My Mentorship Profile

 My Profile: My name is Sarah. I am currently a junior at Flowery Branch High School.  This year, I was able to be a part of the Honors Mentorship Program. For as long as I can remember, teaching has always been a career that has interested me. Each year, seeing what all of my teachers do, has inspired me to pursue teaching as a career. Now that I am in this program, I am able to experience what it is really like to be a teacher. I love it!

My Mentorship: This year in Honors Mentorship, I am working in an Eighth Grade Georgia Studies classroom at C.W. Davis Middle School. I am working with my amazing mentor, Mr. Cantrell, who is always encouraging me to be as interactive as possible. He is teaching me about the everyday tasks of a teacher. Later this year, he is going to teach me how to use the technology that a teacher must use on a day-to-day basis. He will also teach me how to use some technology that can help my future students to better understand the material I will be teaching. In the classroom, I am observing how Mr. Cantrell is teaching and interacting with students (to see what helps students learn and how it is best to teach). I am walking around the classroom while his students are working on their assignments and helping them. Later this year, Mr. Cantrell will allow me to teach a lesson to his class! Lastly, I must mention my favorite task of the day, helping stacking up the chairs at the end of the day.

My Future: Next year, I hope to be a part of the Honors Mentorship Program again. However, I would be working in a different classroom to learn more techniques of teaching. This mentorship is really helping me because I will already have a good understanding on ways to easily connect with and teach different types of students. This is helping me prepare for my own classroom in the future and making me more passionate about teaching as my future career.

~Sarah

The Old Fashioned Ways

Growing up, my dad was a teacher. He was and still is working in education (I guess you can tell what sparked my interest in becoming a teacher). Because of this, I know the ins and outs of teachers's duties and I already had a perception of what a teacher does, before I began my mentorship. It is surprising to me to say that not much has changed from my dad's teaching experience from ten years ago. Sure, teachers have new gadgets and gizmos, but they are still teaching and doing the same things. Most jobs these days are changing rapidly and new tasks are being added to each job. For teaching, you are still making and giving tests, grading assignments, and teaching the same curriculum, and that is really comforting to me. They might do these tasks in a different way, but it is still the same as it has been this past decade. Even the very tedious and routine task of grading work or grading a project is mostly done with the always classic, red pen, like always. These tasks can take hours to do, but it is nice to see how important it is by taking the time to complete it. Sometimes, the old fashioned ways of completing tasks is always the best way.

~Sarah

A Partner In Your Education

Internships are truly a learning experience to the interns. You learn so many aspects of your desired job that you would have not expected. This is really beneficial because to those who do not have the opportunity to intern, may go into their job blind-sided and learn later that the job is not what they may have thought it to be. It's almost like you are back in a classroom, a very hands-on classroom. In classrooms, you may learn what you like and dislike. That's why when we were in high school, we usually knew what we wanted to do when we became older or at least knew what we did not want to do. For example, say a person named Billy disliked math (like I do). Billy would probably not want to be an engineer, an accountant, or a mathematician. Internships are the same way! We learn what we like and dislike about the job.

Internships also show people other careers they might be interested in. You may start an internship as a graphic designer only to see a computer designer doing his/her job, and you think, "Wow, that seems like something I would enjoy". In my case, I am beginning to be interested in becoming a school counselor, just in case I learned that teaching was not for me. 

Internships are not only beneficial to the interns, but for the mentors also. Interns can help the mentor complete routine tasks or less important tasks. Also, if the mentor has a huge workload, the intern can help that mentor complete the task quickly. In my internship, I try to help my mentor by going around the classroom and helping students. There is probably nothing more stressful for a teacher than to have twenty hands in the air with a question (probably the same question too). I can tell that my mentor is a little thankful to be able to take a little more time with each student while I take time with another. 

Internships are really beneficial to everyone involved. We all learn from each other and help each other. Internships are truly a "partner in your education".

The Art of Being a Teacher

The first month of my mentorship, a very exciting experience for me. When I walked in the classroom for the first time, I felt like I was at home.  I have learned so much about being a teacher simply just by observing. Teaching and interacting with coworkers is truly an art that needs to be mastered.

 For example, I have learned that a teacher must know what to do in every situation, whether it be a fire, a school lockdown, and even knowing what to do when a kid becomes sick in the classroom. They need to stay calm and know every protocol the school provides them as well as preparing for situations that are not included in the school’s protocols. Also, I have observed that newer teachers tend to teach more regular classes than the more experienced teachers. This is not always the case, however, many experienced teachers like teaching the regular level classes and tend to either teach only regular classes, or have a majority of regular classes and a few advanced classes. Finally, teachers ALWAYS communicate with their coworkers through email and face-to-face conversations. There is rarely texting among coworkers (who are not even supposed to have their phones out unless for educational purposes). Professional communication is very important in the world of teaching.

Once a person becomes a teacher, they are set to a different standard from the rest of the community. Teachers must be very professional in their attitudes, interactions, and especially in the way they dress. Every teacher must act like their students are watching them. There is a reason why we do not see any teachers posting pictures of them bikini-clad with alcohol in their hands. Again, teachers must present themselves professionally. Dressing in the workplace is both simple and tricky. Women must dress professionally and most importantly, MODESTLY. Sorry, but the truth is, teenage boys will be teenage boys. It is important to cover the cleavage, ladies, and to not wear skin-tight pants or mini-skirts. When in doubt, cover it up! For men, all that really need to be said is dress professionally. There is a reason why I am stressing the professional look: as a teacher, you want to taken very seriously and look like you know what you are talking about. Unfortunately, teachers can come across an unruly parent and you want to look like a professional. I cannot stress looking professional enough.

Luckily, I have been able to learn some of these elements of teaching during my mentorship. Also, thankfully, I am a fast learner, and I believe that is a quality that all teachers need. I am truly learning something everyday and I am amazed at the complexity of the everyday things that once seemed so simple. I am truly thankful to be doing this mentorship. 

-Sarah