Mentoring and Induction

The Central Rivers AEA Mentoring and Induction Program, Inspired Mentorship, make certain that every school in the region has access to proven and research-based induction, mentoring and coaching support. Professional development for schools is designed around the State of Iowa’s technical assistance document for Mentoring and Induction, the Iowa Teaching Standards, evaluation information and evidence-based practices. We also provide ongoing support for mentors and beginning teachers through the use of monthly Zoom meetings. These sessions focus on the Iowa Teaching Standards and provide support for the well-being of our mentors and beginning teachers.


Levels of Support

The Central Rivers AEA Mentoring and Induction Course is designed to provide professional development and support to district mentoring coordinators, mentors, administrators and beginning teachers during their first two years in the profession.

District support includes: 

  • District teams work through the RACI process that defines the roles and responsibilities of meeting the needs of beginning teachers with CRAEA Mentoring and Induction Consultants.
  • Develop a district mentoring program.
  • Coaching from CRAEA consultants for implementation and sustainability of district mentoring program. 

Mentor / Mentor Coordinator support includes:

  • Professional learning around Iowa Core, Iowa Teaching Standards, and Iowa’s Social-Emotional Learning Competencies.
  • Mentoring Listserv (Opportunity to connect with other mentors/mentor coordinators).
  • The 4 C’s of Coaching (Coaching, Consulting, Collaborating and Calibrating).
  • Monthly content to guide in-district mentor meetings.

Beginning Teacher support includes: 

  • Professional learning around Iowa Core, Iowa Teaching Standards and Iowa’s Social-Emotional Learning Competencies.
  • Professional learning around setting up a supportive classroom climate.

Key Dates


Resources

  • Department of Education: Mentoring and Induction District Profile
  • 4 C’s Handout
  • LMS Content: Coaching Skill Sets series
    • Introduction
    • Paraphrasing
    • Practicing the 4 C’s
    • Self-Assessment
    • Probing/Clarifying questions
    • Listening
    • Meditative and Reflective Questions
    • Building Trust
    • Building Rapport 
    • Positive Presuppositions

On-Demand Learning

Coaching Skill Sets: Introduction

The purpose of the 4C’s of Coaching at CRAEA is to help unlock a person’s or organization’s potential to maximize their performance. It is activating thinking and guiding learning, rather than teaching. Our 4C’s of Coaching are: Calibrating (framing expectations, clarifying standards, and articulating success criteria), Consulting (sharing expertise and providing technical assistance), Collaborating (shared planning and problem-solving), and Coaching (a non-judgmental interaction which promotes reflection and develops professional capacity).

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How to use the SEL Coaching Toolkit

The purpose of this toolkit is to support coaches and administrators as they observe practices that support the development of social and emotional skills in classrooms, and hold critical conversations that include SEL. Using this toolkit allows educators to reflect, set goals on their own practices, and engage in coaching conversations with colleagues. This toolkit also brings awareness of how our own beliefs about how student behavior affects learning may unintentionally increase classroom behaviors we don’t want. Reflecting and coaching…

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Important Contacts

Staff Directory