Resouces to support mentoring in MFL
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Here are two PowerPoint presentations which explore the implications of working with Every Child Matters and the 2007 QTS Standards.
Professional standards for QTS August 2007 (ppt)
Every Child Matters July 2007 (ppt)
Secondary middle managers - improving professional practice, Teachers’ TV video clip
This video clip shows three middle managers using various activities to improve their professional practice, for example:
- Jane Croker, curriculum manager of modern foreign languages, uses coaching to support her teaching and leadership skills
- Anne Steel, head of German and Spanish, shares her experience of assessing departmental staff
- Joanna Lucas, head of geography, explains how she listens to pupil voices in order to prepare for school self-evaluation
In addition, we see:
- two middle managers involved in a coaching session
- the interaction between a middle manager and an NQT during a post-observation feedback session.
The second part of the video clip gives an insight into the observation of and feedback on a modern languages lesson. This extract could be used as a starting point for discussion about the issues related to good feedback practice in a mentors’ training session.
Two useful books to support mentoring are
development in the education of modern languages teachers, Gray C. (2001) Multilingual Matters.
The school mentor handbook , Hagger H. et al. (1995) Kogan Page.
Quality time and the weekly meeting: An experienced Subject Mentor has written some useful advice.
It is always extremely difficult to manage time. So how can you ensure that the time you dedicate to your STs is ‘quality time’? Below is a list of the main points of action that I have undertaken which have proven to be useful. It is not meant to be prescriptive, just helpful.
- Ensure you have the protected period you need for you and your ST(s).
- Glance at the Institute’s ST timetable each week to see what they are doing at the Institute on Mondays before Christmas for Practical Teaching Experience 1 and the school-based tasks they have to complete during PTE 1 & 2.
- Have an agenda for the weekly meeting. Ensure there is a specific focus from the range of items on the Standards tracker as this is something that both SMs and STs may find difficult to cover in the rush towards the end of TP2.
- STs should put items on the agenda. These can be specific items about classroom practice, events, behaviour issues or policy issues or about sharing good practice. Make sure your ST(s) keep a record of these meetings for themselves and for you – see attached examples.
- Differentiate between issues that need to be dealt with immediately and those that can wait until the weekly meeting. Ensure STs don’t feel that they are being a burden.
- Decide as early as possible after you have decided on the focus of observations which lessons will be the five formal observations and have these minuted at both departmental and ST meetings so all are aware.
- Try to se the STs as assets to the department and encourage ways of development that will also have benefits for the department: for example, developing a reading scheme, using the internet to search for resources, making materials, asking STs to take the minutes at departmental meetings. (From MFL Subject Mentors' Handbook, Institute of Education, University of London, MFL PGCE)
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