Mentor Newsletter
April 2022
Office of Educator Preparation
In this Newsletter

  • Reminders
  • Mentor Teacher and Candidate Spotlight
  • Residency II Requirements
  • Upcoming Dates
  • Residency II Substitute Teaching Guidelines
  • Co-Teaching Models & Strategies
  • LiveText
  • Mentor Teacher Information Form & Compensation Paperwork
  • Communication
Reminders

  • During end of the year testing, candidates should follow the same schedule their mentor teacher. They should only be used as a proctor when you are testing. If you are teaching students, then candidates should be in the classroom co-teaching with you.

  • Please complete 1 Informal Teaching Evaluation on your residency candidate during this 2nd placement. You will also need to approve candidate's hours that have been entered into Livetext through their last day.

  • The Office of Educator Preparation will be sending out an survey to all mentor teachers. This survey will give you the opportunity to provide feedback about your candidate's program of study, mentor teacher, ETSU supervisor and the Office of Educator Preparation. You are encourage to provide honest feedback, as this information will be used to make improvements to our teacher education program.

  • By this point in Residency II, our candidates should be fully immersed in planning, teaching and experiencing expectations required of a classroom teacher. Candidates should be teaching or co-teaching regularly in a variety of groupings (whole group, small group, one-on-one) and content areas (if applicable). Residency II is the time for candidates to get as much teaching experience as possible.

  • Candidates are required to attend faculty meetings, IEP meetings, PLC meetings, data meetings, etc. 

  • Other than filming, residency candidates should NOT be working on their edTPA during Residency II. Candidates should be assuming the role of the classroom teacher throughout the day. Residency II is NOT the time for students to be sitting and working while the mentor teacher is teaching.

Mentor Teacher and Candidate Spotlight
Mentor Teacher
Rhonda Lackey
Andrew Johnson Elementary
Kingsport City Schools
Mentor, Rhonda Lackey, 3rd Grade Teacher at Johnson Elementary, supports Residency Candidate, Heather Rogers, during a lesson on Measuring Mass. Ms. Lackey helps collect and display materials to keep transitions smooth. She and Heather encourage students to help complete the anchor chart and use the key information during the group activity where students estimate and solve mass measurements. 

Residency II Requirements
  • All residency candidates should be logging their clinical hours on a weekly basis and you should review and approve these hours at the end of each week. Candidates should also follow the school protocol for signing in and out of the school each day. Report excessive absences, tardies or early dismissal to their ETSU supervisor.

  • If a candidate is going to be absent or tardy, they should, at minimum, send one email copying the appropriate stakeholders (mentor teacher, ETSU supervisor, and principal/secretary) as soon as possible.

  • Designate a set time each week to meet with your candidate and reflect on their strengths and areas of refinement. (Candidate and Mentor Weekly Discussion Summary can be completed to document these meetings.)

  • When a residency candidate is being observed by either you or their ETSU supervisor, the candidate should submit their lesson plan to you and their ETSU supervisor a minimum of 2 days in advance so you can review the standards and objectives they are planning to teach. Candidates can use a mentor approved lesson plan for the observation completed by the mentor teacher.

  • Each time the ETSU supervisor observes the residency candidate, they should also check in with you regarding the candidate's performance, and you should provide the supervisor with a completed Residency Candidate Performance Checklist which evaluates the candidate's professional dispositions.
Upcoming Dates

  • Last Day of Residency II: April 29, 2022 (Students are required to make up all absences during Residency II during the week of May 2-6. If candidates have missed more than 5 days, they will return the week of May 9-13 to make up these days).

  • ETSU Pinning Ceremonies
  • Sevierville Campus: Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at 6pm, 2025 Red Bank Road, Sevierville, TN
  • Main Campus: Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 6 pm, Martha Street Auditorium, D.P. Culp Center

  • Mentor Teacher Survey-Please complete as soon as possible.

  • ETSU Graduation Ceremony
  • May 7, 2022
Residency II Substitute Teaching Guidelines
  • Candidates are eligible to substitute up to 5 days during their Residency II placement. 
  • Candidates are NOT allowed to substitute before they have complete edTPA filming in Residency II.

In order for residency candidates to become eligible for substitute teaching during Residency II, they will need to complete the following protocol:
  1. Candidate will need to attend substitute training offered through the school district where they are completing their residency.
  2. Once training is complete, the candidate will need to complete the Candidate to Substitute Agreement which requires approval signatures from their mentor teacher, school principal, ETSU supervisor, and ETSU seminar leader.
  3. After the agreement is complete with signatures, the candidate should email the contract to their ETSU supervisor and upload into LiveText.
  4. Candidates are responsible for recording dates, locations, subject and/or grade level of their substitute experience on the LiveText time log.

Candidates are allowed to substitute in three settings, but the preference must be in the following order:
  1. Classroom of mentor teacher
  2. Another classroom in the school they are assigned-this requires mentor teacher and ETSU supervisor approval
  3. A classroom in another school within the district- this requires advance notice and must be approved by the mentor teacher and ETSU supervisor

**Residency Candidates are NOT allowed to be pulled to watch or monitor a classroom without another adult present (teacher, Instructional Assistant, substitute teacher). This is a liability issue.

If you have any questions regarding these guidelines and requirements, please contact the Office of Educator Preparation using the contacts below.
Co-Teaching Models and Strategies

Co-Teaching is an Attitude... an attitude of sharing the classroom and students.
Co-Teachers must always be thinking-We are BOTH teaching!

One Teach, One Observe
One teacher has primary responsibility while the other gathers specific observational information on students or the (instructing) teacher. The key to this strategy is to focus on the observation – where the teacher doing the observation is observing specific behaviors.

One Teach, One Assist
This is an extension of One Teach, One Observe. One teacher has primary instructional responsibility while the other assists students with their work, monitors behaviors, or corrects assignments.

Parallel Teaching
Each teacher instructs half the students. The two teachers are addressing the same instructional material and presenting the material using the same teaching strategy. The greatest benefit to this approach is the reduction of student to teacher ratio.

Station Teaching
The co-teaching pair divides the instructional content into parts – Each teacher instructs one of the groups, then rotate or spend a designated amount of time at each station – often an independent station will be used along with the teacher led stations.

Team Teaching
Well planned, team-taught lessons, exhibit an invisible flow of instruction with no prescribed division of authority. Using a team-teaching strategy, both teachers are actively involved in the lesson. From a students’ perspective, there is no clearly defined leader – as both teachers share the instruction, are free to interject information, and available to assist students and answer questions.

Alternative Teaching (Differentiated)
Alternative teaching strategies provide two different approaches to teaching the same information. The learning outcome is the same for all students; however, the avenue for getting there is different.
LiveText
LiveText is a shared space between you, your residency candidate, and their ETSU supervisor. LiveText is used to log hours, and store evaluations, observations, and other documents relevant to the student's performance.

You should add any document you have completed on the student (Informal Teaching Observation, Residency Candidate Performance Checklist, etc.) as an attachment in the shared space.

All residency candidates should be logging their clinical hours in LiveText on a weekly basis. As a mentor teacher, you will review and approve these hours at the end of each week. Residency candidates should also follow the school protocol for signing in and out of the building each day.

If you are having trouble with LiveText in any capacity, please contact the Office of Educator Preparation at edprep@etsu.edu , or our Placement Coordinator, Amanda Chandler at blackchandle@etsu.edu or 423-439-7597.
Mentor Teacher Information Form and Compensation Paperwork
The Office of Educator Preparation asks that ALL mentor teachers complete the following Mentor Teacher Information Form if you have not already completed one this year.

Mentor Teacher Information Form:
Please complete this revised form, which takes less than five minutes, to ensure we have your current contact information on file. (You will need your teaching license number for this form).  


Mentor teachers will receive compensation of $100 for mentoring a residency candidate during Residency II. Please follow the steps below if you wish to receive compensation for being a mentor teacher. 

***If you would like to decline compensation, you do not need to complete the steps below.


Dynamic Forms Account Setup: 

1.   Create an account in our Dynamic Forms system by following this 
 
2.    Activate your account via the activation email sent to the email address that you used to create the account. (Save your username and password for future changes).  
Now that you have created your account, use the information below to set up direct deposit. 


Direct Deposit Authorization Form:
 (You will need a voided check and a copy of the this completed W-9 Form to upload to the direct deposit authorization form. If you do not have an E# or cannot remember it leave that place blank.) 
 
1.Use the following link and scroll down to the bottom of the page to submit your W-9 and set up your direct deposit. 
 
2.When asked, “Who asked you to complete this form,” please list my name, Amanda Black-Chandler.  




**If you have or had a name or address change at any time since attending ETSU or previously mentoring a student, you will need to complete and submit a Personal Information Change Form. This form will be provided by the Office of Educator Preparation via email. Please contact Amanda Black-Chandler at 423-439-7597 or blackchandle@etsu.edu
Communication
ETSU Mentor Teacher website

As always, we can be reached via email or phone between 8:00 and 4:30.
Contact Us
Laura Click
Director of Field Experiences and Residency,
Clemmer College
(423) 439-4200
Birdwell Photograph
Becky Birdwell
Certification Coordinator,
Clemmer College
BIRDWELLRL1@etsu.edu
(423) 439-7562
Amanda Chandler
Placement Coordinator,
Clemmer College
(423) 439-7597
Angela Shelton
Clinical Instructor- edTPA Coordinator,
Clemmer College
(423)794-7977
Clemmer College
Office of Educator Preparation
Warf Pickel Hall, Room 305
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