“New to MCC” Adjunct Mentoring Program
Welcome Mentees!
We are excited to work with this semester as we explore campus resources and best teaching
practices. We know that your experiences with teaching at the community college level vary
greatly, with some of you being new to teaching and others who are new to MCC but have been
teaching at the college level for many years. For those of you who have experience teaching, we
encourage you to share your knowledge and experiences. Together, we will learn a lot and
walk away with great ideas and strategies related to effective teaching at MCC!
What is CELT?
The Center for Enrichment of Learning and Teaching (CELT) is the vehicle by which all MCC
faculty, staff and administrative members have access to professional development
opportunities. CELT’s mission is to serve as leaders to the college community by providing
expertise, support, and resources to enhance learning, teaching, and scholarship. CELT will
foster an institutional culture where learning is our central focus.
In support of this mission, CELT members participate in campus wide conversations on
institutional initiatives and provide on and off campus professional development
opportunities related to effective pedagogical approaches as well as discipline specific
teaching strategies. Professional development activities include workshops, consultation,
webinars or other on-line tutorials, as well as more in depth learning experiences such as
on-line courses and summer institutes targeting issues such as course re-design. CELT
members provide mentoring and extensive professional development opportunities that
specifically target new faculty. CELT also provides guidance and expertise to faculty and
administrators on issues related to hiring processes for new faculty, on-going mentoring,
and providing effective feedback through observations. In addition, CELT provides
opportunities for collegial and intellectually stimulating conversations among faculty from
various disciplines, support and celebrate faculty scholarship activities, and engage in
educational research activities.
Page 1
Revised 08/24/15
CELT Mentoring Description:
As a new mentoring participant, you will be assigned two Mentors:
1. A Departmental Mentor
2. A CELT Mentor
The program is purposely designed to provide intensive support during the first semester
as an adjunct faculty member at MCC.
What is a Mentoring Circle?
A mentoring circle is composed of a group of people from across campus, who meet on a
regular basis to discuss specific topics typically focused upon career growth, teaching and
learning, and problem solving.
The Mentoring Circle model is an evidence-based practice. The research shows that new
faculty (this includes new to a school faculty) who have the opportunity to work with
multiple mentors and engage with other faculty across the campus and disciplines show
high levels of success and job satisfaction. The varied nature of the circle members allows
for consideration of topics from different perspectives which promotes scholarly and
productive discussions. Additionally, mentoring circles provide a means for sharing
insights and experiences as well as gaining support and advice from multiple members of
the college community – mentors and mentees alike.
There are 2 parts to the CELT “New to MCC” Adjunct Mentoring Program:
1. Monthly mentoring meetings.
Mentoring Description:
Every new to MCC adjunct participating in this program will be assigned 2 mentors: A
department mentor and a CELT mentor. There will be 5 mentoring sessions during the
semester.





September 14th OR 17th, 2015 (4:30 pm-5:45 pm)- CELT Mentoring Circle Meeting
(group session with “New to MCC” adjuncts and Dept and CELT Mentors)
During September- Individual meeting with your Dept mentor (date/time to be
arranged with your mentor)
During the week of October 19th, 2015 - Individual meeting with CELT Mentor
(date/time to be arranged with your mentor)
November 16th, 2015 (4:45 pm – 5:45 pm) - CELT Mentoring Circle Meeting (group
session with new adjuncts and Dept and CELT Mentors)
During the week of November 30th, 2015- Individual meeting with your Dept mentor
(date/time to be arranged with your mentor)
Page 2
Revised 08/24/15
2. A 4 week online course. Dates: September 21st, 2015-October 16th, 2015
Online Learning Academy Course Description:
This 4 week online course will familiarize you with the many resources offered at
Middlesex County College and will assist you in learning how to use Campus Cruiser tools
for your classes (the course management system). We’ll discuss strategies to set the stage
for success with an effective, motivational syllabus and powerful first day of class activities.
In addition, we’ll discuss research-based strategies on topics such as dynamic lecturing,
test design, grading, and motivating and engaging students.
Facilitators:
Hope-Claire Holbeck, hholbeck@middlesexcc.edu
Susan Altman, saltman@middlesexcc.edu
Donna-Marie Gardner, dgardner@middlesexcc.edu
Christine Harrington, charrington@middlesexcc.edu
Online Learning Academy
Learning Outcomes:
1. Faculty members will be able to discuss the various campus resources available to
faculty and students at Middlesex County College.
2. Faculty members will be able to use Campus Cruiser tools in their classes.
3. Faculty will be able to discuss the value and importance of an effective syllabus and
first day of class activities.
4. Faculty will be able to discuss and engage in research-based teaching practices.
Page 3
Revised 08/24/15
Online Learning Academy
Content:
Campus Resources










Academic Advising
Counseling and Career Services
Disability Services
Help Desk
Instructional Design
Library
Police
Registrar
Testing
Tutoring
Campus Cruiser Tools







Email and Announcements
Customizing the Welcome Page
Shared Files
Creating Message Boards
Creating an Electronic Grade Book
Creating Assignments and Using Gradebook
Online Quizzing
Research-Based Teaching Practices







Creating a Powerful Syllabus
First Day of Class Activities
Dynamic Lecturing
Academic Integrity
Test Design
Grading and Rubrics
Motivating Students
Page 4
Revised 08/24/15
Online Learning Academy Course Outline
Week
Topics of Message Boards
09/21/15 –
09/25/15
Week # 1:
Learning Tasks
Getting to Know Each Other Participate in Getting to Know Each Other
Message Board
Syllabus
First Day of Class
Watch Syllabus Video
Watch First Day of Class Videos
Read Chickering and Gamson’s Best Teaching
Practices Article (Shared Files)
Post your responses
09/28/15 –
10/02/15
Week # 2:
First Week Reflection
Dynamic Lecturing
Campus Resources
Campus Cruiser
10/05/15 –
10/09/15
10/12/15 –
10/16/15
Participate in First Week Reflection Message
Board
Watch Dynamic Lecturing Video and post your
response
View Campus Resources Videos
View Campus Cruiser Tutorials (and schedule
individual meetings with Technology team
member if needed)
Week # 3:
Test Design
Participate in Test Design Message Board
Grading and Rubrics
Participate in Grading and Rubrics Message Board
Academic Integrity
Resource
Watch Academic Integrity Video
Week #4
Engaging and Motivating
Students
Watch Engaging and Motivating Students Video
Participate in Engaging and Motivating Students
Message Board
Page 5
Revised 08/24/15
Mentor / Adjunct Mentee Schedule of Discussion Topics– Fall 2015
Week Of:
Topics of Discussion
September
Establishing a Rapport (Meet Dept Mentor and CELT Mentor)
Mentors will assist mentees in the following areas:



Get to know one another.
Establish goals for mentoring relationship.
Establish formal meeting and communication preference (in-person,
email, etc)
Getting to Know MCC
(Dept Mentor)


10/19
Describe Early Warning Grading System in Campus Cruiser.
Review available on-campus and online resources such as Academic
Advising, Disability and Counseling Services, Library, etc
 How is it going?
Mid-Semester Check-In (CELT Mentor)
Topics during this meeting may include:
(email or
other)

11/16
Grading Dilemmas (Dept and CELT Mentors)
(at Adjunct
Faculty
Mentoring
Circle
Meeting)

11/30
Adjunct Mentor Program Review and Assessment for Fall 2015
(Dept Mentor)
(email or
other)


Mid-semester grades, staying on track, challenging situations in or out of
the classroom, sharing success stories, etc.
Bring any questions you might have about grading dilemmas (e.g. should
we accept late work?)
Additionally, we will discuss
 Objective versus subjective grading and how the effective use of
rubrics can help diminish bias.
 It is OK if everyone does not get an A (it is even OK if some people
fail the course if they fail to meet the stated learning outcomes)!
Determine the continuing needs of the mentee and review any mentoring
topics from the current semester that require revisiting.
Page 6
Revised 08/24/15
Fall 2015 Adjunct Faculty
Mentee Schedule
~ September 2015 ~
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
1
2
3
4
7
8
9
10
11
14
15
16
17
18
Orientation to Adjunct
Mentoring Program
4:30 – 5:45 pm
21
Meet with your
Dept. Mentor this
week
(in-person, phone,
email, Skype, etc)
Orientation to Adjunct
Mentoring Program
4:30 – 5:45 pm
22
23
24
25
Week # 1
Message
Board
Responses to
Classmates
Complete
Week # 1 Message
Board Responses
Complete
Online Learning
Academy
Week #1
28
Online Learning
Academy
Week #2
29
30
Week # 2 Message
Board Responses
Complete
Page 7
Revised 08/24/15
Fall 2015 Adjunct Faculty
Mentee Schedule
~ October 2015 ~
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
1
Fri
2
Week # 2 Message
Board Responses to
Classmates
Complete
5
6
Online Learning
Academy
Week #3
12
Online Learning
Academy
Week #4
19
7
8
Week # 3 Message
Board Responses to
Classmates
Complete
Week # 3 Message
Board Responses
Complete
13
9
14
15
Week # 4 Message
Board Responses
Complete
16
Week # 4 Message
Board Responses to
Classmates
Complete
20
21
22
23
27
28
29
30
Meet with your
CELT Mentor this
week
(in-person, phone,
email, Skype, etc)
26
Page 8
Revised 08/24/15
Fall 2015 Adjunct Faculty
Mentee Schedule
~ November 2015 ~
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
2
3
4
5
6
9
10
11
12
13
16
17
18
19
20
24
25
26
27
Adjunct Faculty
Mentoring Meeting
4:30 – 5:30 pm
Topic: Grading
Dilemmas
23
30
Meet with your
Dept Mentor this
week
(in-person, phone,
email, Skype, etc)
Page 9
Revised 08/24/15
Fall 2015 Adjunct Faculty
Mentee Schedule
~ December 2015 ~
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
1
2
3
4
7
8
9
10
11
14
15
16
17
18
Last Day of Classes
21
22
23
24
28
29
30
31
25
Page 10
Revised 08/24/15
CELT “New to MCC” Adjunct Faculty
Mentoring Program Fall 2015
Mentoring Partnership Agreement
As a Mentor and Mentee in MCC’s CELT “New to MCC” Adjunct Faculty Mentoring
Program, we agree to abide by the following set of guidelines:

Commit to attending all mentoring meetings, as scheduled, throughout the
semester.

Keep the content of all mentoring meetings confidential.

Communicate honestly and respectfully with one another.

Provide constructive feedback to one another to improve the effectiveness of the
Mentor/Mentee relationship.
____________________________________
________________
Mentor
Date
____________________________________
________________
Mentee
Date
Page 11
Revised 08/24/15
Additional Professional Development Opportunities
Specialized CELT Events - Fall 2015
During the semester, the CELT team will host specialized professional development and /
or programming designed to provide additional support for faculty members. Since these
sessions are open to the campus community, attendance at these sessions can provide
invaluable learning and networking opportunities for all faculty members.
You need to register for all CELT events through the CELT website. You can register by
accessing the CELT website at www.middlesexcc.edu/CELT and clicking on “Register for
Upcoming Events”.
09/24/15:
Specialized CELT Event
2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Topic: Students with Disabilities in Your Classes: Accommodations,
Strategies and Technology
10/15/15:
Specialized CELT Event
2:00 p.m.– 3:15 p.m.
Academic Integrity and Student Code of Conduct Violations
CELT Monday Events
The division hour (11:00 am – 12:15 pm) of the fourth Monday of each month is designated
as CELT Monday. CELT Mondays offer you a variety of professional development
workshops and discussions focused on learning and teaching issues. Typically we offer one
session on the Scholarship of Learning and Teaching (SOTL) and one on Technology
(TECH). Everyone on campus is invited to attend, so again, attendance at these sessions
can provide invaluable learning and networking opportunities for all faculty members.
Your CELT team will post CELT event information on the CELT website whenever there is
an upcoming event. Don’t forget to check our website regularly
(http://www.middlesexcc.edu/celt/) to register and attend CELT events!
Page 12
Revised 08/24/15