Our Mentoring Services
Did you know that when teachers engage in ongoing professional development and mentoring, they are much more likely to become excellent teachers and stay in the profession for many years?
We heartily agree with this research finding, as we continue to feel the impact of our mentoring support through our years of experience in Waldorf education as class teachers, kindergarten teachers, specialty teachers, pedagogical administrators, and guest teachers. As all Waldorf teachers know, we are never done learning!
The foundation of our mentoring services is building relationships with our colleagues. Our first task in our work together is to help the colleague we are working with identify those areas in which they excel and those in which they see they need support. Then we offer inquiry, suggestions, and resources concerning those areas in need. These may include but aren’t limited to what Patti likes to call “The Big Five”:
- Classroom leadership
- Self-development
- Waldorf pedagogy
- Curriculum planning
- Artistic work – working out of the image, chalkboard drawing, painting, storytelling, form drawing, speech recitation, and metaphoric speech (teaching through images)
We also offer model teaching for the mentee, if we both determine after the first visit that this could be helpful. Of course, if the teacher or school has one specific area for the teacher to focus on, we will keep to that focus.
How We Might Schedule Our Mentoring Visit
We have found that mentoring works best in person with a minimum of 2 consecutive days for our first visit. Our usual plan is to meet with the teacher for at least 1-1 ½ hours before we observe (in person if possible). After the 1st observation we will meet for 45-60 minutes and the same on the 2nd day. There is so much to reflect on, ask questions about, and brainstorm on! On our final day we make plans for your in-school support and the additional support we can give you from afar. We will continue to check in via phone, video call, or email as needed, throughout the remainder of the school year and may decide to have another visit.
Fees
Please email us at admin@waldorfinspirations.com for our evaluation fees. If your school is out of our immediate vicinity, we can also arrange to discuss travel expenses and our criteria for food and lodging during our stay. Feel free to email us with any questions.
Want to Know More About Us?
Please read our biographies in the About Us section of our website. Over the years, we have supported schools and teacher training programs all over the globe. Let us know if you would like the name and contact information of folks who can share their impressions of our work with them.
We are so looking forward to talking with you on how one of us might best serve your school. It would be an honor. Request Information here
Blessings on your work,
Anna, Tim, and Patti