Residency Mentors

Office of Educator Preparation

Purpose of Mentor Teacher

Research suggests that the mentor teacher serves as an especially influential person in the professional development of the residency candidate. Mentors are selected on the basis of professional experience and success as a teacher. Candidates look to mentors as role models, and the mentor plays an essential part in the induction of the candidate into the teaching profession.

News & Updates

Pre-Residency Begins - July to August 22, 2025

  • Candidates will begin to recive their placements details in mid-July to early August. Students will reach out to set an intial meeting and help prepare for the beginning of the school year!

Residency I - August 25, 2025 to December 5, 2025

 

Important Information

  • Handbook & Resources

    2025-2026 Mentor & Supervisor Handbook - Comming Soon

  • Qualifications

    Required Qualifications:

    • Hold an active Tennessee license with an endorsement in the area or a closely related area where they will be supervising the candidate;
    • Have a level of overall effectiveness of above expectations or significantly above expectations for the prior school year; and
    • Have a minimum of three (3) years of experience as a teacher, school services personnel, or instructional leader as applicable.

    Desired Qualifications:

    • Recommended by the principal or other appropriate district supervisor.
    • Demonstrated dispositions that support the development of teacher candidates, including:
      • Willingness and ability to assume the roles expected of a mentor, such as advocate, counselor, coach, and critic
      •  Willingness and ability to work as a team member to promote the development of a novice.
    • Interested in working with teacher candidates.
      • Understands and is committed to the co-teaching model for preparing beginning teachers 
    • Willingness to attend mentor teacher orientation and/or training during the first few weeks of the mentoring experience.
    • Willingness to provide feedback to the Office of Educator Preparation and university faculty.
    • Proficient with technology to use Watermark platform and communicate with university supervisors and Office of Educator Preparation.

    *Exceptions to these criteria must be approved by the Director of Field Experiences and Residency, in consultation with the designated School contact person(s), with a documented rationale for the exception. If appropriate, additional supervision and monitoring may be required.

  • Responsibilities of the Mentor Teacher

    The mentor teacher assists the residency candidate in the following ways:

    • Sharing Responsibilities: Mentor Teacher and Residency Candidate Co-Teaching

      During the residency year, residency candidates should be considered a co-teacher within the classroom and are encouraged to co-teach with their mentor teachers each time they are in the classroom. Co-teaching is defined as two teachers working together in a classroom with students; sharing the planning, organization, delivery, and assessment of instruction, as well as, the physical space. During the residency year, co-teaching provides benefits to not only mentor teachers and residency candidates, but also to the students in the classroom.

    • In becoming a caring professional


      In becoming a caring professional

      • Become familiar with the mentor section of the Educator Preparation Handbook.
      • Provide class rolls, textbooks, etc., for your residency candidate.
      • Prepare to receive the residency candidate by adjusting the classroom situation as necessary.
        • Organize a work place (desk).
        • Prepare a Survival Kit.
        • Announce to the class that a co-teacher will be assisting in the teaching of the class during coming year.
      • Establish a supportive climate of acceptance, enthusiasm, and open communication with the residency candidate to ensure a positive relationship and successful experience.
      • Communicate frequently before problems escalate and work with the residency candidate to remedy problems promptly.
      • Generate the necessary faculty cooperation for school-wide acceptance of the residency candidate.
      • Help the residency candidate to develop a positive perception of the profession, a commitment to teaching, and a realistic concept of the total responsibilities of a teacher.
      • Think of the residency candidates as novice professional colleagues or co-teachers rather than teachers’ aides.

       

    • In becoming an effective practitioner

      In becoming an effective practitioner

      • Discuss with the residency candidate the decision making process and alternatives as they relate to planning, implementing instruction, and managing the classroom.
      • Model effective teaching techniques and behaviors:
        • Accommodations for learner differences
        • Classroom management techniques
        • Professional behavior.
      • Instruct the residency candidate in methods, technology, and strategies used in the classroom.
      • Provide opportunities for the residency candidate to observe varied teaching styles and methods.
      • Work with the residency candidate using co-teaching models.
      • Plan a progression of experiences that will ease the residency candidate from small group teaching to assuming responsibility for designing instruction for the whole class.
    • In becoming a critical thinker
      • Provide cooperative help during daily planning sessions for the instructional program in the classroom. Allow the residency candidate to employ individual methods of his/her choosing within the existing framework of the classroom.
      • Require residency candidate’s lesson plans (using ETSU’s lesson plan format) at least two days prior to instruction.
      • Assist in the development of a Teacher Performance Assessment (see guidelines).
      • Provide continuous and specific evaluations of the residency candidate’s performance in informal daily conferences and in regularly scheduled formal conferences with the candidate, making use of written and verbal feedback.
      • Give daily oral feedback on professionalism, instructional skills, classroom management, communication skills, content knowledge, methodology, and rapport with students.
      • Observe and evaluate the residency candidate’s instruction during the semester.
      • Encourage the residency candidate’s self-evaluation and reflection.
    • Residency Candidate Evaluations

      Residency Candidate Evaluations

      • Provide the university supervisor with written assessment (Mentor Quick-Check Evaluation Form) of the residency candidate’s progress during each supervisor’s scheduled observation.
      • Immediately call or e-mail the supervisor with concerns.
      • If problems arise, participate in designing a Development Plan.
      • Participate in evaluations in collaboration with the supervisor and residency candidate.
      • Care should be taken to provide an accurate and specific description of the residency candidate’s competencies in evaluations, as these will become a part of the candidate’s file.
    • Welcoming Your Residency Candidate

      Welcoming Your Residency Candidate

      • Introduce the residency candidate to other faculty members, support personnel, and administrators.
      • Tour the school (staff work areas, the lounge, adult restrooms, etc.)
      • Post the residency candidate’s name (Mr. / Ms. Smith) along with your name near the classroom door.
      • Send a note to families letting them know you will have a residency candidate co-teaching with you.
      • Review items in the faculty handbook that directly affect the residency candidate: the contractual day, issues related to school security, etc.
      • Share that “bit of information” that matters: “There is a ‘Peanut Free’ table in the cafeteria” or “Staff members never park in Lot A.”
      • Explain any staff activities or special events the residency candidate could choose to participate in or attend.
      • Discuss classroom rules and expectations for student behavior as well as acceptable rewards and consequences.
      • Provide a copy of the student handbook.
      • Assemble a binder with useful information including class lists, daily schedules, classroom rules, discipline referral forms, etc.
      • Mark important dates for faculty meetings, your week for hall duty, school wide music programs, etc.
      • Gestures of kindness, no matter how small, have a positive impact.
  • Student Learning & Licensure by Watermark

    Student Learning & Licensure will be utilized by candidates to log their residency hours. Mentor teachers will need to check Student Learning & Licensure weekly to confirm candidates are logging their hours and approve the hours submitted by the student. This ensures residency candidates are adhering to their set schedule as well as arriving and departing school on time.

    Please follow the instructions below to access your Student Learning & Licensure account:

    1. You should receive an email from Student Learning and Licensure by Watermark to begin the login process (In some instances it may go to your spam or junk folder). If you do not receive an email, you can use the following link to login to Student Learning and Licensure: Mentor Login to SLL
    2. Use your school email address as your username. You will be prompted to create a password.

    We have also included some links to helpful instructions and videos below:

    If you have trouble logging into Student Learning & Licensure or any additional questions, please email the Office of Educator Preparation at edprep@etsu.edu 

  • Mentor Awards and Recognitions
    • 2024-2025 Mentor Teachers of the Year
      • Hannah Barnett, Woodland Elementary
      • Rebekah Moulton, Ridgeview Elementary 
      • Brooke Echevarria, Gray Elementary
      • Amber Vaughn, South side Elementary 
      • Allison Russell, Indian Trail Middle
      • Wendy Gass, Unaka Elementary
      • Amy Carroll, Rockford Elementary 
      • Stephanie Burtt, Rush Strong School
    • 2023-2024 Mentor Teachers of the Year
      • James Bilicki-Roy, Cherokee Elementary, Department of Physical Education

      • Hunter Graybeal, Science Hill High Schooll, K-12 Education
      • Jamie Mains, Southside Elementary, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
      • Amy Nida, Kennedy Elementary,  Department of Early Childhood Education
      • Hayley Parker, Indian Trail Middle School, Department of Special Education 
    • 2022-2023 Mentor Teachers of the Year
      • Emily Cook, John Adams Elementary, Department of Early Childhood Education
      • Hailey Eaton, Haynesfield Elementary, Department of Secondary Education
      • Brittany Gray, Jonesborough Elementary, Department of Curriculum & Instruction
      • Taylor Montgomery, Woodland Elementary, Deparment of Special Education
      • Angela Self, Northwest Elementary School, Department of Curriculum & Instruction
      • Trey Trammell, Andrew Jackson Elementary, Department of Physical Education
      • Kimberly Wright, Witt Elementary, Department of Early Childhood Education
    • 2021-2022 Mentor Teachers of the Year 
      • Mary Hatzikazakis, Andrew Johnson Elementary, Department of Early Childhood Education 
      • Emmaline Hilton, John F. Kennedy Elementary, Department of Curriculum & Instruction
      • Wesley Idelette, Andrew Johnson Elementary, Department of Exercise Science
      • Holly Jamerson, Ridgeview Elementary, Department of Curriculum & Instruction
      • Jessica Miller, Sulpher Springs Elementary, Department of Educational Foundation and Special Education  
      • Jennifer Rule, New Center Elementary, Department of Curriculum & Instruction 
      • Jamie Gann, Jefferson Elementary School, Department of Early Childhood Education     
    • 2020-2021 Mentor Teachers of the Year
      • Alyssa Ison, Tennessee High School, Department of Curriculum & Instruction
      • Andrew Walters, John F. Kennedy Elementary, Department of Curriculum & Instruction
      • Diane Wilson, Doe Elementary, Department of Curriculum & Instruction
      • Sarah Goad, Ellen Myers School, Department of Curriculum & Instruction
      • Amy Calhoun, John Adams Elementary, Department of Early Childhood Education
      • Laura Owens, Harold McCormick Elementary, Department of Educational Foundation and Special Education
      • Tiffany Collins, Woodland Elementary, Department of Exercise Science
    • 2019-2020 Mentor Teachers of the Year
      • Kristy Walters, Theodore Roosevelt Elementary, Department of Curriculum & Instruction
      • Laura Lifford, Science Hill High School, Department of Curriculum & Instruction
      • Jill McKie, Parrottsville Elementary, Department of Curriculum & Instruction
      • Carol Baker, Palmer Center, Department of Early Childhood
      • Christi Prater, Mary Blount Elementary, Department of Early Childhood Education
      • Sandra Babel, Science Hill High School, Department of Educational Foundation and Special Education
      • James Pearson, Hunter Elementary, Department of Exercise Science
  • Observations and Conferences 

    Just as residency candidates assess students' performance based on achievment of goals, residency candidates will also be assessed. Residency candidates' mentor teachers and university supervisors collaboratively supervise residency candidates' development during the residency year.

    During Residency I and Residency II, residency candidates and their menntor teachers should meet formally once a month to identify strengths, areas to refine, and set goals. This is a good time to solve issues and dilemmas that arise. The Candidate and Mentor Reflective Discussion Summary should be used to document there feedback sessions and candidates should attach these documents in D2L, for university supervisors to view.

    Mentor teachers will also complete the Residency Candidate Performance Checklist each month. The Residency Candidate Performance Checklist assesses candidates's professional dispositions exhibited during their residency year. University supervisors will use the Residency Candidate Performance Checklist to complete the Educator Disposition Assessment (EDA) at the end of Residency I and Residency II.

  • Substitute Teaching Guidelines for Candidates

    District Substitute training is a requirement for all residency candidates. Candidates will complete substitute training and upload the Candidate to Substitute Contract into D2L during Pre-residency. Candidates may count substitute training toward their residency hours; however, candidates may NOT count time substituting toward their required Pre-residency or Residency I hours.

    • Pre-Residency & Residency I

      During Pre-residency and Residency I, candidates are allowed to complete substitute teaching whenever they are available and accept a position. This is considered a part-time job for our candidates, and they are unable to count the hours paid for substitute teaching toward their Residency I hours.

    • Residency II

      During Residency II, candidates are allowed to substitute in two settings, but must follow the guidelines below:

      1. In the event a mentor teacher is absent, residency candidates will be paid to substitute for their
        mentor teacher without restrictions.
      2. Residency candidates can substitute in other classrooms within their placement school if they have obtained approval from their mentor teacher and ETSUsupervisor. Candidates are limited to 5 days of substitute teaching in other classrooms.
      3. Candidates are responsible for recording dates, locations, subject and/or grade level of their experience on the Student Learning & Licensure time log.

    *Candidates may be removed from eligibility for substitute teaching at any time, for any reason or for no reason, by the principal of the school, mentor teacher, and/or ETSU Supervisor, or seminar leader.

    **Long-term substituting must receive prior approval through the Office of Educator Preparation.

    ***When substituting, the candidate is acting as a substitute for the school system rather than as a teacher candidate for ETSU. Candidates will abide by all policies, rules and regulations of the school system while performing the duties of a substitute teacher.