Are you committed to mentoring
new teachers in your district?
JAMS is for you!
Do you believe it is critical for new teachers to be set up to survive and thrive in the classroom?
WE DO!
JAMS – the Just ASK Mentoring Series (JAMS) is designed to give you your time back and reconnect educators with the joy that put you in the classroom in the first place.
JAMS provides year-long support for mentors working with new teachers to deliver the right content for each stage of the school year.
Education has changed and the new environment is loaded with distractions that take away from what matters most – student learning!
Extend your reach and impact with
Just ASK
Receive just in time content based on the stages of a new teacher including:
Why Didn't I Learn This in College?
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Holds student learning as the central goal of our work
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Addresses teachers as leaders of learning and change
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Features K-12 practitioner examples
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Includes practical applications of evidence-based practices
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Dedicated to equitable, engaging, and empowering learning
The 21st Century Mentor's Handbook
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New teacher tools including needs assessments, self-assessments, and goal setting and reflection formats
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Tools for peer observation and data-driven discussions
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Mentoring calendar
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Mentor responses to challenges and concerns of new teachers
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Cross-references the highly acclaimed new teacher resource Why Didn't I Learn This in College?
Each month, mentors will receive:
- A Short Motivational Video with reminders of the most important topics and issues to address with their new teachers based on the season in the school calendar
- A Monthly Mentoring Guide highlighting the most important topics with links to resources to use that month
- Office Hours via Zoom to ask the Just ASK team questions and share ideas with fellow mentors across the country
- An Email with resources and links they can use while coaching that month
Just in time content in small enough chunks to match how mentors and teachers consume content and fit into busy schedules.
Just ASK mentoring materials are used in all 50 states and recommended in districts across the county, including in CA, TX, FL, NY, CO, IL, ND, DE, NC, VA and MA.
Valuable Resource for New Teachers
Great Resource for any Teacher
A great resource for any teacher, particularly a novice teacher. The book is a hands-on resource that was readily available with clear, concise, organized ideas that were usable in the classroom. It is one we plan to use throughout the year in our teacher induction program.
Helpful Survival Tips and Strategies
I found myself thinking about my own classroom effectiveness and began taking notes on ideas and strategies that I wanted to try! This book provided me with a plethora of ideas, tips, tools, and activities that I plan to implement in my own classroom this year, and to share with my new and veteran colleagues. This book should be required reading for all teachers.
Valuable Resource for New Teachers
A valuable resource for new teachers in developing best practices in a standards based classroom. This book is clearly organized, concisely written, teacher friendly and rich in effective strategies to promote learning. This book will definitely be my main resource for working with new teachers!
A Go-To Book
I have 2 teachers that I mentor right now. This book really helped me put the details in perspective. The calendar ideas are very beneficial. This is a “go-to” book.
The best mentor source book on the market
Paula Rutherford created the best mentor source book on the market when she wrote 21st Century Mentor’s Handbook. Rutherford breaks the support down into the following categories: personal; professional; curriculum, instruction, and assessment; organizational systems; students; colleagues; school and school system; parents and community; and special educators. This book is a comprehensive resource for anyone working with inexperienced educators.
JAMS provides guidance for mentors to support new teachers with Personal Well Being, Professional/Business Logistics, Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Organizational Systems, Teacher-Student Relationships, Collegial Relationships, School and School System Policies and Procedures, and Working with Parents as Partners.
Mentors and Teachers will receive a manageable
amount of content, ready to use including:
The most important topics to be discussing for each month of the school year
A path to guiding new teachers through the stages of Anticipation, Survival, Disillusionment, Reflection, and back to Anticipation
Best Practices in Planning, Instruction, Assessment, Creating a Productive Learning Environment, and Professionalism and Collaboration
Guidance and tools for Peer Observations and Data-Driven Discussions
Resources for Instructional Planning including Planning Assessment, Active Learning Structures, Building Your Own RAFT, Homework Planning, Unit Planning, and more
Hear from those who have gone before you…reflections on and accounts of induction and mentoring practices in action by mentors
Meet JAMS Leaders
Brenda Kaylor
Brenda Kaylor is an experienced consultant and author working with school districts across the United States. Brenda was the Director of Professional Development in St. Vrain Valley School District, Longmont, Colorado. Before assuming that position, she was Director of Professional Development in Brighton Public Schools, Colorado. Brenda holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Adams State College, a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Northern Colorado, and Professional Certification in Educational Administration from the University of Denver.
Jeffrey Craig
Jeffrey Craig, Ed.D. is a lifelong educator. His leadership as a teacher, principal, and district leader impacted students and adults in many ways. He was a teacher and team leader in Canandaigua, NY. He was a middle school principal in Greece, NY, and in Syracuse, NY. As an Assistant Superintendent for a regional educational service agency, Craig worked with leaders from dozens of school districts across New York as they led their school and district improvement initiatives. He concluded his administrative career as the assistant superintendent in Cortland, NY. Craig also helped prepare the next generation of school administrators, both for roles as principals and district leaders, as an adjunct professor at SUNY Oswego and SUNY Cortland. His articles have been published in a number of respected educational journals.
Let’s get in touch
Just ASK Publications & Professional Development
Please submit the form below and a member of the Just ASK team will contact you shortly.