Roles and Responsibilities of the University Mentor

The University Mentor (UM) should work cooperatively with school personnel to conduct and evaluate the professional year experience and to provide support and networking with campus programs and administrative offices.

1. The UM fulfills the following specific roles/functions:

• Public relations emissary between the University and the cooperating schools.
• Mentor and teacher for the Teacher Candidate (TC).
• Intermediary between the TC and the Classroom Mentor Teacher (CMT).
• Assessor and evaluator of TC progress and development as evidenced in records and reports submitted to the SITE Field Office.
• During both methods block and student teaching, oversees midterm and final evaluations, which faculty instructors incorporate into the practicum course grade. Faculty are the Instructors of record for both fall practicum student teaching courses.

2.  Collaborative functions of the UM should be responsibly, efficiently, and cooperatively performed.

A) Visits should be frequent enough so that the CMT is able to feel secure in the proper development of the TC. The UM will make the number of classroom observations and conference visits necessary to aid and assess each TC for whom they are responsible.

B) Classroom visits/observations/conferences by the UM should:

• In Methods semester: Include at least an orientation visit, and a formal observation for one Reflective Cycle. (When feasible, we encourage the use of Zoom to conduct pre observation and post observation conferences to allow sufficient reflection and analysis time for the TC between each meeting and the observation.)

• In Student Teaching Internship semester: Include at least an orientation visit, three Reflective Cycles, and a final evaluation meeting. These cycles will utilize Zoom and GoReact to allow for optimal reflection and analysis by the TC.

• Observations should last for the length of a usual class period, with the exception of GoReact videos. Be sure observation notes are documented appropriately.

• Each reflective cycle MUST include a pre-observation conference, a formal observation, and a post-conference.  Conferences should NEVER be held immediately prior to or immediately after the observation. Allowing time for reflection and analysis promotes the growth model that is central to this experience.

3.  The UM has special mentoring responsibilities pertaining to the TC. They should provide careful orientation for the TC regarding their interactions with and responsibility to the collaborating school and the CMT. This can be accomplished by helping the TC to understand:

• Professional expectations in the particular setting.
• The legal responsibility of the Classroom Mentor Teacher (CMT).
• That conferences and discussion sessions are to be expected and welcomed; that suggestions and recommendations by the CMT are supplied for guidance toward improvement of the TC’s professional performance.
• That lesson plans are to be prepared and made available for critique and suggestions prior to their use (at least several days before presentation, or at a time designated by the CMT).  No lesson plans = no teaching.
• That consultation and discussions with the CMT concerning issues or problems arising from classroom activities should be scheduled on a regular basis.
• That professional conduct as a teacher is expected at all times in all circumstances related to school activities.
• Teacher Candidate (TC) may serve in a "substitute teacher" role only under the very specific guidelines provided HERE.

4.  The University Mentor (UM) has the responsibility of strictly following the communication protocol for problem solving.

University Mentor Checklist

In accepting a contract to act as a mentor of BGSU Teacher Candidates (TC), the individual adjunct program staff member agrees to fulfill the specific responsibilities outlined below as well as those delineated in the BGSU College of Education and Human Development Professional Year Handbook.

• Attend University Mentor (UM) Training and all professional development seminars provided by the SITE Field Office.
• Attend monthly regional UM meetings as coordinated by the regional Lead Mentor.
• Immediately following receipt of TC caseload reach out to assigned TCs to review placements, policies, and procedures.
• Visit each assigned TC during the first week of his/her placement to meet the Classroom Mentor Teacher (CMT), review procedures, exchange & verify contact information, obtain a detailed student schedule, and review the BGSU methods calendar. Verify TC is placed with appropriately licensed CMTs.
• Introduce yourself to the building administrator and leave a business card with contact information.
• Use Zoom and Go React to promote collaboration, reflection and analysis with your TC and CMT.
• Promote cooperation, collaboration, and goodwill with all school partners.
• Be available via phone or email to TC and CMTs and respond in a timely fashion to inquiries, problems, or requests for consultation.
• If a TC has difficulty, serve as a conduit between the TC, CMT, Lead Mentor, program coordinator, and the Director of P-12 Partnerships and Innovation to develop and implement an action plan to resolve the problem.
• Communicate with Lead Mentor if problems in the field site are not being resolved.
• Complete 1 Reflective Cycle for TC’s in their methods semester and 3 Reflective Cycles for TC’s in their student teaching semester.
• Submit all formal observations online within 48-72 hours of the observation date during the methods and student teaching internship semester.
• Collaborate with each CMT to complete a mid-semester evaluation and conference with the respective TC (all 3 present) in methods and student teaching internship.
• Submit the mid-term evaluation via EGADS (methods and student teaching internship). The TC and CMT have access to this completed evaluation. CMT password is provided by the UM.
• Ensure TC and CMT e-signatures on all formal evaluations.
• Collaborate with each CMT to complete a final evaluation and conference (all 3 present) of TC in methods and student teaching internship.
• Submit the Final Student Teacher Internship Evaluation online through EGADS Data System (methods and student teaching internship).
• Thank CMTs and building administrators at the close of the fall and spring semesters for their work with BGSU TCs. Inquire about potential future CMTs at the field site.