Sometimes teachers are asked to team teach with a new and inexperienced teacher. The more experienced teacher, even when not asked specifically to do so, is a mentor, and it is assumed she will help the new teacher to become more confident and experienced. Eventually, the new teacher will be ready to take on a class of her own.
Leaders who choose this method of training new teachers should meet with the more experienced teacher to help her understand her role as a mentor. The temptation is often for the more experienced teacher to do all the teaching, while the co-teacher handles discipline. If the co-teacher has never taught before, she will probably benefit from watching the experienced teacher teach for a while. She should read the lesson each week, perhaps following along in the manual to see how the teacher took the printed lesson and brought it to life. The experienced teacher should help the new teacher to learn about the students and how she uses that knowledge when she prepares her lessons.
After a few weeks, the mentor can ask the new teacher to teach a portion of the lesson. She should initially choose a section that is easy to prepare. After a few weeks, she can offer the co-teacher a choice and also begin increasing how much of the lesson the co-teacher will present. When the new teacher seems comfortable, the mentor should suggest that they each teach every other week. Both teachers should be present each week and the person not teaching should assist in discipline, or in helping students with hands-on assignments.
The co-teachers should talk together often to review the class needs. At this time, the experienced teacher can monitor the new teacher’s feelings about her calling and her abilities. She should offer praise, encouragement and assistance as needed. When advice is required, but not asked for, the
experienced teacher should first pray about the problem and present the issue gently. She may be able to teach by example. If she needs to bring something up, she should do so carefully. “I realized last week that I had forgotten to tell you that the church tells us not to give the children food during class.” “ Brother Johnson rather took up too much of your lesson time with his
comments didn’t he? Maybe we can get together this week and talk about ways to handle that problem in the future. I always find that it helps to brainstorm with someone else on these kinds of problems.”
The experienced teacher should be careful not to discuss problems the new teacher is having with those other than the assigned leader. However, it is beneficial to publicly praise her. Tell others what a great job she is doing, and it is likely to get back to her. This will increase the teacher’s
confidence. Issues the presidency should be aware of should be discussed only with the member of the presidency over the class. The teacher should be sure to balance criticism with praise. When the teacher feels that the co-teacher is ready to take on her own class, she should let the presidency member know this. The presidency may choose not to do so at this time, but they will be aware that this is an option.
Teachers who are asked to mentor a teacher should consider this to be as important a part of their calling as the actual teaching of the class. Spend significant time in prayer and reflection while enjoying the opportunity to welcome a new teacher.
Becoming a Great Gospel Teacher: Bringing the Gospel Classroom to Life
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