Mentorship Program

About GIML's Mentorship Program

The goal of the GIML virtual mentoring program is to connect newer MLT practitioners with those who have significant experience incorporating MLT into their teaching practice. A recent pilot study showed that participation is valuable not only for the mentees but also for the mentors, who experience significant growth and reflection on their teaching practice through helping and dialoguing with others.

The program is open to teachers of all tracks/specializations, with the following eligibility requirements:

Mentors must have completed a Level 1 PDLC and have at least 3 years teaching experience.
Mentors and mentees must be current GIML members.
Mentors and mentees must be willing to commit to regular virtual communication/meetings throughout the duration of the school year.
To benefit fully, mentors and mentees should have the capability to video-record their teaching and share digital files online (privately). Since sharing of teaching video is critical, mentors should either be currently teaching students or have existing video footage of their teaching with MLT that could be shared with the mentee.

All communication in this program will happen virtually, including video-chat meetings between mentors/mentees and sharing of electronic files and teaching videos. GIML will use background information to match mentees with appropriate mentors, host an initial informational meeting in the fall, and then check in occasionally throughout the year to make sure things are running smoothly. Otherwise, it is up to mentors and mentees to decide how often they would like to meet.

The GIML Mentorship Program begins a new cycle each September. Check your email and/or GIML social media over the summer for information about this exciting program!

What one mentee said:

"I’ll be honest! Without [my mentor], I probably wouldn't have tried anything that I learned in my Level 1 this year, at least not properly. Because it's so much! Like, you learn all this stuff in that setting, but it's applying it to this setting—It was REALLY hard!"

-GIML Mentee

Another mentee on LSAs

“I think LSAs was maybe just the hardest part. You know why I think it's intimidating actually? It's because I have to be on top of my game, and I have to really work on it! And so having another person there to say 'I also had to practice this, and this one's still hard for me!’ That’s helpful. That kept me going…. It made me feel less alone or less hard on myself because I know that other people feel the same."

-GIML Mentee

You're not alone!

“It becomes so engrained in what you're doing that to have the opportunity to talk to someone else about it who's still figuring things out helps solidify it in your own teaching AND clarifies those things that have become bad habits. Like, 'Oh yeah, that's right. I shouldn't be doing that either! Let's work together on both of us fixing that.’”

-GIML Mentor