. What are the procedures for using the library space with a class? In what ways could you use the media specialist with your students? Write down their names here.

Ms. Connelly is the media specialist at Haymon-Morris. As a class, we visit the library every other Friday to allow students to check out books. The kids are able to check out 2 books at a time and they are due back in 2 weeks.

  1. Locate the computer lab (or laptop carts). What are the procedures for using computers at the school? What restrictions are in place in terms of computer usage, internet access, and website access?

The laptop carts are located in the media center/ library. To check out a Chromebook or Chromebook cart there is document located in the school’s google drive that you go into to reserve either a chart or Chromebook. Students are able to access the internet on the Chromebooks as they have access to google classroom.

  1. Locate the printer/copier. Determine the protocol for using paper and for making copies?

The printer and copier are located in the 6th grade work room. To print it has to be sent from my MT’s computer and then there is a code that my MT has that has to be entered into the copier before it will make copies.

Get to know your community

Spend some time exploring the community around your school. Try to take a variety of modes of transportation (drive around, walk, ride public transit, bike). Take note of the following:

  1. How would you classify this area–urban, suburban, rural? Why?

I would classify this particular area of Winder as rural, I can hear roosters crowing from neighboring farms when I get to school in the morning. The only way for me to get from my house to the school is or me drive an hour there and then an hour back.

  1. How does this area compare to the area(s) where you go grew up and attended secondary school?

I was home schooled so I don’t have a secondary school that I can compare it to but the area I grew up in I would consider more suburban than where my school is.

  1. Take note of the places and spaces where you feel comfortable and places where you may feel less comfortable. Describe these places. Consider why you may respond in certain ways in certain spaces.

I haven’t confronted any areas of either the school or community that I have found myself uncomfortable in. If I do I’ll let you know.

  1. Where are community members spending time?

Target Shopping Center. I ran into a student’s family out hopping for school supplies after open house.

  1. What types of public resources are available (libraries, parks, etc.)?

Target Shopping Center.

  1. What types of businesses are popular in the area?

Target, Publix, Belk, Chick-fil-a, Michaels, and TjMaxx.