00185. So, Franklin, where did you get the eight tenths though? Sometimes when you're a new teacher, it feels like [music] you're just being thrown in. Feels really daunting at the beginning. And every week [music] Erin comes in and we have a little meeting and I think those meetings are kind of like a life boat [music] for me of like, okay, I can sort of like bounce anything off of her, tell her anything. She's just kind of been somebody who can direct me [music] in the right way, know resources I can use, which is huge as a first year teacher. You just don't really know all those things. I think having a mentor makes a huge impact. Knowing that you have someone there [music] to support you behind the scenes, kind of cheering you on, I
002think it really make a difference. Whenever I get a new mentee, I'm always thinking, okay, how can I help them, you know, become part of the Randolph family, the APS family? How can I make sure that they're successful? [music] Because I remember when I came to APS and I remember my mentor and how they took me under their wing, helped me learn all of the acronyms and all of the things that are specific to APS >> [music] >> and just helped me have a great start. There's a lot of joy in the little moments that I think in teaching in general you have to hold on to. So, looking for those things and looking for people who you can lean on like your mentor is really important. Not everything is going to be perfect this
003year and that's okay. [music] And there are years and years to improve your craft and that's honestly a good thing. You want to keep growing in what you're doing. >> [music] >> I think for me personally, being a mentor, having a mentee has really just kept me in the profession. This is my 19th [music] year in elementary education and working with new teachers [music] and just being constantly inspired has kept me going. We have over 315 mentor [music] mentee relationships and I just think as an educator you have so many tabs open all the time Um, you just want that one person that you can go to where there's no silly question. >> [music] >> You can get an immediate answer, um, and you can feel like validated in your experience day-to-day. In my country,
004we don't have this [music] position like a special education teacher. I was physics teacher in my country, and because of that I didn't know anything about the rules and something IEP, what is IEP [music] goals, accommodation, everything. And Miss Payor, she told me that she's here to support me and if I have any questions, [music] she can always help me, and she did. In order to keep [music] people in this profession, there needs to be a sense of compassion from an adult in the building who understands what they're [music] going through. So, for me personally, it's been really, really amazing to watch Mrs. Azizi's growth. It's very important because I had a good mentor, and she always encouraged me that you can do it. Don't worry. And right now, I feel much better than the
005first day. >> [music] >> One thing that felt really overwhelming was just being in a new school environment. We have, I don't know, 50 [music] to 100 staff members and not knowing anyone and feeling like the newbie was really scary. And I feel so lucky to have Christian as my mentor because she's so well connected with other staff members in the school, and I feel like [music] through her, I've been able to mingle with different staff members and really feel more, um, integrated in the community, and I feel like otherwise I would have felt, you know, more isolated and on my own. Having a [music] mentor is very important because it lets you know that you're not alone. [music] You're not walking in this field by yourself. There are others around you. >> [music] >>
006I believe that you really have to have, uh, a passion for doing this, and [music] you really have to be involved. I had a challenging student in my class and I was feeling really [music] overwhelmed and just out of strategies to try with them. Um and I remember sitting down with [music] Christian in one of our mentor mentee meetings and she gave me this quote that I now have hung up on my wall right behind my desk. Um and it was just a great reminder that like even [music] though things can be really chaotic, it feel crazy and overwhelming, um remember to take a deep breath and like find the calm, find the stillness. [music] And I still like look behind me on some days and I'm like, "You know what? That's a great reminder.
007Like it's going to be okay." And I also have someone in my corner who's there to support [music] me through it. I feel that it's about them and we're here [music] to lend a helping hand, to listen with intent, and to provide support. [music] The mentoring program in APS is strong. Um >> [music] >> there's a support system in place for teachers that are new to the profession, so brand new just starting out. Um and also for teachers [music] who are transitioning into APS from another district. And so having someone in your corner that [music] is not necessarily a teammate or an administrator can make a huge difference in the teacher.