Ask MCP: The Virtual Mentorship Program
Hello - I applied for a scholarship to the Virtual Mentorship Program and was selected! I'm excited but a little nervous about the time commitment in light of all of the other teaching responsibilities I have. Could you provide a little info about weekly time commitment and your opinion of the mentorship program in general? (I'm sure it's great but I'd love to hear specifics to help me make the decision to commit to the next cohort rather than going onto the waiting list.) - Struggling to Commit
Dear Struggling,
I don’t blame you for feeling nervous! Teaching is hard enough on its own, and the Mentorship Program requires time and effort (typically 20-30 hours) to complete. You know what’s best for you, and if this isn’t the right time, I certainly understand.
With that said, what you’ll do in the Mentorship Program is create lesson materials you’ll actually use in your class - so the whole program is essentially guided planning time. It might take you longer than usual to plan your first and second Modern Classroom lessons, but your mentor will ensure that these lessons are excellent… and by the time you’re planning your third lesson, it will feel like second nature. (You plan a total of three lessons.) If you’re going to plan anyways, wouldn’t it be nice to plan with an expert coach?
And don’t worry - the course is entirely self-paced, so you can complete the when you have the time! We at MCP were teachers too, so we’ve designed the entire program to work within a teacher’s busy schedule.
Ultimately, you know your schedule best. But we believe that the Mentorship Program will be well worth the time you commit to it!
Robert Barnett
President and Co-Founder
Robert Barnett is a proud father, husband, brother, and son, currently based in Annapolis, Maryland. He speaks English, French, and Spanish, and has taught math, computer science, entrepreneurship, Theory of Knowledge, English, and law at the secondary and post-secondary levels. A native of Washington, DC, he is a former City Year corps member and graduated cum laude from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. When not playing sports, exploring the outdoors, or enjoying time with his family, he ensures that MCP offers the best PD on the planet.
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