Overview

TEAM District Facilitator Meeting

Initial Support Teacher Training (IST)

This virtual training prepares individuals, who have been selected by their districts, to be mentors who will support beginning and student teachers. Training is based on Connecticut’s Common Core of Teaching (CCT), which articulates the foundational standards for all teachers in Connecticut and is linked by state law and regulations to requirements across a teacher’s career including educator preparation, induction, evaluation and professional learning. Participants will focus on coaching skills needed to help beginning teachers become reflective practitioners and learn how to provide support to new teachers through instructional modules. This virtual training includes approximately 2 days of learning over the course of:
  • Three 2-hour synchronous (live) learning sessions
  • Asynchronous pre-work learning tasks that can be completed at your own pace prior to each synchronous (live) session
Participants must complete all parts of the virtual training to be qualified to serve in the role of mentor or cooperating teacher.

ACES
Coming Soon

CES
January 12, 19, 26, 3:00-5:00

CREC
January 12, 19, 26, 9:00 am-11:00 am
March 30, April 6, 13, 1:00-3:00
May 11,18, 25, 9:00am-11:00am

EASTCONN
January 14, 21, 28, 3:00-5:00
January 26, February 2, 9, 3:00-5:00
March 11, 18, 25, 3:00-5:00
April 29, May 6, 13, 3:00-5:00

EdAdvance
Coming soon

LEARN
January, 12, 19, 26, 4:00-6:00

Initial Reflection Paper Reviewer Training (IRT)

Successful completion of the TEAM Initial Reviewer Training will enable participants to review TEAM reflection papers and projects to determine if there is sufficient evidence to successfully meet the TEAM module criteria. The training will consist of 3 two-hour facilitated online sessions and pre-work for each session.
Important Registration Information
In order to successfully complete the training, participants must complete all pre-work and session activities in the order of presentation. That means that if participants are unable to complete any of the pre-work or sessions, they will have to finish the training by registering for and attending the missed sessions and completing the pre-work at another training. Therefore, it is important that participants only register for a training where they know that they will be able to attend each of the three sessions and complete the pre-work.
ACES
Coming soon

CES
January 14, 21, 28, 3:00-5:00

CREC
Coming Soon

EASTCONN
Coming soon

EdAdvance
Coming Soon

LEARN
Coming Soon

Mentor Update Professional Learning Series

The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) along with the RESC Alliance and other stakeholders have launched a new Mentor Update Professional Learning Series which will replace the previous online Mentor Update Training. Please log into the TEAM workspace to access the online update.

The new Mentor Update Professional Learning Series is a suite of professional learning units designed to build on and enhance the knowledge and skills that were learned in Initial Support Teacher Training (IST). Support teachers will be able to select from a menu of professional learning units (PLUs) that address a wide variety of topics designed to meet their learning needs. This allows them to direct their own professional growth as they build skills to effectively support beginning and student teachers. Support teachers will be expected to complete a minimum of three PLUs within three years. We suggest completing at least one PLU per year over the three years. Support teachers are encouraged to select PLUs that meet their immediate professional learning needs and the needs of the beginning teachers and student teachers whom they are supporting. While support teachers are required to complete three PLUs over three years, they may find that there are several PLUs they would like to complete beyond the required three. There is no limit to the number of PLUs a support teacher may complete.

Professional Learning Units are designed to provide support teachers with a variety of options from which to choose. The "units" focus on support teacher needs, are research based, and address a wide range of topics. Support teachers are a critical part of induction. High-quality mentors/cooperating teachers are needed to support and guide the development of beginning and student teachers through their challenging early years in the classroom.

The educational landscape is rapidly changing. There is an increase in racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity in the student population. Emerging innovative technologies are changing the ways in which we learn, think, and interact. Expectations for accountability have increased. Teaching and learning standards influence instructional design, classroom culture, and relationships with parents and the community. These are just some of the many reasons why beginning teachers and student teachers face multiple challenges in the classroom. Without high-quality support, many beginning teachers will leave the profession. However, research strongly indicates that mentoring and induction make a real difference.

Our goal is to provide mentor/cooperating teachers with the professional learning they need to successfully support beginning and student teachers through these the early years of their careers. We will continue to add new topics to the series each year. If there is a topic you would like to see offered, please email your suggestions to Claudine Primack at claudine.primack@ct.gov.