The mentors and novices in these videos are referring to data from anonymous student surveys. The trends and themes in these data help novices understand what is going on in the classroom right now with their students.

These sample survey questions and ideas for administering a survey will help you capture student perspectives and integrate them into mentoring conversations.

Click here to open surveys: Elementary Survey, Student Survey, Directions for Administration of Student Survey.

Mentoring conversations that include data from the students in a novice teacher’s classroom is useful because it allows the novice to make changes in their practice now!  This “just in time” mentoring promotes student learning as well as novice teacher development.

	Teachers Make a Difference A high school student shares how her teachers made a difference. Prompts: What surprised you in what Jennifer shared? How does Jennifer’s perspective influence your thinking about teaching and learning?
	Qualities of Effective Teachers Through Student Eyes High school students share their insights and advice for beginning teachers and student teachers. Prompts: What three things stood out for you in this video? How do these students influence your thinking? What will you change in your teaching as a result of this video?
	Reactions to the Student Survey Students and mentors share why anonymous student surveys are important. Prompts: Would you consider conducting a student survey in your classroom? Why or why not? Would you consider sharing your survey results with a novice teacher? Why could this be useful?
	A Mentor and Novice Teacher Reflect on the Use of Student Surveys This discussion shares key ideas for using student surveys. Prompts: What important ideas did the mentor say that relate to your work? What did the novice teacher say that is important to note?
	Discussing Student Surveys: Elementary School A mentor and a novice reflect and discuss data from the anonymous student survey. Prompts: What did the novice teacher say was really important to her? What did the student say was important to him? How can this process help a novice and a mentor?
	Discussing Student Surveys: Middle School A mentor and a novice reflect and discuss data from the anonymous student survey. Prompts: How did the mentor prepare for the meeting? What did the novice say at the end of the video? How is this useful to middle school teachers?
	Discussing Student Surveys: High School A mentor and a novice reflect and discuss data from the anonymous student survey. Prompts: What is most important to this mentor? How does the novice teacher accept the feedback from his students? Why is this important for high school?
	Protocol for Integrating Student Perspectives A mentor explains why a protocol is needed to assist a novice in understanding the data to enhance her teaching practices. Prompts: What important steps are included in the protocol? How does a protocol enhance reviewing data gathered from student surveys?
	Using a Seven Step Protocol to Discuss Survey Data with Novice Teachers A mentor shares the seven steps she used to discuss student survey data. Prompts: Why is it important to use a protocol with a novice teacher? How does this process support teacher evaluation? Which step do you personally find powerful?
	Using Anonymous Surveys with Elementary Students A mentor shares why and how she developed an elementary survey. Prompts: Why is it more difficult to survey elementary students? How can a mentor assist the novice teacher in collecting elementary student data? If the survey is not anonymous is it still valuable? Why or why not?