TEXAS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PRESENTS VIP MENTOR TRAINING:

STAGES OF CONCERN

Protégé Concern One:  There isn’t enough time to get everything done.  I’m not able to get any of my lesson planned or documentation completed each day, so I spend all weekend trying to catch up.

Protégé Concern Two:  Some of my students are just not learning, even though I present the material every way I know how.  If they don’t learn from me this year, they’re going to be behind next year.

Protégé Concern Three:  I’m just really afraid that all this extra attention I’m getting as the new teacher is really just a way to assess me.  I’m getting more and more nervous every time someone comes to observe me.

Protégé Concern Four:  Yeah, my teaching’s going fine.  I’m really not worried about it.

Protégé Concern Five:  I’m sure I know a better way to teach abacus than the method we’re using now.  I want to use the right to left counting method, instead of secrets.

Protégé Concern Six:  I wish there was more time to work with other VI professionals, because I really think they could understand what I’m going through, and they might have some ideas to help me. 

Protégé Concern Seven:  I need to know exactly what procedures I’m supposed to use at the end of the grading period; what types of reports I’m supposed to provide, and I really don’t want any surprises.

Protégé Concern Eight:  I’m afraid that when I have a talk with a parent about their child’s behavior problem, that they’ll side with the student and get angry with me.

Protégé Concern Nine:  I am just really having difficulty keeping up with all the assessments to prepare for ARDs, as well as finding time for instruction. 

Protégé Concern Ten:  Yeah, I wish I knew the procedures for getting supplies.  I’m not sure whether my supplies are supposed to last all year, or whether I have to pay for what gets lost or broken.

Protégé Concern Eleven:  I just came back from Texas Focus, and I heard about a new way to teach daily living skills.  I want to try it!

Protégé Concern Twelve:  The special education teacher and I went to an active learning workshop, and we got some great new ideas for learning.

Protégé Concern Thirteen:  The PT and I are working together on encouraging our student to explore new environments.

Protégé Concern Fourteen:  I learned about a new piece of equipment, the Braille Note, which I think would be great for my student to use to write down complicated roots.