The work that a Beginning Teacher (BT) and a Mentor Teacher accomplish together can be greatly enhanced by setting goals. Although the partnership may be working on several goals within the course of the year, the program requires the Mentor and BT choose at least one goal to document. The Mentor is asked to collaborate and offer guidance to the BT in setting the goal(s). It is most effective to keep the goal specific and concrete, yet meaningful to your instruction and growth.
This is a working document for you to use to stimulate and guide your thinking process. You may work on one goal all year; or you may prefer to begin new worksheets as your goal(s) are accomplished. You are expected to turn in one goal worksheet for the program requirements. Submit a copy by September 30 th with pertinent areas completed.
Please adapt this template to suit your needs; and as always, keep a copy for your records and your continued efforts toward meeting the goal(s) you set.
If you have further questions, feel free to contact the Mentor Program Office.
(To   b e   submitted   by   Se pt emb er   30 t h )
_8/15/2015___ _________Valorie Rigby_______ ___________Michelle Allen________
Date Beginning Teacher Name Mentor Name
School _____________Montgomery Complex_________
S
PECIFIC
My Specific Goal: The area/topic I will address (e.g., reading instruction, long division, and problem solving): Instruction in Algebra I classes. According to test data from last year my students are low in problem solving skills and long division skills which reduces total math testing results. My students will meet or exceed long division norms in my five classes using appropriate district and school specific testing data. My students will show an improvement of __________________% (could use points here or however the data is expressed rather than a percentage) as defined by the test results.
M
EASUREABLE
How will my goal be measured or how will I know when my goal is accomplished?
To measure my students’ academic progress, I will use the following sources:
 Tables of raw student data by class and their assessment score.
 Tables of compiled data (e.g., percent of students at a certain benchmark, such as proficiency level).
 Graphs of compiled data (e.g., pie charts, stacked charts).
 Simultaneous graphing of multiple measures (e.g., a mixture of various standardized measures).
 Informal formative assessments
3315 Louisiana Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110 Phone 505.880.8249 Fax 505.883.2773
Website http://www.aps.edu/departments/mentor-program-for-teachers
A
TTAINABLE/ACTION ORIENTED
Rev: 07/15

Actions required to achieve my goal (include how your mentor can support you and time frames).
I will work with my mentor teacher to infuse more problem solving activities in my lesson plans, along with supportive instructional strategies such as cooperative work groups, use of manipulatives, and student explanations of the problems. I will ask the mentor teacher to work closely with me and to demonstrate lessons, to team teach with me, and to help me find opportunities to visit other Algebra I classrooms. I will also ask for help in planning lessons that include the teaching strategies best used for my goals.
R
EALISTIC/RELEVANT
Is my goal realistic within the resources at hand? How will achieving this goal impact my work in the classroom with students?
My goal is realistic and relevant because my plan involves using data to guide my lesson planning. I know where my students are weak and I plan to focus specifically on those areas to improve their math skills. I will also have support from my mentor teacher to help me implement instructional strategies targeted to meet my goals. I feel confident in tackling my goals because I will have a mentor to guide me through the process and to support me in my plan. I will impact student learning because I am focusing on the areas where they are weak and need the most help. I will employ strategies that will support their learning.
T
IME BOUND
How often will we review and reassess this goal?
My mentor and I will communicate with each other at least two times per week to discuss my progress, to team teach, to observe and to plan my lessons. We will examine the measureable data monthly to track student progress. Depending on what the data indicates, my mentor and I will make adjustments in my planning and teaching strategies. In the Spring, or close to the end of the year, my mentor and I will compare all the data, assess my teaching strategies and progress, and decide in what areas I have succeeded and what challenges I have experienced through the year. This process will help me to plan for the coming year.
NOTE: A progress statement (see form) of your work regarding the above SMART goal is to be submitted by
April 30.
3315 Louisiana Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110 Phone 505.880.8249 Fax 505.883.2773
Website http://www.aps.edu/departments/mentor-program-for-teachers
Rev:   07/14

Due April 15 th
At the beginning of the school year, each Mentor was asked to collaborate and offer guidance to the BT in setting a
SMART Goal(s). Formative assessments as to the progress made in working toward the SMART goal should have occurred periodically throughout the year (Time Bound).
The end of the school year provides an excellent time to reflect on the goal(s) set at the beginning of the year. This summative assessment of the work for the year should include a brief statement from the Beginning Teacher and the
Mentor Teacher as to how work toward the goal(s) progressed. The emphasis is on the process, not necessarily the end result.
If you have further questions, feel free to contact the Mentor Program Office.
I   wondered   at   first   how   I   would   accomplish   my   goal   of   raising   problem   solving   skills,   long   division   skills,   and   story   problem   interpretation   skills,   but   I   gained   insight   as   I   interpreted   data   from   pre ‐ assessments,   formative   and   summative   assessments,   and   standardized   test   scores   for   every   student.
I   began   to   correlate   my   students’   progress   with   my   instruction.
For   example,   I   planned   a   unit   for   problem   solving   involving   small   group   work.
I   had   not   thoroughly   planned   how   my   groups   would   function   and   I   did   not   clearly   communicate   my   expectations   for   group   work,   so   when   I   compared   the   students’   pre ‐ assessments   with   post ‐ assessments,   I   found   they   had   not   made   much   progress,   if   any   at   all.
I   discussed   my   findings   with   my   mentor   and   through   my   mentor’s   observation   and   guidance   from   discussion,   I   realized   that   I   needed   to   plan   more   thoroughly   and   teach   my   students   how   I   wanted   them   to   behave   in   small   groups.
I   learned   from   sessions   with   my   mentor   that   individual   data   on   every   student   that   indicated   where   students   were   strong   and   weak   could   be   powerful   information   for   designing   instruction   to   prepare   students   for   standardized   tests   and   for   moving   on   to   the   next   math   level.
Even   though   I   failed   with   my   first   group   work   unit,   the   process   of   thinking   through   what   could   improve   small   group   learning,   and   thereby   improve   individual   student   learning,   was   an   enlightening   experience   that   convinced   me   that   reflection   through   writing   and   dialogue   is   a   potent   and   vigorous   method   for   examining   problems   or   dilemmas   of   practice.
Once   my   BT   selected   her   goal,   we   began   a   shared   “learning ‐ to ‐ teach”   dialogue.
We   employed   a   number   of   dialogue   strategies   including   “thinking   aloud,”   offering   suggestions,   planning   lessons,   engaging   in   active   listening,   engaging   in   electronic   discussion,   and   journaling   before   and   after   discussion,   all   of   which   centered   on   her   goal(s).
Valorie   learned   to   assess   what   teaching   strategies   worked   best   to   accomplish   her   goal(s).
Through   observations   of   other   teachers   and   through   discussing   tapes   of   her   own   teaching,   she   came   to   recognize   the   difference   between   strategies   that   work   with   students   and   teacher   behaviors   that   are   less   successful.
Again   we   centered   on   her   goal(s),   but   the   discussions   and   observations   applied   to   all   areas   of   teaching   and   developed   Valorie’s   understanding   of   her   students   and   how   they   learned   math   concepts   and   the   context   within   which   she   teaches   them.
3315 Louisiana Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110 Phone 505.880.8249 Fax 505.883.2773
Website http://www.aps.edu/departments/mentor-program-for-teachers
Rev:   07/15