Trusted Counselor

Today, there was an observer from the New Tech Foundation, Linda Ullah, who visited our school and provided some suggestions. She took the time to meet with me and welcomed me to the U.S. Linda is curious about the differences between the education systems in the U.S. and India. Interestingly, her husband is from Bangladesh, and she has traveled to many places in India. We also had a meeting with our school mentor today. I would like to share some information about the mentor system here in America. As I understand it, for every 20 new teachers (the first three years of a teaching career are considered "new"), there is a mentor assigned. This mentor may work across two or three different schools, depending on the size of the school district. The mentor's role is to serve as a trusted counselor, drawing from their extensive experience in the teaching field. Unlike principals, mentors do not inspect classrooms; instead, they assist with classroom management and organization. Teachers can approach their mentors to discuss any issues related to classroom experiences and the teaching profession freely and without hesitation. An interesting aspect of this system is that the mentor position is permanent, meaning every school has an official mentor available year-round, working directly under the Human Resources authority of the County. At New Tech, we have a vibrant and dynamic mentor, Mrs. Eleanor Johnson (the lady in the blue top), who has 30 successful years of experience in teaching. She also works at Jordan High School. Mrs. Johnson has a specific schedule to meet with all six new teachers at least once a week. These meetings are informal, straightforward, and incredibly useful. Her wise suggestions and comments have made my transition much easier. One invaluable piece of advice she gave me during the exchange program was to avoid comparing “Mr. Krishna” with “Vamsi sir” back home. This advice helped relieve a lot of pressure and allowed me to enjoy the exchange program more fully.  

By the way, did you notice the items on the table? She brings a variety of snacks and drinks to each meeting. Next Friday, she promised us lunch during our meeting!, haha, staff meeting ho to aisi!)