"tough love"

Home

Chat

Blogs

Collection

Directory

Home : 2002 : September : 21

"tough love"
By Jane

I think it is time to be honest with this girl. Teaching is and always will be an overwhelming job. There is always something else to be done and so we need to draw our own boundaries of what is realistic for our energies,talents,
and efforts in order to do a good job. Your mentee has the advantage of being a first year teacher...Rome wasn't built in a day! Sit down to talk about goals for the year. What area will be her main focus? What does she hope to accomplish?How will she get there? Put the plan into writing.
In other areas write down with less intensity what goals are necessary for the year. Be

willing to help her but maybe you should give her 3 coupons (print up some funny ones on your computer to ease the tension with some humor) which she can use per week to get your help. It sounds like you are being an enabler to her biggest weakness... standing on her own two feet. First year teachers will always need a great deal of help but the rule should be "Mentors help those mentees who help themselves!" You should also talk about the demands of the profession and she may want to think about whether she is ready or if she will be happy to carry such a load.