Lightning Connect

⚡Complete all requirements for stipend agreement by May 9th deadline.

⚡Reach out to your TxCEE Coach with any questions or concerns.

What is something you enjoy about being a TxCEE Mentor?

What I enjoyed about being a TxCEE Mentor was building a positive and meaningful relationship with my mentee. Creating a trusting bond with her was very rewarding and I valued the opportunity to support and guide her.

What is a strategy you've used to support your novice teacher that you feel has been effective?

An effective strategy that I used to support my novice teacher was creating a safe and trusting space that encouraged her to feel comfortable to approach me for guidance, feedback, and support. Frequent check-ins helped build a positive relationship between us.

Describe how mentoring and being a coach are impacting your novice teacher and/or their students?

Coaching has helped my novice teacher improve her classroom management strategies to create a positive learning environment for her students. Mentoring has encouraged my novice teacher to set goals and to develop strategic plans to achieve her goals. Our mirror sessions have also helped her create a reflective mindset to evaluate her teaching practices and make adjustments to maximize student learning.

How has being a TxCEE Mentor impacted you?

By being a Mentor I’ve had the chance to reflect on my own teaching practices and to consider new approaches to engage students.

Click the Mentor Spotlight button below to share insights and help us spread the word about all the good Mentors are doing for novice teachers and students! Thank YOU!

*TxCEE may include all or parts of your response in a future Mentoring Spotlight, on the TxCEE website, or on social media.

ChapGPT and other large language models are something else. Have you used them? While gathering research (Edmentum Inc., 2025) and reflecting on my experiences, I asked what teachers should do while teaching during testing season. Below is a partial list focused on teacher mental health.

SET the TONE

How you feel, speak, and act during testing season will impact how your novice teacher and students feel about testing season. Mentoring is about much more than following the coaching cycle. It is also about the emotional constancy you practice and model. Share your experience about how to handle personal and student stress during this time.

ENCOURAGE CONVERSATION

Undoubtedly, novice teachers feel stress about if they have done enough to prepare their students, how their students will perform, what that performance says about them as professionals, etc. Encourage them to come to you, so you can guide them through the big feelings and reassure them that no single test is going to define them or their career as an educator. Keep things in perspective and provide gentle reminders.

KEEP the MOOD LIGHT

Just like we do with our students, we must show our novice teacher that although we must follow what our districts and schools expect--and all that entails, we can always infuse a positive attitude. Remind them they are valued and supported and model how to take care of ourselves: leave on time, get plenty of sleep, and find healthy ways to rejuvenate and relax.

"Invigorated" (Moir, 1999). Did you read that? This time of year, once testing season is behind us, we, you, they can feel invigorated-strengthened and energized! What a blessing after all the stages that proceeded. Let's utilize this time!

Encourage your novice teacher to use this feeling of invigoration to reflect, review, make a solid plan for the next year, prep, and enjoy! Soon the anticipation of summer will be upon us, so encourage them to take the time now before summer brain sets in. 🤪

Below is an end-of-year-teacher-checklist (artsintegration.com, n.d.). You or your school may have one of your own. Regardless, be sure to explain and share the importance of closing out this year AND planning for the next.

My favorite part of the checklist is this part...

BACK-TO-SCHOOL PREP

Create a “Back to School” pack with

• any materials needed for the beginning of the year: handbooks, desk tags, name tags, first week copies, etc.
• Restock your sub tub and write 3 sub plans.
• Make a list of supplies you need to gather over the summer.

What they do now while the experiences are still fresh, and ideas are flowing, will make returning in August an easier transition.

Regardless how your mentoring story has played out this year, you've made it. This month, we will guide you as you reflect and consider your mentoring plans for next year. This month during our VCLC we will...

1. Identify areas of success in supporting your novice teacher throughout the school year

2. Create goals for supporting teachers for next year

3. Make plans for starting the year. What do you want to do the same? What would you like to do differently?

Many of you have completed your VCLCs requirements for the year! If you have or you haven't, we would love for you to attend--your presence and insights are what make VCLCs incredible. See you there!

Mark your calendars!

🟨Attend April VCLC: (must attend 6/9 VCLCs for the year)

Choose to attend one of the following. (Click the day & date for a Google Calendar Invite.)

Tuesday, April 1 at 4:45 PM

Wednesday, April 2 at 5:15 PM

Thursday, April 3 at 5:15 PM

Zoom link here, below, and in the Google Calendar invite.

🟨Log coaching and training in TEEMS Mentor Log. (At least 12 hours must be logged for the Spring semester.)

🟨CLASS Program campuses ONLY--Be on the lookout for emails from American Institutes for Research (AIR): mentor, novice teacher and parent surveys, focus groups, and interviews.

🟨Sign up for your monthly TxCEE support Fireside chat. *Email invites will be sent from your TxCEE Mentor Coach. (Must meet with your TxCEE Mentor Coach at least 3 times in the Spring semester.)

🟨Don't forget: Record a 10-15 minute FSC with your novice teacher and send it to your TxCEE Mentor Coach this semester for a Mirror Session debrief & feedback.

🟨Complete all requirements for stipend agreement by May 9th.

Dana Phillips dana.phillips@txcee.org/512-538-0652

Robyn Christensen robyn.christensen@txcee.org/512-538-0650

If you are not a TxCEE Mentor and no longer want to receive The Lightning Connect, please send an email to dana.phillips@txcee.org.

The Texas Center for Educator Excellence (TxCEE), an Austin-based satellite office of the Region 18 Education Service Center, provides leadership and technical assistance across Texas to improve educator quality.

TxCEE staff consists of Texas educators with decades of experience as teachers, teacher leaders, campus and district administrators, state education officials, and higher education professionals. Our team is passionate about helping Texas school districts develop and implement systems that support teachers and principals.

For questions regarding this publication or other TxCEE materials, please contact us.

Email: info@txcee.org
Website: txcee.org
Location: 1705 S Capital of Texas Hwy, Suite 400, Austin, TX 78746
Phone: (512) 538-0611

artsintegration.com. (n.d.). Teacher checklist. https://artsintegration.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/end-of-year-teacher-checklist.pdf

Edmentum Inc. (2025, March 3). The key to testing season: your school culture. Edmentum. https://www.edmentum.com/articles/key-to-testing-season-school-culture/

Moir, E. (1999). The stages of a teacher's first year, In Sherer, M. (Ed). Better beginnings: Supporting and mentoring new teachers. ASCD, 19-23.