GOALS

The CCFLT Mentoring Program is designed to connect Mentors-- typically in-service or retired teachers—with language educators at any stage in their career, who desire to develop new skills to succeed in their current assignments and to be successful in the long-term.

 

MENTEES

Potential Mentees are invited to fill out a Mentee questionnaire and then to peruse the Mentor Profiles and send three choices to the Mentoring program coordinator (mentorprogram.ccflt@gmail.com), who will find a match for them and connect them to their Mentor via e-mail.

 

MENTORS

We still welcome Mentor applicants: potential Mentors are invited to fill out the Mentor questionnaire, and their information will be used to create a profile that will be published on a Mentor Profile site.

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GUIDELINES

The following guidelines should help guide Mentor-Mentee interactions.

• Mentoring will usually be conducted virtually over email, Skype/FaceTime and/or phone, although mentors and mentees may meet in person if this is more convenient. 

• Mentors are responsible for conveying and upholding the standards, norms, and values of the profession.

• Mentors are responsible for establishing and maintaining a level of trust and confidentiality that enables the mentees to speak freely about the problems they are facing, their frustrations and challenges without fear that others will learn about them.

• Mentors nurture the talents and abilities of the mentees offering support, challenge, patience and enthusiasm while guiding them to new levels of competence.

• Mentors are pro-active sharing resources, articles, research, and professional development opportunities etc. that are beneficial for the mentee.

• Mentors share their personal experiences, knowledge and skills while at the same time listening to the thoughts and experiences of the mentee.

• Mentors gain insight into the needs and expectations of the mentees.

• It is expected that the mentor/mentee relationship will develop and change over time as they establish a positive relationship as peers and colleagues who share ongoing experiences and professional growth.

• Mentor and mentee determine the best form of communication (e-mail, phone, etc.), and the frequency of communication (although it is expected that they communicate b-weekly at a minimum).

• Mentor and mentees are encouraged to arrange to meet at the CCFLT Fall and/or Spring Conference.

• Mentors and mentees may use as curricula Keys to the Classroom (Paula Patrick) and Keys to Assessing Language Performance (Paul Sandrock), which provide valuable readings, discussion topics, and activities.  If mentoring pairs would like copies of these books, please write to the Mentoring Program coordinator at mentorprogram.ccflt@gmail.com.  They are provided free to Mentors and for $50 to Mentees, refundable at the end of the year if the Mentee has participated in the program for the full year.

• Mentors and mentees will prompted via email to report in on a quarterly basis to the Mentoring Program coordinator.  As noted below, one or both may enroll in the graduate credit option for their work in the program.  Or if they prefer a free certificate for professional development hours, they may keep a log of their hours and activities, submitting it to the Mentoring program coordinator at the end of the school year.  

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1 Credit Option

Mentees and Mentors who dedicate at least 12.5 hours (750 minutes) to their meetings over the school year may opt to register for a one-credit graduate "course" at CU Boulder.  Each participant in the Mentoring program can decide whether to take advantage of this option.  The requirements for successful completion of this course with a "Pass" grade include:

• Indicating to the Mentoring Program coordinator via e-mail one's intention to register in the course by January 15 each year and then registering and paying the $90 fee for the course by February 1,

• Meeting with one's Mentor/Mentee at least 12.5 hours (750 minutes) over the course of the school year,

• Keeping a log with the meeting times, durations, and take-aways (at least 2-3 sentences per meeting) and

• Sending the completed log to the CCFLT Mentoring Program Coordinator (mentorprogram.ccflt@gmail.com) by May 31.

 

These guidelines adapted from the ACTFL Mentoring Program Guidelines.