New Teacher Masterminds

A Virtual PLC Network

for Transformational New Teacher Support

Our Mission

The New Teacher Masterminds are virtual learning communities for teachers with 0-3 years experience. They are a safe place for new educators to receive and provide ongoing support with colleagues all over the country–increasing efficacy, competency, and independence in the process.

Currently:

50%

OF TEACHERS LEAVE IN THEIR FIRST 5 YEARS

$15K

is the AVERAGE COST FOR A DISTRICT TO REPLACE A TEACHER

Support

is LPI'S TOP RECOMMENDATION TO INCREASE TEACHER RETENTION AND quality

Why New Teacher Masterminds?

Masterminds are a 21st-century professional learning community that have the potential to revolutionize teacher development, efficacy, and retention. They connect new teachers to teachers and districts across the world, and respond to what teachers need help with when it’s most relevant.

Rather than the typical approach of top-down development, new teacher masterminds empower new teachers to speak up, ask questions, network, and – most of all — support each other from the bottom up.

The result? More confident teachers, higher teacher morale, stronger teacher efficacy, lower teacher attrition, and raised student scores. When teachers are supported, everybody wins.

New Teacher Masterminds Provide Teachers:

Responsive professional development

Improving teacher retention and competency

Accountability to student achievement

Raising student scores, and with it, teacher morale

Structured reflection and feedback

Increasing new teacher efficacy and accelerating growth

Collaboration across the district and around the world

Significantly increasing ideas, resources, and strategies available to teachers

About the Mastermind Program

Masterminds provide consistent, responsive support throughout the year for skills they need in the moment. The heart of the program are the mastermind meetings, for which they are placed into a mastermind group with 5-8 others with complementary needs and strengths, along with an experienced instructional coach as facilitator.

Teachers meet with their mastermind group online for 1.5 hours every other week. During each meeting, teachers take turns in the “hot seat,” where they share a teaching challenge or goal and receive 20 minutes of coaching and resources from the rest of the group. In this way, teachers can benefit both from focused coaching on their current challenges as well as the opportunity to develop their own leadership. Masterminds focus on empowering new teachers to utilize their own expertise in order to elevate their peers’ work–which in turn enhances their own teaching efficacy and independence.

In addition to the mastermind meetings, 3-6 additional hours a month are dedicated to a variety of responsive professional development, including but not limited to one-on-one coaching, self-paced workshops, and independent follow-up work on teacher’s stated goals.

2020-2021 Program Details

What's included:

Cost:

Deadline:

Help your new teachers thrive.

What People are Saying:

We typically have official mentoring and induction for new teachers, but it doesn't meet the demands they face. The result is turnover, disengagement, and, unfortunately, an exodus from the profession. Not only is the New Teacher Mastermind Program a quality professional experience that supports new teachers, but it dives deep into the issues that plague retention efforts, and it provides a network of connections for new staff to thrive in their schools. I recommend getting all of your new teachers involved. You won't regret it.

T.J. Vari, Ed.D.

Assistant Superintendent, Secondary Schools & District Operations Appoquinimink School District

Just being able to vocalize/talk through my frustrations and challenges has been super therapeutic. Besides that, I’ve learned how to actually change things that aren’t working rather than just complain, and I’ve become wayyyy more confident I my teaching abilities. The benefits are worth it. Mastermind equals instant feedback, a community of people going through the same things, and a space to reach out for help and help others. It gets no better than that!

Jazlyn Handy

Special Education ELA Teacher, Alfred G. Waters Middle School

Because of the mastermind group, I have a much easier, and clearer way of thinking through my lessons, as well as adapting to new environments at a much quicker pace. Getting together with other educators online, working through struggles, and celebrating our successes, is something remarkable. All should consider joining because it ignites the fire for why we teach.

Gabriel Harley

Choir and Orchestra Teacher, Everett Meredith Middle School

This mastermind has really helped me to be more confident in my teaching ability. Being able to talk with other teachers in a no judgement zone has been extremely useful. It has been a really positive experience having other teachers be able to help problem solve with me and bounce ideas off of and help each other out.

Aileen Murray

Career and Technical Education Teacher, Appoquinimink High School

FAQ

Most frequent questions and answers

How many years of teaching experience should teachers have?

Ideally, 0-3 years of total teaching experience (including experience outside of your school) works best for these groups to make sure everyone benefits. However, teachers making a large grade or content switch can benefit as well.

When can teachers join?

Enrollment for the 2019-2020 school year is on a rolling basis. Contact us right away to provide your teachers maximum benefit this year.

The 2020-2021 program is a year program and begins July 15. The deadline to enroll your teachers for the 2020-2021 program is May 1, 2020. Please note, however, that we recommend enrolling as soon as possible so that your new teachers may receive immediate support from the program.

When do groups meet?

Groups meet year-round for 1.5 hours every other week in the afternoons and evenings, US-time. Once enrolled, we work with your teachers to fit them into a group that works for their schedule, and then meet at the same day/time for every meeting.

What is the time commitment for teachers?

At a minimum, teachers must be willing to commit to attending all mastermind meetings – which total 3 hours a month.The groups run from July 15 to June 15, excluding two weeks for winter break and US national holidays.

The success of the group depends on the attendance and participation of its members, so attendance is mandatory for all months of enrollment.

For maximum benefit from the group, teachers should expect to spend about 1 additional hour a week either on working toward their goals stated in the group, an included workshop, or one-on-one coaching.

How should I select teachers to enroll?

The success of the groups depends on the commitment by all the members, so it is imperative that all members join voluntarily. Therefore, we recommend offering the opportunity to teachers you think make a good fit (see guidelines below), and enrolling only those that volunteer to join.

The most productive mastermind members are teachers who:

1. Have 0-3 years of teaching experience
2. Can commit to 1.5 hour meetings every other week
3. Are able to work on their teaching goals or sharpening their skills around 1 hour/week outside of the mastermind
4. Are willing to both offer and receive help from other teachers

All grade levels and content areas are welcome.

Do you offer discounts?

Not at this time.

What equipment do teachers need to participate?

We use Zoom as our meeting platform, which is a web-based application. Teachers can access Zoom on any type of computer or tablet as well as their phone, as long as they have a webcam and microphone.

Do you accept purchase orders?

Absolutely. Contact us at info@newteachermasterminds.com to get set up.