Mentor Teacher Roles and Responsibilities Mentor Teachers serve as Residential Advisors, Instructional Facilitators and Cultural Advisors for the new teachers. As Residential Advisors, Mentor Teachers will be living on the same floor of a dormitory with new teachers (the teachers will have double-occupancy rooms; Mentor Teachers will have a single room with a telephone). In this role, Mentor Teachers will serve as a resource and advisor to the new teachers, to answer questions, help the new teachers adjust to the facilities, understand and follow dormitory and program rules (such as rules forbidding smoking indoors), and help ensure a comfortable and safe living environment for all residents. As Instructional Facilitators, Mentor Teachers will help facilitate group discussions with presenters/Guest Teacher Advisors on teaching topics and guide the new teachers in developing lesson plans, activities, and appropriate classroom practices. Mentor Teachers will also help lead regular small group review sessions, where they will help lead small groups of teachers in reflecting on the day’s sessions. Mentor Teachers may also be asked to serve on panel discussion(s) where they will share their ideas and experiences with the new teachers. Finally, Mentor Teachers will be serving as Cultural Advisors. In your time serving in the Guest Teacher Program, you have become aware of cultural differences between China and the U.S. and adept at communicating effectively with different people in different positions. As a cultural advisor, the role of Mentor Teachers will be to share their insights about how to adapt well to living and working in a new culture. Mentor Teachers will help the new teachers adjust to their new surroundings, cope with homesickness, understand the American life style and work environment. Mentor Teacher Expectations Mentor Teachers should plan to be on-site and available during the full length of the Chinese Guest Teacher Summer Institute, arriving on July 22 and staying through Aug. 3. The program has high expectations for Mentor Teachers and will require your full attention and dedication during the Institute. As a result, the program is unable to accommodate guests and/or family members during the Institute. Benefits of Serving as a Mentor Teacher -
A special recognition certificate in honor of your contributions to the Summer Institute Leadership skills development through working with leading experts in the foreign language teaching field More advanced professional development in teaching Chinese as a foreign language Opportunity to enjoy sunny California :)