Mentor Evaluation

So probably the most important evaluation that will ever be written (insofar as it will effect my future opportunities to teach English at least), is the evaluation from my mentor, Cecily Yeager. She has been iron fisted in her requirements and has nearly driven me into the ground at times with her demands and expectations. More than once, I have felt terrified that I was not meeting her approval. Today I finally saw my evaluation for the first time, and it was a tremendous relief. She is honest about my weaknesses but says them in a positive light, and she was very complimentary throughout. There's nothing in the world like hearing that you've done well from someone with impossibly high standards! Anyway, this is the evaluation for those of you who care to read or browse it:

It has been a pleasure working with Lisa Sledge during her internship at Diamond Fork Jr. High. She understands the time commitment that teaching takes, especially in your first few years, and works long hours to ensure that her lessons are completed and papers graded. Regarding her lessons, Lisa is solidly planned and holds high expectations for her students. Her units are thorough and incorporate a variety of strategies and learning objectives. Modeling is something that she tries to incorporate so that her students understand the expectations before they begin a task. Lisa thinks through her directions very carefully and breaks down steps that students might need to be successful. Additionally, Lisa uses group work effectively but also understands the importance of independent work. While studying poetry, each student was required to memorize an assigned poem. Appealing to their kinesthetic sides, Lisa taught her students gestures to help them remember the words and phrases. This was met with much excitement and participation from the class! Having implemented both whole class novel reading and literature circles, Lisa has taken on a breadth of new experiences as an English teacher while providing a wealth of skills to her students. From comics to recipe books, dioramas to posters, students are proud of the variety of projects they have created to demonstrate their learning. Numerous little management techniques help Lisa’s lessons run smoothly. Lisa has procedures in place so that students know what they should be doing at any given point. She utilizes a number of verbal and nonverbal cues so they understand expectations and appropriate behaviors. Lisa’s transitions help alleviate down time during which students can get out of control. When behaviors do need to be corrected, Lisa has worked to separate emotion from her discipline as she deals with issues in a timely manner. Lisa has been good-natured about her failures and successes. When a strategy doesn’t go as planned, she looks for ways to improve her instruction for the next time around. There have been several times that Lisa has presented to me a unit or lesson idea so that we could troubleshoot together. She has made a lot of growth in determining what is emotionally appropriate for 7th grade students. Helping her students to succeed is one of Lisa’s priorities. Because of this, she often has students in her room after school completing missing assignments and receiving extra help. When it became clear that one of her students was particularly struggling, she made numerous accommodations for him in conjunction with the special ed teachers so that they could determine an appropriate placement where he could thrive. While some teachers hesitate to contact parents, Lisa is proactive in making parent contacts by phone and through email. She enjoys the opportunity to talk one-on-one with parents in order to mutually find solutions to existing problems. Additionally, Lisa consults the counseling office, other teachers, or administration when she has concerns or questions about particular students and their needs. I have been highly impressed both with Lisa’s growth and her willingness to commit the time to become a great teacher. She will be a great addition to our profession, as well as an asset to her future students and faculty.

Everytime I read this, I feel another HUGE sigh of relieve coming on...