Steven Luntz

I just retired from 22 years of teaching science and math in grades K-8 in Oakland Unified School District. Toward the end of this time I began taking Mills College student teachers. I loved the experience and the support from Mills staff, so when I retired I asked if I could work for Mills as a student teacher supervisor. They took me on, and Dr. Cossey invited me to accompany her to this CETE conference. I think my role here is to learn about the academic context and to find shared challenges and solutions. I was a science bug in K-12 who turned to the humanities, especially political theory, in college. My first authorization was multiple subject, and I did teach elementary school for nearly a decade, but as a science specialty teacher. When I moved to middle school I began to take more of an interest in organization and support. I became senior union representative at our school and began mentoring new teachers, at first informally and then through California's Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) program. My current work, aside from Mills, is with Oakland's innovative Team Science program. We mentor, gather curriculum and provide professional development for grade 6-12 teachers. I have six mentees and am on the steering committee. I'm also on the Peer Assistance and Review joint committee. We oversee support for low performing teachers with permanent status. I'm trying to synthesize what I learn from my three jobs. I'm also obsessed with acoustic steel string guitar, but our visit is too short to fly with one. If anyone happens to bring one, please look me up.

• retention
• support structures
• organizational culture
• professional expertise