Mentor+Teacher+Nominations

** TTSN Is no longer accepting invitations for the 2009-2010 School Year **
For information purposes - the nomination information was:

Invitation To Nominate New Mentor Teachers For Our Network! We have funding for additional new teachers. Before we can invite additional new teachers, however, we need to find a few great new mentor teachers to supplement those already on board. So – your assignment, if you choose to accept – is: Consider your colleagues and acquaintances who meet the following **eligibility criteria**: · TTSN Mentor Teachers must have completed three full years of teaching experience as a certified teacher of record, with at least two of the experience years in a South Dakota school; · TTSN Mentor Teachers can be recently retired or currently teaching in a part-time position; · TTSN Mentor Teachers must have access to high-speed internet on a consistent basis; · TTSN Mentor Teachers must be invited to participate by TTSN Leadership.

Characteristics of the Effective Mentor: · Mentors need to ask the right questions of mentees. They do not merely provide the “right” answers all the time. · Mentors need to model principles of continuous learning and refection on their practice. · Mentors must have a willingness to invest time and energy in the professional development of their colleagues. · Mentors must possess high standards and expectations of their own abilities and the work of their colleagues. · Mentors must believe that mentoring is a mutually enhancing professional development opportunity in which both partners will achieve satisfaction from the relationship. Characteristics of the Online TTSN Mentor: · Willingness to engage in web-based collaborative conversations that take place outside of the school building, across geographical boundaries (and time zones), and foster 21st Century teaching and learning. · Willingness to lead in the creation of an online community of learners, responding to changing needs of both participants and the program.
 * If a colleague or acquaintance meets the eligibility criteria, then consider the following characteristics: **

If you continue to believe that the teacher that you are thinking of is a great match for our program, then your next assignment is to:  Email Marlene mrothermel@tie.net with the nominees name, contact information (email and phone please), and a brief note about why you are nominating the person to be a mentor.  I will acknowledge your nomination and then I will contact the nominated teacher with further information about their roles/responsibilities, contract, etc.;  Myself and the Lead Team will make the decision about inviting them to be a mentor. (We will continue to match by grade/content area as closely as possible.) **NOTE: If you want to talk to them a bit about the network, please do so, remembering that you nominating them only and cannot make any promises about their involvement. We will continue to try to match our mentor/mentee teams as closely as possible to grade/content area., which will determine who is and who is not needed.**

Also, if your nominated person is selected to be a mentor, we will ask that you assist them to get a fast start in the NING site. One of our challenges will be that we do not have funding/capacity for intensive orientation to the program and they will be entering mid-stream. **