LDA Minnesota is recruiting Mentors for our Institute for Special Educators teacher preparation program. Mentors serve an important role in preparing future special educators and work with teacher candidates each academic year of the program.
LDA’s mentor position is a paid position. Mentors are paid a stipend for each teacher candidate they mentor, each semester they serve in the role.
To apply, please send resume and cover letter to mentors@ldaminnesota.org.
Job Duties:
- Mentors and their Mentees meet weekly (on average 1-2 hours a week) - this can happen a variety of ways - in-person, via text message, via Google Hangout or Zoom, classroom observations, etc. This is an average. Some weeks you may not meet - but other weeks you will and those times will vary. Time you spend grading assignments should be included in your hours for the week.
- Your responsibilities would include a "coaching" role, as well as a supervisory/evaluator role.
- Your coaching role will vary depending on the needs and current job responsibilities of your Mentee. Most of the students enrolled in the program are working as a Tier 1 or Tier 2 teacher or as a paraprofessional but we do have some teachers who already hold a teaching license but are “adding on” a special education license.
- Some examples of coaching work may include the following -
- Helping your Mentee calendarize professional responsibilities with LDA coursework.
- Helping your Mentee think about their classroom management.
- Helping your Mentee think about course scope and sequence, lesson planning, and assessment tools.
- Helping your Mentee with special education due process related questions.
- Complete classroom observations (virtually or in-person).
- Meeting with your Mentee about assignments related to the Clinical Seminar.
- You will also have some grading responsibilities related to the Clinical Seminar course students take. You will NOT need to attend the course - but you will grade the assignments related to the course.
- Mentors will attend one monthly Coaching meeting led by the Mentor Manager. These meetings are 3 hours a month and occur in the evening. You will receive Clock Hour documentation for these meetings. You will also receive Clock Hour documentation (30 hours) for your work as a Mentor in the program.
- Mentors will attend an Orientation in the Fall.
- The mentoring calendar is from January thru May this academic year (with a spring break).
- Mentors will take the Intercultural Developmental Inventory (IDI) and receive monthly coaching support from a cultural consultant as part of our monthly mentor meetings.
Experience Desired:
Mentors must have a current special education license in Minnesota and at least three years experience in the field of special education.
LDA is seeking mentors who are passionate about special education and want to share their experience and enthusiasm for special education with new educators.