The Power of "Other"- Show # 10

We have reached a milestone- a small one, but a milestone nonetheless, our TENTH SHOW!!!!!

This was an interesting show. This show featured the Bermuda Teachers Inductee Program (BTIP), which handles new teachers through its' mentor program. We learned a bit of the history of the whole inductee program as well as what a few of our new teachers and mentors think about this program. Support is a good thing. Many times, underestimate its' power. The power of "other". "Other".... a powerful thing, it can help you to become energized, focused, can help you to hone in your skills, and basically, can help to keep your life afloat. The BTIP program reinforces the notion that no man is an island. It really utilizes the power of "other" to the fullest. It got me thinking though (as the Talking Teacher often does ;) ) of the beginning days of his career.... a looooong time ago...... :) well, not that long, but the Talking Teacher "ain't" no spring chicken. lol The Talking Teacher's mentors were hopefully not a foreshadowing of things to come. One, and the Talking Teacher remembers this rather vividly, oh horrid the day.. :) observed a class returning the next day, with charts and graphs, showing how many times certain words were used, including the percentage of the class time taken up using these words!! Well What?!?!?!? The Talking Teacher remembers saying, in a soft, controlled tone, "I know that I said these words...isn't your job to help me, to give me skills to prevent this?!?!!? " (I shudder at the thought of that meeting.) Nevertheless, this experience, and a few other not so "empowering" moments, left the Talking Teacher rather shaken and not quite a fan of the mentor program.

Wait, hold up!! Stop the presses!! There is hope!!! The new wave of mentors, however make yours truly wish that the hands of time could be turned back and makes me wish that I had one of our present mentors in my corner, pushing me along. Having seen them in action, I am truly energized, their techniques, their motivation, their energy, their EVERYTHING!!! They are truly empowering our new teachers, truly, and this, my friends is a wonderful thing.
The power of "other" let's use it to help someone along from day to day.