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Appendix E
2 relates a similar situation and how she managed it with advice for next steps. Relationships are built during this time that support new teachers emotionally and instructionally. Shirley has three new teachers whom she mentors. One of the new hires is from China, has had a difficult time being away from his family and has relied heavily upon Shirley for support, so much so that he told me she was his American Mom during my second observation. Interview with Shirley Shirley worries about the Chinese teacher as though he were her child. During the first interview, she told me she was concerned about his comprehension and classroom interactions. The teacher had told her that the fast pace of the middle level classroom was difficult for him to manage, and that when more than one person was speaking in English he has more difficulty understanding what is being said. His classroom management is poor, as the cultural divide between Chinese classroom management and American classroom management is a leap he has not quite made. When Shirley had a student steal art materials from her classroom, she asked the Chinese teacher to come observe how she facilitated the class meeting as a model. She was firm with her expectations for students. She used her relationship with her students as she shared her concerns about the misbehavior, and explained how much she trusted them, allowed them to use her materials (many of them her own personal supplies), and asked for help from the students to stop the behavior. Those who knew what happened and saw it happened could talk to her at a later time. Those who actually stole the string and took it out of the room were asked to stop. Without singling out anyone: those who participated in the misuse of her materials, those students who saw inappropriate and those who did not even know it was happening all heard the same message. The conversation was about 2 minutes in length and very effective. Narrative Analysis I was confused because Shirley kept referring to the Chinese teacher by his Chinese name (pronounced nothing like he spells it in English). When he got up from the table to go get some more yogurt, I asked her why she called him by that name. She went on to tell me how disrespectful it was to call people by an English name just because Americans cannot pronounce Chinese names very well. It was not fair or welcoming to people from other countries to have to take an English name. It was another example of not respecting other cultures and the Ugly American. Shirley was not shy in her answer and explained all of this to me in a normal voice surrounded by Goodfun teachers in the lounge, not hiding the topic of our conversation at all. When the Chinese teacher returned to the table, the conversation went back to the course of the day and weekend plans. After a few turns of the conversation where the Chinese teacher was called by his Chinese name, I simply asked the novice Chinese teacher, What would you like to be called? W____ is my American name, he told me but I it seems as though he uses American and English in the same manner. I then asked why he had an American name and a Chinese name. He explained to us that most Chinese
3 nationals adopt American names while they are in the US because when Americans say their names, the pronunciation is so poor that the Chinese nationals do not know anyone is talking to them. When an American name is used, they are better able to attend right away when some one is addressing them. That conversation was interrupted and went in a different direction. Interpretive Commentary It is evident that the relationship between the master teacher (Shirley) and the new hire (Chinese teacher) functions due to a high level of trust. Because of the high level of trust, Shirley is able to perform the four functions of a mentor as defined by Portner (2008): relating, assessing, coaching and guiding. Shirley is a very relational teacher, and seeks opportunities to work closely with new hires. One example of this is the breakfast she organized for each Friday with a sign up sheet for those who want to participate. The Chinese teacher referring to her as his American Mom is also evidence of a strong relationship between the two. Shirley assesses his classroom management, sees that he needs support and looks for ways to model and coach him. When I interviewed her she talked at length about his experience as a student in China and his experience in a highly diverse, low SES building being polar opposites. His schema is nowhere close to the environment in which he teaches. While I do not question Shirleys intent when she sent out the email about his Chinese vs. American name, I do question the impact it has had on their relationship. Did he see her as an advocate or was he offended? Working Hypothesis The cultural classroom management divide for the Chinese teacher is much too large to cross alone. I truly believe that he would not have made it through the year without the support of his mentor. His program has grown. A section of Chinese I (next year) for eighth graders was born from the Exploratory Chinese for 7th graders this year. To honor the .6 FTE in his contract, he can only teach three classes. Goodfun has requested him for all three classes. He will have to give up his class at Lux Middle School where the students are mostly white, wealthy and studious. It was easy to teach there, but he did not have a mentor. He has chosen to take the more difficult assignment because of the support he has received from Shirley. Next Steps In an interview with the Chinese teacher I would like to expand on the Chinese/American name choice to gain a better understanding of culture. Gallup says that something like 80% of people are called by a name they do not like. I would like to know how many of the new hires feel supported, and what has made them feel that way. I would also like to know what other mentors are doing to attend to the four functions of a mentor. Is relationship building the glue that keeps/binds
4 the new hires in the profession? What happens when the relationship between the mentor and new hire goes south?