Training of Mentors and Tutors

About

The phase of entering the teaching profession includes the year of specialization in teaching and the two following years. This is a crucial stage in the professional development of the new teaching staff, characterized by pedagogical, systemic, and emotional challenges. In recent years, the emphasis has been placed on various contents and activities for the service of beginning teachers, teaching specialists, and mentors related to meaningful learning, psycho-pedagogy, social-emotional learning, and more.

Today, there is recognition that cultivating cognitive abilities and knowledge are not enough for students and graduates of the education system to function well and feel good. Optimum development and functioning require the development of emotional, social, and motivational growth resources, enabling students to prosper, have mental well-being, and deal with challenges and difficulties. Based on this recognition, concepts, and programs of social-emotional learning are integrated into the training, the purpose of which is to promote optimal social-emotional development through the acquisition of skills of emotional expression and regulation, anger management, fear control, emotional communication, meaningful dialogue and other social skills that match the nature of the interaction between a mentor- Apprentice and teacher-student.

The role of mentoring has been taking shape in recent years, and the mentor’s responsibilities are expanding and receiving additional challenges. At the end of the internship year and for the following two years, the teaching staffers are expected to learn how to act with pedagogical judgment, apply teaching methods, and get to know all areas of the teacher’s work, including creating adequate personal and interpersonal communication with the management, with the teachers and with the parents.

The new teacher should reach practical wisdom through experience and educational activities under the mentor’s guidance. Namely, a set of practical and straightforward principles for dealing with teaching situations and finding possible ways of handling them.

In mentoring, the mentor moves from classroom teacher to peer instructor status. This role is an additional layer on top of the teaching role, which requires different skills, such as guidance skills, sensitivity, and professional cognitive abilities for guiding new teachers. Furthermore, the role of the mentor and the supervisor is to support the acceptance and assessment of beginning teaching staff, and the mentor is also responsible for the intern’s success during the internship year, at the end of which he is entitled to receive a license to practice teaching. Hence, the contents of the workshops are based on three main axes: (a). Organizational-school axis, (b). Pedagogical, (c). emotional-social psycho-pedagogical. In addition, meetings are held with policymakers from various fields.

The program takes place within the framework of a learning community with a common language that works in partnership with the school staff. It is also adapted to the unique

needs of the school as an organization and integrates into its culture and educational vision.

 

Goals

The role of the mentor and the tutor is to assist in the absorption and evaluation of beginning teaching staff. To ensure that interns successfully pass their internship year, at the end of which they will be entitled to a teaching certificate, and that new teachers will successfully pass their first years in the education system. Training goals include:

1. Developing a concept of the “mentoring-teacher” or “tutoring-teacher” role as a supporting and assisting colleague.
2. Cultivating guidance and training skills to identify the intern’s needs and support absorption and adaptation at the school.
3. Providing tools for creating a didactic, educational, and reflective dialogue to support the autonomous professional development of the intern and beginning teacher.
4. Acquiring tools to evaluate interns in preparation for their certification for a teaching license.

Training Courses for Teacher Mentors and Tutors

Training for a Teacher Mentor/Tutor Certificate – Phase I

Training for a Teacher Mentor/Tutor Certificate – Phase II

A two-year program in two phases

A total of 60 hours in two years and mentoring/tutoring in practice. They are acknowledged to reward training for teaching staff.

• Scope: 30 hours (each course).
• Target audience: teachers in practice with at least 4 years of teaching experience and/or level 4+ in “Ofek Hadash”.
• Time: the studies take place on Fridays and Saturdays, 08:30-12:00

Training of Kindergarten Teachers as Tutors and Evaluation Prosses Supporters 

Kindergarten teachers will receive optimal tools to support and accompany the new kindergarten teachers, as well as knowledge and skills in the field of evaluation (since they take part in the evaluation processes of the new kindergarteners in preparation for receiving tenure in the education system).

• Scope: 30 hours.
• Target audience: Kindergarten teachers with at least 8 years of experience.
• Time: The classes are held on Fridays and Saturdays, 08:30-11:30