For teachers
Alaska teaching standards
Content standards define what students should know and be able to do at each grade level and in every subject. In addition to Alaska’s Academic Standards, the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development offers a wide range of training and resources for educators statewide. Mentors use cultural, teaching, and content standards to guide coaching conversations, helping teachers reflect and connect academic content with students’ culture, experiences, communities and interests, making learning more relevant and equitable for all students.
Expectations
Teachers requesting a mentor from ASMP are expected to be active participants in their own professional growth — embracing collaboration, reflection, and high standards for themselves and their students.
- Engage in collaborative professional learning: ASMP is designed to help early -career teachers develop their professional practice
through collaboration with a mentor and working toward their goals.
- Build structures for ongoing learning and teaching: Working with a mentor, new teachers develop frameworks that influence their approach
to learning and instruction.
- Learn from modeling and co-teaching: Mentors may model lessons or engage in co-teaching to support the teacher's development and help meet the needs of their students.
- Participate in a non-evaluative relationship: Mentoring through ASMP focuses on providing support and guidance, using formative
assessment to improve practice rather than evaluating performance.
- Receive support from a knowledgeable confidant: Mentors are there to help teachers solve problems, provide emotional support, and share professional expertise.
- Set high expectations for themselves and their students: Mentors encourage teachers to have high expectations and understand their own potential
to impact student learning.
- Understand the power of the classroom teacher: The program emphasizes that teachers build effective practices over time, starting
from the first day.
- Accept accountability for student success: Teachers are encouraged to hold themselves responsible for the academic achievement of their students.
Resources for teachers