Rebecca Hendrickson on Professional Development

Hendrickson is associate director of graduate support and a professional field coach at the Academy for Urban School Leadership, which provides first-year teachers at Chicago public schools with mentors and the training needed to earn a Masters of Arts in Teaching. “Graduates” then work at least five years in the city’s schools, with AUSL providing professional development, mentoring, and field coach support. Prior to joining AUSL, Hendrickson spent eight years in the classroom and three as a professional development specialist. For more information, visit: www.ausl-chicago.org .

I’m a first-year 7th and 8th grade language arts teacher. I have a mentor who’s well-versed in the field, but she doesn’t teach the grades I do and often can’t fit me into her schedule. How do I address this problem?

First, don’t give up on scheduling time with your mentor. Even though she may not work at your grade level, she probably has a wealth of content knowledge and teaching strategies to share. Ask her to make time, even if you have to schedule weeks in advance. And create a specific list of issues and areas you’d like support on. It’s easiest for mentors to support teachers who are...