The Faculty Mentor Program at Carrollton was originally created by Sister Seitz, former assistant head for curriculum. According to the current head of the program, Ms. Azan, “There was no mentoring program when I first came to Carrollton in the year 2000. A few years after I started, when Sister Seitz came to work full time, she was the one that began the mentoring program. At that point, I became a mentor.” Over the years, the program has developed into a more formal and structured process.
As part of her role, Ms. Azan ensures that new faculty members understand the Sacred Heart mission and feel a sense of inclusion. “It’s really about acclimating people to the ethos of what it means to be a Sacred Heart educator and,” said Ms. Azan, “in particular, Miami-Carrollton culture.”
A new development introduced by Ms. Azan this year is “Mentee Monday,” a meeting that takes place every other week where mentors and mentees discuss important topics using a checklist as a guide. “It really helps people think, ‘Ok, I need to cover these things at this time and this week,’” said Ms. Azan.
The program also includes coaching sessions to introduce new staff to teaching strategies, such as those from the book “Neuroteach.” These sessions help new faculty understand important concepts that are central to Carrollton’s approach to teaching.
Mentee Experiences
New faculty members have found the program to be extremely helpful. Mr. Silva, Upper School computer science teacher, described his mentor, Upper School math teacher Ms. Cannon, as “super helpful.” He said that the meetings are mostly one-on-one, which has allowed him to ask questions he might not feel comfortable asking in other settings. Although he and his mentor are in different departments, he explained, “Computer science and math are alike in a weird sense.” This makes their discussions easier.
Mr. Silva also appreciated the focus on the school’s mission during orientation, especially since it was his first time working at a Catholic school. He found it valuable that the school dedicates as much time to helping teachers understand the mission as they do helping students. When asked if he would be interested in a two-year mentor program, he responded, “I would not turn that down. That sounds great.”
Mentor Perspectives
For the mentors, the program is an opportunity to give back and help new staff feel welcome. Ms. Cannon, who is in her fourth year at Carrollton, said that when she started, the program wasn’t as formal. “Now it’s more formal. There’s more structure now and intentional things that we’re doing within the program,” she explained.
Ms. Cannon also enjoys the opportunity for mentees to observe their classes, a feature she wished had been available when she first started. Overall, she believes the mentor program is “definitely beneficial, especially for the mentees to have somebody that they can go to no matter what.”
One challenge mentors face is finding time to meet as “time is a precious resource,” but Ms. Cannon agreed that scheduling regular meetings is helpful. She also recommended the program to others, saying, “It’s an awesome way of building community and of giving back to what you’ve received.”
Looking Ahead
As head of the program, Ms. Azan is always thinking about how to improve it. She mentioned ideas like inviting students to talk with new teachers during orientation and possibly extending the mentor/mentee relationship to two years. This would allow for continued support as new teachers settle into their roles.
As the program continues to grow, it remains focused on its mission: creating a welcoming, supportive community for new faculty at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart. As Ms. Cannon put it, “It’s nice to make people feel welcome.”
Brad Poore • Oct 14, 2024 at 12:07 pm
The mentees lay an important role for new faculty. Thanks for writing this article, Alyssa!