Mentoring for Impact for Secondary Teachers

Course Description

This self-paced, online course is designed for experienced secondary educators who are ready to make a lasting impact by mentoring aspiring and early-career teachers in secondary contexts. Through practical strategies, reflective activities, and real-world scenarios, participants will explore the essential roles of a mentor—coach, collaborator, advocate and guide.

Topics include building trust, providing constructive feedback, fostering professional growth, and navigating challenges new teachers face. Whether you’re mentoring student teachers, new hires, or beginning educators, this course will equip you with the tools and confidence to support their success and strengthen your school community.

Learning Objectives

The objectives of this course, which includes four (4) modules, is to prepare you to effectively mentor secondary teacher apprentices.

• Define the roles and responsibilities of effective mentors in supporting aspiring and new secondary education teachers. 
• Establish and maintain trust-based mentoring relationships that foster professional growth and confidence. 
• Apply strategies for giving constructive, growth-oriented feedback in both formal and informal mentoring conversations.
• Identify common challenges faced by novice teachers and implement supportive practices to address them. 
• Guide aspiring and new teachers in identifying, adapting, and implementing evidence-based instructional practices that align with content standards and support diverse learners. 
• Utilize reflective practices to assess and improve their own mentoring approaches. 
• Describe the purpose, structure, and requirements of the edTPA for secondary content areas.

Materials Provided

All materials are included within the course.

Measure of Performance

Students who complete the course will receive a certificate of completion.

Course Requirements

None

Instructor Bios

Dr. Cathy Siebert, PhD, Assistant Professor of Secondary Education at Ball State University.

As Assistant Professor at Ball State University, Teachers College, in Curriculum, Instruction and Secondary Education, Dr. Cathy Siebert has over twenty years involvement with university/school collaborations, most specifically Professional Development Schools. During her doctoral work at Michigan State University, she served as research assistant and liaison for the Holt High School partnership. Since 1999, she has served as the PDS liaison for the BSU/Anderson High School and Highland Junior High School initiatives and has also chaired several institutional site review panels. With Dr. Siebert's research situated within the PDS context, she has produced several PDS-related peer-reviewed publications, including chapters in the Research in Professional School Development series and given over fifty presentations at national conferences. Highlights: Elected Board Member of the National Association of Professional Development Schools.

Cresta Reels, MA, Secondary Education at Ball State University.

Cresta Reels, M.A., is a faculty member in the Department of Educational Studies at Ball State University and Director of Secondary Education where she has served since 2016. She brings over two decades of experience as an educator, having taught science at Muncie Community Schools since 2004. For the past nine years, she has also contributed to teacher education and professional development at Ball State. Cresta currently serves as the Professional Development School (PDS) liaison for Daleville Jr/Sr High School and previously held the same role with Muncie Community Schools. Her work bridges university and K–12 partnerships, fostering collaborative learning environments and mentoring opportunities for pre-service and in-service teachers. She is nearing completion of her Ph.D. in Urban Education Studies at Indiana University Indianapolis. Her research interests include culturally sustaining pedagogies, dynamic classroom practices, and the use of online communities of practice to support mentoring and reflective teaching.