Mentorship: Jewish New Teacher Project Ft. Vicky Kairy

Vicky Kairy

Meet our guest

Vicky Kairy is a Program Consultant at Jewish New Teacher Project (JNTP), where she provides professional development for mentors and new teachers. Vicky has been involved in Jewish education for 20 years, most recently as Lower School General Studies and Judaic Studies Assistant Principal at Barkai Yeshivah in Brooklyn. Vicky also mentored beginning teachers in early childhood programs and elementary schools with JNTP; coached middle school teachers as a Judaic Studies Educational Coach; led an induction program supporting new teachers and mentors, and taught General and Judaic studies in grades K-8 for 15 years. She holds a BA from Brooklyn College and studied education at Touro College Graduate School of Education and Special Education.

Vicky can be reached at VKairy@newteachercenter.org.

““Mentors are active listeners and responsive to the teacher and their needs.” ”

— Vicky Kairy

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Teacher Takeaways

Mentorship: JNTP

1. The goal of a mentor:

   • help teacher becomes best/effective new teacher

   • Be a sounding board for the teacher

   • Brainstorm and problem solve with the teacher

   • Allow the teacher to reflect on their classroom by taking a step back

2. A mentor is a sounding board and active listener.

3. JNTP (Jewish New Teacher Project) has outlined ways to support teachers as a mentor. They provide a ‘cheat sheet’ for ways to respond and language to use when mentoring teachers! (i.e. “selective scripting” and “entry points”)

4. You want teachers to feel comfortable and take risks! Make sure the mentor/mentee relationship is not too interwoven outside of the mentorship.

5. Who can be a mentor at JNTP?

   • Any effective teacher that has been teaching for at least five years.

6. How do teachers who want to mentor or need a mentor sign up with JNTP?

   • Ask your administrator/director if you need a mentor! (govt. funding is available if your program can’t afford)

   • Tell you administrator/director you’d like to apply as a mentor if qualified and they will sign you up!

7. All of the skills are helpful in any leadership role. Bottom line: when teachers don’t get the support they need, they leave teaching and we need good teachers.

Resources

Referenced in the Interview

Jewish New Teacher Project

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JUF

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