Continuing Teacher Education       Faculty of Education       UWO
 

In-service Resources

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

How can Mentoring support:

  • Effective Classroom Management?
  • Effective Parent Communication Skills and Instructional Strategies?
  • Differentiated Learning and cultural needs?
  • Considering 'at risk' students through 'asset-oriented' practices?
  • Second Language Learners?

We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own

Ben Sweetland, cited from Hicks, C. D. , Glasgow, N.A. & McNary, S. J. (2005) What successful mentors do: Research-based strategies for New Teacher Induction, Training, and Support. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, p. 5

Effective Classroom Management

 

Effective Parent Communication Skills

Research has consistently suggested that a strong and positive relationship has a direct correlation with children's success in school  (see for example, Kelly-Laine, 1998). However, recently researchers have been challenging  traditional notions of what they call 'peripheral engagement' in parent participation in light of the growing diversity in today's classrooms. Consider the ways in which your school/district communicates with parents. In what ways does it reflect a partnership and a two-way flow of information as opposed to a 'telling' style in which information may be perceived to flow predominantly from the school to the home.

Review your procedures to assess how 'family friendly' they are:

  • school handbooks and/or code of conduct;
  • web sites (class, school, district)
  • newsletters (teacher, school, district)
  • parent education programs (location, access, leadership)
  • open houses (informal, formal)
  • parent conferences (time allotted, guidelines, informal/formal)
  • reporting student progress (report cards, calls home, home visits, IPRC and IEP meetings)
  • volunteer activities (in class, out-of-class)
  • accessing community resources (parent involvement)
  • negotiating linguistic and cultural differences with immigrant parents
  • public relations (school, media)

Differentiated Learning and Cultural Needs

 

Considering 'At-Risk' Students through Asset-Oriented Practices

 

Second Language Learners
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