ESEE Cohort Coordinator Roles and Responsibilities
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Cohorts are one of the most important aspects of the ESEE program. Teacher candidates form close-knit learning communities and lasting relationships with peers and instructors. In the ESEE program, there is one large cohort (24-36 candidates) subdivided into smaller, ‘ohana cohorts (8-12 candidates). Members of the large cohort share the same courses throughout their two year progression, and the ‘ohana cohorts share a single cohort coordinator who provides ongoing advice and support.
Overview of responsibilities and tasks of the ESEE Cohort Coordinator:
Fulfill the roles and responsibilities of a co-coordinator
In the ESEE program, major roles and responsibilities concerning the whole group are divided into four areas to facilitate clarity of leadership. These fours roles are:
· Faculty Coordinator: Responsible for coordinating faculty systems.
· Candidate Coordinator: Responsible for teacher candidate communication and progression.
· Placement Coordinator: Responsible for cultivating school partnerships, coordinating field placements, both GEN and SPED.
· Field Activity Coordinator: Responsible for coordinating consistency of expectations among the field team.
(See Table X for further delineation of these responsibilities.) It is important to acknowledge that all responsibilities do not fall squarely on the individual who serves. The role of each lead is to initiate action, communicate, organize and facilitate decisions. However, all co-coordinators participate as needed.
Communicate and collaborate with co-coordinators
The ongoing synchronization between cohort coordinators is essential to the success of the program. Simple practices such as cc:ing all coordinators for pertinent email communications, attending monthly meetings, and asking questions will benefit the collaborative process.
Welcome and introduce ‘ohana cohorts to the ESEE program
After receiving the new cohort lists from the Partnership and Placement Coordinator in the summer, cohort coordinators should send a personal email to welcome, invite, and answer questions by email or telephone in the summer before the first semester. This is also an opportunity to publish the first gathering, whether it is before the semester starts, or during the first week of classes.
Attend candidate orientation
Meet with the new cohort at the orientation session at the beginning of the school year. There are often questions about field placements, scheduling, and other practical matters.
Help teacher candidates transition to the profession
The cohort coordinator will help candidates in their ‘ohana group understand the difference between a university student and a preservice teacher. This can include discussions about professional behavior in field, the importance of attendance and being on time, and reviewing dispositions. Remind teacher candidates to be responsible and thoughtful in their use of social media. Help teacher candidates understand program requirements.
Support field placements
All co-coordinators may suggest mentors, specific placements, or possible new partner schools to the Placement Coordinator. Co-coordinators will also participate in inviting teachers to renew their mentorship and recruiting new mentors at the schools where they are supervising. Finally, co-coordinators will also be involved in delivering the mentor teacher orientations each semester.
Serve as field supervisor
Co-coordinators may also serve as field supervisors. As such, they will contribute to the development of the field syllabus each semester, and once finalized by the Field Activity Coordinator, will follow through with the activities and expectations set forth in the syllabus. Cohort coordinators visit teacher candidates regularly and frequently as field supervisors.
Serve as school liaison
All co-coordinators who are also involved in field supervision will have one or more schools for which they will be the school liaison. This includes working closely with the designated leadership at the school, trouble-shooting issues that arise at that school, and facilitating communications between the program and the school. The school liaison will also follow through with school procedures for signing in at the office, parking in designated areas, fire drills, etc.
Contribute to seminars
Seminars will be held about 4 times per semester. Each co-coordinator with take the lead for at least one of these. All co-coordinators will co-plan and co-teach, supporting as needed in all seminars.
Meet with candidates individually
Schedule meetings with teacher candidates to discuss field evaluations, placements, dispositions, and individual goals. These meetings might take place in the field, during seminars, or at scheduled times at the end of the semester.
Complete “Confidential Candidate Files”
Each cohort coordinator is responsible to organize, complete, compile, and submit documentation for Candidate Confidential Files for each member of his or her ‘ohana group. This documentation often includes the final field evaluations, professional dispositions, and Letters of Improvement or Plans of Assistance.
Write “Letters of Notice” and “Plans of Assistance”
When a candidate first shows signs of struggle, the individual who coordinates that candidate’s ‘ohana cohort will be responsible for: a) gathering detailed information about the challenges; b) documenting those challenges in a Letter of Notice; and c) meeting with the candidate to explicitly discuss the challenges. If the candidate is not able to make sufficient progress addressing these challenges, the cohort coordinator then repeats the process through a Plan of Assistance.
Attend Meetings
All cohort coordinators are required to attend the Cohort Coordinator meetings as well as GEN or SPED faculty meetings.
Overview of responsibilities and tasks of the ESEE Cohort Coordinator:
Fulfill the roles and responsibilities of a co-coordinator
In the ESEE program, major roles and responsibilities concerning the whole group are divided into four areas to facilitate clarity of leadership. These fours roles are:
· Faculty Coordinator: Responsible for coordinating faculty systems.
· Candidate Coordinator: Responsible for teacher candidate communication and progression.
· Placement Coordinator: Responsible for cultivating school partnerships, coordinating field placements, both GEN and SPED.
· Field Activity Coordinator: Responsible for coordinating consistency of expectations among the field team.
(See Table X for further delineation of these responsibilities.) It is important to acknowledge that all responsibilities do not fall squarely on the individual who serves. The role of each lead is to initiate action, communicate, organize and facilitate decisions. However, all co-coordinators participate as needed.
Communicate and collaborate with co-coordinators
The ongoing synchronization between cohort coordinators is essential to the success of the program. Simple practices such as cc:ing all coordinators for pertinent email communications, attending monthly meetings, and asking questions will benefit the collaborative process.
Welcome and introduce ‘ohana cohorts to the ESEE program
After receiving the new cohort lists from the Partnership and Placement Coordinator in the summer, cohort coordinators should send a personal email to welcome, invite, and answer questions by email or telephone in the summer before the first semester. This is also an opportunity to publish the first gathering, whether it is before the semester starts, or during the first week of classes.
Attend candidate orientation
Meet with the new cohort at the orientation session at the beginning of the school year. There are often questions about field placements, scheduling, and other practical matters.
Help teacher candidates transition to the profession
The cohort coordinator will help candidates in their ‘ohana group understand the difference between a university student and a preservice teacher. This can include discussions about professional behavior in field, the importance of attendance and being on time, and reviewing dispositions. Remind teacher candidates to be responsible and thoughtful in their use of social media. Help teacher candidates understand program requirements.
Support field placements
All co-coordinators may suggest mentors, specific placements, or possible new partner schools to the Placement Coordinator. Co-coordinators will also participate in inviting teachers to renew their mentorship and recruiting new mentors at the schools where they are supervising. Finally, co-coordinators will also be involved in delivering the mentor teacher orientations each semester.
Serve as field supervisor
Co-coordinators may also serve as field supervisors. As such, they will contribute to the development of the field syllabus each semester, and once finalized by the Field Activity Coordinator, will follow through with the activities and expectations set forth in the syllabus. Cohort coordinators visit teacher candidates regularly and frequently as field supervisors.
Serve as school liaison
All co-coordinators who are also involved in field supervision will have one or more schools for which they will be the school liaison. This includes working closely with the designated leadership at the school, trouble-shooting issues that arise at that school, and facilitating communications between the program and the school. The school liaison will also follow through with school procedures for signing in at the office, parking in designated areas, fire drills, etc.
Contribute to seminars
Seminars will be held about 4 times per semester. Each co-coordinator with take the lead for at least one of these. All co-coordinators will co-plan and co-teach, supporting as needed in all seminars.
Meet with candidates individually
Schedule meetings with teacher candidates to discuss field evaluations, placements, dispositions, and individual goals. These meetings might take place in the field, during seminars, or at scheduled times at the end of the semester.
Complete “Confidential Candidate Files”
Each cohort coordinator is responsible to organize, complete, compile, and submit documentation for Candidate Confidential Files for each member of his or her ‘ohana group. This documentation often includes the final field evaluations, professional dispositions, and Letters of Improvement or Plans of Assistance.
Write “Letters of Notice” and “Plans of Assistance”
When a candidate first shows signs of struggle, the individual who coordinates that candidate’s ‘ohana cohort will be responsible for: a) gathering detailed information about the challenges; b) documenting those challenges in a Letter of Notice; and c) meeting with the candidate to explicitly discuss the challenges. If the candidate is not able to make sufficient progress addressing these challenges, the cohort coordinator then repeats the process through a Plan of Assistance.
Attend Meetings
All cohort coordinators are required to attend the Cohort Coordinator meetings as well as GEN or SPED faculty meetings.