New Faculty Mentoring Groups

New Faculty: Receive Individualized Support!

New Faculty Mentoring Groups are available to those full-time instructors who are within their first 4 years of teaching at ETSU.

Those new to ETSU, but not necessarily to teaching in higher education, can develop cross-disciplinary collegial relationships as well as learn some of the ropes that are particular to ETSU.

Those new to teaching in higher education can receive support and guidance from a veteran instructor, who will mentor instructional practices, instructional trouble-shooting, and the growth of habits of professional development for teaching.

We hope these groups help you think more about teaching, as well as become more aware of the support and services provided by the Center for Teaching Excellence!

New Faculty: Sign Up Here!

Group Guidelines

• Group Formation

  Mentors will be recruited to serve in a mentoring role for 2 new faculty members. This group meets together. As possible, the intention is to diversify the disciplines each group member represents.

  New faculty who are interested in placement in a New Faculty Mentoring Group can sign up using the button below.

  Any full-time faculty member who is new to ETSU or new to teaching in higher education can participate as a "new faculty" member. ["New" is defined as within 4 years.]

  New Faculty must sign up by September 1 to be eligible for a group. Number of groups and placements will be subject to mentor recruitment and availability.

  New Faculty: Sign Up Here

   

• Group Agreements

  Under the leadership of their assigned mentor, this small group agrees to:

  • Hold one "Connect & Support" meeting each semester.
    • Groups schedule their own meetings, based on their members' time and availability. Plan on meetings that last approximately 1 hour.
    • Plan to discuss a teaching topic - or several!
    • While not a mandatory location, if this meeting is held for a meal at the Culp Cafeteria, the CTE can provide meal vouchers to cover this expense.
    • For those on VA Campus, a stipend of $10 pp will be provided to the mentor to assist with meal expenses. 
  • Engage in one additional "Touchpoint" activity each semester. As a group, select from among the following:
    • Another "Connect & Support" - style meeting. Optional formats:
      • Over a meal at the Culp Cafeteria; the CTE will provide meal vouchers
      • At the CTE Lounge (Sherrod, Room 441)- check for our space availability. Snacks and drinks available (esp. if we know in advance)
      • Virtually, on Zoom
    • Attend a CTE learning event together (e.g., workshop, Flash Mentoring, TED Talk Lunch & Learn, Teaching Round)
    • Conduct or swap peer observations and then debrief together
      • Here is an optional observation form; for this type of rubric, select just a few standards for focus, but be sure to provide feedback on BOTH sides of that standard.
    • Read and synchronously or asynchronously discuss an article or chapter on a teaching topic.
      • Contact us for suggestions if you need some!
      • Consider setting up a Perusall account for an asynchronous discussion
    • Schedule a casual meeting with a CTE staff member to talk about a teaching topic of interest (in person or on Zoom)
    • One of the group could request a TLC or Casual Consult and then all could discuss (in person, on Zoom, or asynchronously)
  • Support each other's teaching efforts, even outside of meetings.
    • If teaching problems arise, casual communications among group members is encouraged to trouble-shoot.

Group Benefits

• Support & Connections

  Meet and develop a professional relationship with one or two other people across campus that you might not otherwise have met. Receive support for your teaching from a veteran instructor as well as from another faculty member who is, like you, newer to the ETSU teaching experience.
• CTE Meeting Support

  The CTE will support these groups by covering the costs of up to 2 meals per semester at the Dining Hall (that is, if meetings are held at the Dining Hall, these costs will be covered), or in-kind equivalent stipend for VA Campus instructors (sent to mentor of the group).

  Meetings held in the CTE Lounge or Conference Room can include standard CTE Lounge snacks and drinks. Please book the space in advance so we can reserve it and put snacks out for you!

• Mentoring Group Documentation

  For group members who successfully complete the agreements for the academic year, the CTE will issue that member a letter of recognition for their initiative and participation in the New Faculty Mentoring Groups program. This letter can be uploaded to Watermark as evidence of teaching professional development.

• Professional Development Credit

  In addition to documentation of any time spent participating in each CTE PD event (e.g., as a Touchpoint activity), group members will receive 1 CTE attendance credit (indicating approximately 1 hour of learning time) for each mentoring meeting they attend. 

  CTE attendance records can be sent upon request to ETSU employees who participate in any CTE events for the academic year.

• Mentoring Celebration

  All active and participating mentors and mentees will be invited to an end-of-academic-year Mentorverse Gathering, to meet one another and celebrate a year of teaching success.

  New Faculty: Sign Up Here!