Q & A on the issues
Can I get an extra year of mentoring? Where can I go to get extra help after my first year of teaching?
Apr 24, 2008 3:09 PM
A:It is ironic, to say the least, that while everyone wants teachers to do an excellent job, the system is unwilling to invest as it should in the professional support that teachers want. Unfortunately, under current rules, new teachers are mandated for mentoring only during their first year on the job — and even with the mandate, not all schools offer the mentoring they should. However, there are other options you can turn to for help — starting with the UFT.
The union has a long and proud record of advocating for professional development for educators throughout their teaching careers and would very much like to see mentoring available beyond the first year of teaching,
In keeping with its principles, the UFT years ago was instrumental in creating the Teacher Center. This is the union’s educational arm and it offers a variety of learning opportunities for teachers at all stages of their professional growth. Besides its popular low-cost graduate courses and master’s degree programs, the Teacher Center also offers afternoon and weekend conferences, seminars and forums on teaching strategies for every subject and grade level at UFT borough offices around the city.
On May 10, you can attend the UFT’s annual Spring Education Conference at the New York Hilton. This conference, organized by the Teacher Center, includes a host of practical and thought-provoking forums on topics of current concern to teachers. You can attend the programs that interest you most and meet Teacher Center and other experts in those fields. Later, you may be able to turn to them with your specific questions.
In addition, the UFT’s divisional vice presidents offer after-school workshops that address the educational needs of students in elementary, intermediate/junior high schools and high schools. Also, the union has a long list of professional committees which offer programs related to their special areas of interest — from literature and history to foreign languages and science.
Look for announcements about these and other professional development opportunities on this page and elsewhere in the New York Teacher. These programs can help you fill whatever gaps you may have. And as you attend them, you are likely to meet teachers from other schools — some newer teachers who are facing the same challenges you are and some veteran teachers who are eager to share their knowledge and skills with you. This kind of networking will be another important resource for you.
Ideally, you would be teaching in a school where teachers and administrators have collegial relationships with one another so that everyone feels comfortable about asking for help and is pleased to offer it to others.
