Mentor Training Pack
We hope you find this training pack useful; if you find any errors or you have any comments on
how we might be able to improve this, could you please email us at [email protected]
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Contents
1. MENTOR PROFILE ................................................................................................................................................ 3
2. OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................................................... 4
What is a mentor? ........................................................................................................................................................ 4
Why be a mentor? ........................................................................................................................................................ 4
How much work is involved? ........................................................................................................................................ 4
3. INTRODUCTION TO MENTORING................................................................................................................... 6
Objective 1 .................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Basic activity 1............................................................................................................................................................... 6
The personal/professional development plan .............................................................................................................. 6
The mentor role ............................................................................................................................................................ 6
Role conflict .................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Skills and qualities ......................................................................................................................................................... 8
Ground Rules ................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Advanced activity 1 ....................................................................................................................................................... 9
4. MENTOR MEETINGS .......................................................................................................................................... 10
Objective 2 .................................................................................................................................................................. 10
Basic activity 2............................................................................................................................................................. 10
5. MODELS OF MENTORING ................................................................................................................................ 11
The Apprenticeship Model .......................................................................................................................................... 11
The Competency Model .............................................................................................................................................. 11
The Reflective Model .................................................................................................................................................. 11
The Counselling Model ............................................................................................................................................... 11
Activity - Models of mentoring ................................................................................................................................... 12
Advanced Activity 2 .................................................................................................................................................... 12
6. PHASES OF MENTORING .................................................................................................................................. 13
1. Evaluation ............................................................................................................................................................... 13
2. Stimulation .............................................................................................................................................................. 13
3. Facilitation............................................................................................................................................................... 13
Advanced activity 3 ..................................................................................................................................................... 14
7. FORMS AND PROCEDURES.............................................................................................................................. 15
Objective 3 .................................................................................................................................................................. 15
Basic activity 3............................................................................................................................................................. 15
Completing Personal Development Portfolios PDP .................................................................................................... 15
Trainee forms .............................................................................................................................................................. 15
Roles as a mentor ....................................................................................................................................................... 16
Advanced activity 4 ..................................................................................................................................................... 17
Using Skype for mentor meetings ............................................................................................................................... 18
8. TEACHING OBSERVATION............................................................................................................................... 19
Objective 4 .................................................................................................................................................................. 19
Activity 4 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19
General prompts ......................................................................................................................................................... 20
Relevant questions...................................................................................................................................................... 21
9. REFLECTING ON MENTORING ....................................................................................................................... 22
Objective 5 .................................................................................................................................................................. 22
Activity 5 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 22
Impact of support and challenge ................................................................................................................................ 22
Advanced activity 5 ..................................................................................................................................................... 23
Examples of Reflection ................................................................................................................................................ 23
10. ASSESSMENT ...................................................................................................................................................... 24
Objective 6 .................................................................................................................................................................. 24
References .................................................................................................................................................................. 25
References .................................................................................................................................................................. 26
Self-assessment for Basic Mentoring .......................................................................................................................... 26
11. SELF-CERTIFICATE .......................................................................................................................................... 29
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1. Mentor Profile
This is a training pack for you as a University of Huddersfield teacher mentor. The training pack is
to be used to record your thoughts and responses to the activities and needs to be retained as
evidence of your completion of this pack; you may be asked to produce it for the centre manager
(where your trainee undertakes the course) or, indeed, by an Ofsted inspector. You can also use
this as evidence of your continuous professional development.
Name:
Current Role:
Subject Specialism:
Replace this sentence with a short description of your interests in mentoring, including any
mentoring experience and qualifications. If you wish, you could copy your CV file below.
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2. Overview
Thank you for becoming a mentor. It should be a valuable experience for all and make a real
difference to your mentee. This training will help you gain more out of your role. You will be able to
acquire new knowledge and to practise professional reflection around your subject specific
pedagogy and to learn about the interpersonal skills used in a mentoring situation.
You are required to undertake the ‘basic’ mentor activities; you will also see that there are
‘advanced’ activities. Whilst these are not a requirement, we would recommend that you consider
them.
What is a mentor?
As a mentor, you will be able to help trainees to:

understand why they think, act and respond in particular ways

evaluate the effectiveness of their own actions and attitudes as teachers/trainers

begin to recognise the value systems which underlie their actions and responses

consider alternative approaches and practices

become critical thinkers who have a wide repertoire of styles and approaches as
teachers/trainers from which they can make conscious choices about how they will tackle a
particular teaching situation
Why be a mentor?

new perspectives gained on old problems;

improved communications between you and other staff;

opportunity for further training and development;

an addition to your curriculum vitae or to your annual appraisal and review;

engagement with a co-specialist who has up-to-date vocational experience or a recent
qualification in the subject
How much work is involved?

1 -2 hours (Basic mentoring) and an additional 2 hours to cover the advanced activities for
this online training programme.

Approximately 20 minutes to prepare for each of your mentoring meetings

Between 8 hours – 16 hours contact time per year between mentor and mentee – this can
be through one to one meetings at work, through phone calls or online meetings on e.g.
Skype
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
One hour of teaching observation per year

Half an hour completing the teaching observation form
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3. Introduction to mentoring
Objective 1
Explore existing challenges and organisational context
Basic activity 1
The first set of information for you to read is a PowerPoint – Training pack > MTP-A1-Subject
Specialist Mentor Training Introduction - file to introduce the issues around mentoring trainees with
the University of Huddersfield
The personal/professional development plan
Central to all initial teacher training awards is the curriculum model of experience, reflection and
learning. This model is captured by the trainee in a personal/professional development plan or
journal (PDP, PDJ), in which they to record their journey of learning and their achievement of
module outcomes.
This is a dynamic document that demonstrates a trainee’s ability to plan, record and reflect on their
learning and progress. This may be a part of, or supplementary to, an Individual Learning Plan
(ILP). While it must be clearly understood that completing and maintaining any PDP/PDJ/ILP is the
trainee’s responsibility, advice and guidance from their mentor will inform this process. As a
mentor, you will be able to help them to:

understand why they think, act and respond in particular ways

evaluate the effectiveness of their own actions and attitudes as teachers/trainers

begin to recognise the value systems which underlie their actions and responses

consider alternative approaches and practices

become critical thinkers who have a wide repertoire of styles and approaches as
teachers/trainer from which they can make conscious choices about how they will tackle a
particular teaching situation.
Your trainee might want to discuss any part of this process with you; they may also ask you to
provide evidence, perhaps in the form of a testimonial, that they have achieved some module
outcomes.
The mentor role
Your role as mentor will inevitably depend on the needs, experience and role of your particular
trainee. The trainee may be any of the following:
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
on a placement from a pre-service course;

a member of your organisation who is undertaking a trainer role;

a part-time member of staff who teaches in an annexe two evenings a week and has almost
no contact with the Institution or its staff; in this case, you will have a major role to play in
introducing that trainee to the organisation, its systems and standards;

a relatively experienced or inexperienced full-timer; they might need your help to fill in gaps
in their knowledge about the institution (depending on their position within the organisation
and previous experience) but may also want to discuss trying different teaching methods
and matching their course work with their professional role;

one of the above and also a new member of staff; in this case, you will have a major role to
play in introducing that trainee to the organisation, its systems and standards;

a person with a professional identity that is largely defined in terms of their specialism
(rather than as a teacher/trainer), but one who is rather isolated from others who share that
identity and that expert community.
Thus, the exact nature of the mentorship role will vary considerably from mentor to mentor and
from trainee to trainee. However, in general, your role as mentor is to provide:

guidance to the trainee on matters relating to the development of teaching competence and
role in the workplace;

support and guidance to enable the trainee to meet the demands of the programme;

a supportive and confidential initial counselling facility for the trainee;

guidance on subject pedagogy.
In practice, this means that you are asked to perform those functions which should enable the
trainee to gain maximum personal and professional benefit from their work.
Role conflict
Special care is needed if the mentor is also the trainee's immediate line manager. If you are a
mentor in this position, you should try and avoid the confusion that can arise from a conflict
between the roles of trusted friend and boss. Loyalties to colleagues and the establishment might
also impinge on the effectiveness of your mentor/trainee relationship.
As a mentor, you may well find yourself using and developing the skills of coaching, counselling,
facilitating, giving feedback and networking in order to support your trainee. However, a mentor is
not a professional therapist or personal counsellor although we do hope that you will feel that
mentoring is an appropriate part of your professional duties.
See the section on ground rules below.
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Skills and qualities
The personal qualities of the mentor are critical; i.e. being able to empathise with the trainee and
provide the kind of professional support which will facilitate the trainee’s development. People who
themselves have been well trained and supported in their professional careers tend to be good
mentors in turn.
They are people who are:

·prepared to allocate both time and mental energy to the role

up-to-date with recent initiatives and prepared to be flexible and innovative

interested and willing to help others (volunteers are worth more than recruits) and still
willing and able to learn

able to see the potential benefits of being a mentor

enthusiastic about their subject and sharing it with others
Ground Rules
Ground rules that govern the mentor/trainee relationship will vary according to the needs of the
parties concerned, but in the past the following have been used and might well form a basis for
developing your own ground rules.
Time
Neither party should make excessive demands on the other's time. The mentor and trainee
should negotiate a system for the best use of each other's time.
Authority
The trainee should only use the mentor's authority with the mentor's consent.
Autonomy
The mentor should assist the trainee in achieving the trainee’s objectives, but will let the trainee be
as autonomous as possible.
Privacy I
The mentor should only enquire or intrude into the trainee's personal life by invitation.
Privacy II
The mentor should not discuss their knowledge of the trainee with other people without the consent
of the trainee.
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Personal Development
The mentor should encourage the trainee to undertake work that will assist the trainee’s
personal/professional development.
Additional Ground Rules
From the start, the mentor and trainee should agree any additional ground rules they need to
govern their relationship.
Advanced activity 1
Describe some of the existing challenges and organisational barriers you expect to encounter as a
mentor. Please write in the space below.
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4. Mentor Meetings
Objective 2
Describe and agree the role of the mentor and identify its boundaries
Basic activity 2
Visit the Model Mentoring page and follow the instructions.
http://consortium.hud.ac.uk/mentoring/mentorvideos/modelmentoring/
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5. Models of mentoring
The Apprenticeship Model
This approach regards the trainee as someone to be coached, mainly on an individual basis. The
trainee should spend considerable time observing the experienced mentor and draw examples of
good practice that they can then implement in their own teaching situation. This approach would
also include the socialisation of the trainee into the work situation and the profession as a whole.
The Competency Model
This model adopts the systematic training approach, i.e. the trainee can be trained in the
competences required to become a teacher or trainer. In the Schools system trainee teachers have
to demonstrate competence against a list of competencies. In the present system in the PCET
sector, there are no competencies but there are standards that form the framework for endorsed
programmes by HEIs or Awarding Bodies. This model could include the support for the
development of what are sometimes referred to as the craft skills' of teaching (E.g. Q/A technique,
group work, assessment techniques, etc.).
The Reflective Model
This is the model with which we are familiar; the development of the reflective practitioner. The
mentor in this model moves the trainee from the (natural?) focus on their performance' to the
learning of the Trainee or learner. This approach is fundamentally different from the two identified
above. It requires an understanding of the complexities and ambiguities of teaching and the need
to be accepting of resolutions that are complex, unique and pragmatic, but must reflect the values
that the teaching profession upholds.
The Counselling Model
This model is one that is generally considered to be a part of any mentoring approach. Whilst we
may want to focus on those aspects of mentoring that support the development of the qualities of
teaching, it is highly likely that a trainee will directly or indirectly require some form of counselling
or, perhaps, we may prefer to use the word advice. This avoids the ethical and legal issues
associated with counselling. Some of the work that has been done on mentoring for teachers
identifies that mentors are prepared to intervene as carers' or moral agents', which stands in
contradiction to the role of the mentor as the agent of skills development. This raises the question
as to how far can or should the mentor support the ethical and values elements of the development
of the trainee?
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Orland-Barak, L (2003) Emergency Room Stories; mentors at the intersection between the moral
and the pedagogical in Journal of In-service Education. Vol. 29, No.3.
Activity - Models of mentoring
Please watch the video clip below which shows a mentor discussing the models of mentoring and
how the mentor felt they related to her role and work with the trainee (recorded by Sandra Rennie).
“As a new mentor I found reading these brief descriptions of mentoring models a good starting
point. After reading about these models I tried to make sense of how they would apply to my own
experience as a mentor. See a 4 minute reflective video – Training pack > Video - Reflections of
applying the models of mentoring - about these models using Jing. (There are help videos on how
to use Jing available online, should you ever wish to use these).”
Advanced Activity 2
Consider which of these models fit your mentoring relationship best at the moment.
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6. Phases of mentoring
There are different phases in mentoring and each phase has its own characteristics and activities.
A mentor and trainee may go through all the phases:

Once in an individual mentoring session.

Over a period of several sessions.

Many times in just one session.
1. Evaluation
This is where the mentor helps in the identification of strengths and weaknesses to agree training
and development needs. Training needs can best be described as short-term goals and
development needs as long-term goals. Any factual evidence could be used and it is important to
give the trainee encouragement to analyse his / her performance, knowledge, skills and attitudes. It
is important at this stage to be constructive, as any negative feedback will serve only to sour the
mentoring relationship. Think both long- and short-term but it would be impossible to cover all
angles at this stage, so don't attempt to do this.
2. Stimulation
This stage is when the mentor provides motivation and encouragement for the trainee to develop
him/herself. However, coaching may well be needed in this stage as the mentor may be required to
provide specific guidance. It is important to listen closely, ask questions and ensure that there is
sufficient time for the activity. Challenge assumptions that are manifested. Remember that the
trainee should be identifying as much as possible for him/herself; a mentor is not there to tell the
trainee what to think or to pressurise the trainee into paths that are felt, by him/her, to be
unsuitable. It is important that you, as the mentor, do not assume anything about the trainee's
knowledge or understanding and that you do not underestimate them or their abilities. A mentoring
session is not an opportunity for the mentor to show off.
3. Facilitation
Sometimes, mentors are in a higher position than that of the person they are mentoring. Mentors in
this position can facilitate access to training and development opportunities. However, if a mentor
is not senior to the trainee, for example, in a peer mentoring situation, s/he will still be able to
facilitate development activities by helping the trainee to identify potential learning opportunities.
This stage can also work to remind mentors that they need to monitor the effectiveness of the
identified opportunities and the mentoring activities they are carrying out. At this stage, objectives,
resources and parameters need to be identified and agreed. It is important to ensure that any
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feedback is two-way and success is celebrated / rewarded. Be clear about what has been agreed
vagueness can lead to insecurity. Once again, as in the evaluation stage, do not attempt to do
everything at once. Remember that, as a mentor, your priority is the trainee's development.
Advanced activity 3
Consider these different phases and decide where you are in your current mentoring relationship.
Write something in the space below.
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7. Forms and procedures
Objective 3
Identifying what constitutes an effective and efficient mentoring system
Basic activity 3
View the PowerPoint – Training pack > MTP-A3-Subject Specialist Mentor Training Processes on Subject specialist mentor training.
Completing Personal Development Portfolios PDP
You could play a very important part in helping the trainee to complete documents, which record
their learning and enable them to claim credit. A substantial part of the trainee's evidence of
learning will be developed on the job and you can help identify suitable areas, encourage their
development and support the claim for credit. Again, this will be one of the significant mechanisms
by which the trainee's work is kept in line with the needs of the employer/organisation.
Trainee forms
You can access the various forms (which may change from time to time) in the Handbook. Please
view these at http://consortium.hud.ac.uk/mentoring/mentortraining/ under Training pack.
PDP1 - Introduction to your teaching role
This form asks the trainee to provide some brief contact details for trainee and the mentor and an
overview of the nature of the teaching or training engaged in and any previous teacher training
experienced. The mentor signs this form, confirming that they agree to the role, and are willing to
be contacted by the University in connection with the course. The mentor's details will not be
passed on to any other organisation.
TP1 - Preparation for a Teaching Practice
The trainee is asked to complete this before they are observed by either their tutor or their mentor.
This is to encourage them to think reflectively, to follow up on issues they have identified previously
and enable you to have a focus for the mentor's observation.
TP2 - Teaching Observation Form
This form is completed by the tutor after the observation and shared and discussed with the trainee
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See a completed example observation form TP2. This TP2 was the written feedback which the
trainee received following the observed session. It links with the example TP1 above
TP4 - Subject specialist Teaching observation
This form is completed by the mentor after the observation and shared and discussed with the
trainee.
PDP6 - Record of Mentor Meeting
This form allows the trainee to set down the outcomes of regular meetings with their mentor,
including action points. An important feature of the mentor meetings should be a focus on
specialist issues relating to the teaching of your subject, and this should be evident in the records
made in PDP6. The trainee should normally include one form for each meeting, but if meetings are
very frequent they may wish to include the outcomes of several meetings in a single form. This
form should be completed by the trainee and not by the mentor.
Roles as a mentor
Consider your possible roles as a mentor.
Project Development
You could have an important role to play in helping the trainee to negotiate, complete and evaluate
any projects that accompany modules on the course. Projects need advance support and approval
from the employer, supervision during the implementation stage and help with their evaluation - all
opportunities for the involvement of the mentor.
Teaching and observation
You should become familiar with your trainee's teaching, based on observation as well as
discussion. The feedback that flows from this familiarisation should be supportive and illustrated
with examples of possible alternative practice. You will be expected to complete an observation
form after watching the trainee teach; the format of the observation form will vary depending on the
provider. Trainees often ask to see experienced teachers in their own subject teaching in
situations similar to those in which they themselves teach. An invitation to the trainee to sit in and
observe one or more of your classes, and to discuss it with you afterwards, is likely to be very
much welcomed.
Planning and Curriculum
You can help the trainee with the planning of courses and individual lessons. This might often
involve discussion of the curriculum as a whole and developments in that curriculum. You could
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also encourage the trainee to involve their own learners and to work fully with other staff, where
this is possible, in the planning process.
Evaluation
You can help the trainee to understand the importance of evaluation of the teaching/training and
curriculum process as well as the progress of their learners.
Problems
You may well be the experienced person to whom the trainee can turn when professional problems
arise. Your relationship with your trainee should be such that problems can be aired in
confidence and progressed without the trainee feeling that they have been judged
negatively. The emphasis should not be on success or failure; indeed it would be best if it were
non-judgmental throughout. In this way, the trainee can be encouraged to share existing problems
and weaknesses and take some risks in trying and developing new skills and approaches.
Difficulties arising on the Course
The trainee may want to talk to you about problems (e.g. learning difficulties) which may arise on
the course. If you think you need to speak to the trainee's course tutor(s), the trainee’s permission
should be agreed beforehand.
The Future
Towards the end of the course, the trainee may want to talk about further staff development
opportunities. With pre-service trainees or part-time staff seeking full-time employment, you may
be asked about accessing opportunities for employment.
Advanced activity 4
Consider the forms and procedures listed above and comment on how effective they are and
whether or not they should be amended, added to or reduced in the light of the changing use of
technology and your approach to the role of a mentor. Include a justification for your comments.
Your comment can be in writing in the space below.
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Using Skype for mentor meetings
If you cannot meet your trainee regularly on a one-to-one basis, it might be useful to consider using
Skype. This can be done from home or work; it does not cost anything. See below where a
mentor reflects on the use of Skype for her meetings with her trainee
Sandra Rennie talking about using Skype
See video – Training pack > Video - Using Skype for mentor meetings
I used Skype for my mentor meetings last year. This was made possible as the meeting was held
using Skype from home in the evening and not from college. Some learning providers are not set
up for Skype because of firewalls etc. If you decide to use Skype make sure that both the trainee
and yourself have access to computers with web-cams and good internet access. It’s also
sometimes necessary to use earphones to prevent feedback from speakers. Skype meetings
worked for us. My mentee emailed me draft agendas for the meeting and also chose to email me
copies of her observation forms completed by other people. The meetings felt very productive
because detailed information was shared beforehand. She also completed all the necessary
paperwork so I didn't feel bogged down in forms. All I had to do was check the forms and sign
them.
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8. Teaching Observation
Objective 4
Understand techniques that establish and maintain an effective mentoring relationship, including
developmental feedback
Activity 4
Read the guidelines for teaching observations below
Teaching Observation In-Service

Each In-service trainee will have 8 observations, 4 in each year

One observation per year will completed by the subject specialist mentor (see subject
specific observation form)

Three observations with ITT staff each year
Teaching Observation Pre-Service

Each Pre service trainee will have 8 observations in the year

Two observations will be completed by the subject specialist mentor (see general
observation form)

Six observations with ITT staff
Teaching Observation Pre-Service P/T

Each Pre-service P/T trainee will have 4 observations, in each year

One observation per year will completed by the subject specialist mentor (see generic
observation form)

Three observations with ITT staff
Notes

Observations are NOT graded but are a developmental process

Mentor observations are looking at how the trainee delivers their specific subject

Observations will form part of the Personal Development Plans (PDP) that trainees need to
complete throughout their course
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PDP (including the iPDP)

Each trainee will have an PDP (this will be e-mailed to you or you may be using the
electronic version – the iPDP) that will form part of their assessment.

It is the trainee’s responsibility to keep the PDP up-to-date and this is assessed by an ITT
tutor

The Mentor role with the PDP is supporting the trainee within their own subject area
General prompts
Some general prompts on observing teaching and learning
Vocabulary linked with
What you might look for
Questions you might ask yourself
Effective questioning
Classroom environment
Are there aspects of the session that
High expectations
Aims and outcomes
Praise and reward
Recap and plenary
Active learning
Learner participation
level?
Enthusiasm
Handling lateness
How many learners excel?
Engaging students
Use of specialist resources
Are any learners struggling and why?
Language and address
Assessment for learning
Is the environment laid out to support
quality teaching
could be improved to promote
learning?
Is the trainee teaching at the correct
learning within the subject area?
Confidence
Range of teaching and
Are the resources specific and up to
learning strategies
Pace and purpose
date?
Context of learning
Rapport
How did the learners respond?
Types of learner
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Relevant questions
Relevant questions to ask about the teaching of the subject
Subject specific knowledge

Is the trainee’s subject knowledge up to date?

Is the trainee’s subject knowledge accurate?

Has the necessary subject matter been covered in the
session?
Application of subject

knowledge
Was this knowledge applied to the learners with appropriate
examples and clear explanations?

Was the knowledge contextualised?

Was the knowledge and understanding combined with an
understanding of the students?

Is old knowledge liked to new learning?
Delivery of subject

Were the learning outcomes appropriate for the session?
knowledge

Were the learning strategies and resources appropriate?

Was there evidence of creativity, inclusivity and
differentiation?

Was there appropriate key skill development?
Use of assessment &

Was this relevant to the topic?
feedback

Was this relevant to the students?
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9. Reflecting on mentoring
Objective 5
Facilitate the development of reflective practice to improve teaching skills
Activity 5
Watch the video clips under Focus on Feedback which can be accessed on the Consortium web
site here http://consortium.hud.ac.uk/mentoring/mentorvideos/focusfeedback/ and then consider
the questions.
Impact of support and challenge
Below is a model of the impact of support and challenge between the mentor and the trainee. It
has been developed for initial trainees (i.e. akin to pre-service or very inexperienced tutors).
Low Support
High Challenge
High Challenge
High Support
Novice withdraws from
Novice grows through
the mentoring
development of new
relationship with no
knowledge and images
growth possible
Novice is not
Novice becomes
encouraged to consider
confirmed in pre-
or reflect on knowledge
existing images of
and images
teaching
Low Support
Low Challenge
Low Challenge
High Support
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Advanced activity 5
Consider what skill, technique or piece of knowledge you found most valuable as a new mentor.
Write or record your reflections on this in a way that would be helpful to other new mentors.
Examples of Reflection
See the example in the post below on Reflective Learning and Teaching
Reflective Learning and Teaching by Sandra Rennie
As a new mentor I found it essential to read about reflective learning and teaching before we
started our mentoring sessions. This is because I noticed that I was sometimes slotting comfortably
into the familiar role of a coach, a teacher or even a counsellor rather than enabling and facilitating
professional reflection. Reflective learning and teaching is such a large part of the course for
trainee teachers that I wanted to model good practice and be a reflective mentor too. Below are the
extracts from the Course Handbook that I found particularly helpful as they covered Reflective
Learning and Teaching.
Reflective Learning and Teaching - Extracts
See Reflective Learning and Teaching - Extracts taken from the In-Service Course Handbook
(School of Education and Professional Development, University of Huddersfield)
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10. Assessment
Objective 6
Evaluate and take away priorities for your own personal development
Examples of evidence: Knowledge, mentoring skills and ability to reflect

Models of mentoring reflections by Sandra Rennie (see section 5)

Using Skype for mentor meetings by Sandra Rennie (see end of section 7)
My reflections on models of mentoring by Maren Swift
Models of mentoring
Maren Swift
A coach/ mentor may want to consider different models of mentoring to create effective
coaching and mentoring. Whilst the Apprenticeship Model reflects that of the traditional
teacher – student relationship most closely, it is widely used in the workplace as it also
conditions the learner to work situations and professional practise. The Competency
Model on the other hand lends itself to train a learner in competences required in a
particular field or profession. Learners have to demonstrate that their skills and
knowledge meet the standards of the awarding body and work towards the
qualification/ competencies set by the relevant bodies. Both models are used in tandem
in the traditional apprenticeship system in Germany, for instance. Over the course of
three years, the average time for an apprenticeship in Germany, it creates well trained
and competent professionals who often work another two to five years with a
designated mentor before reaching full professional status. At this stage the mentor’s
role most likely shifts from a purely skill and competency focused teacher to that of an
adviser, who supports the development of the learner and offers guidance. This is
called the Counselling Model. Finally, a mentor using the Reflective Model helps the
mentee to pay attention to their learners’ progress and development rather than
focusing on their own performance. It is most commonly used in the teaching
profession, aiming to train teachers to be reflective practitioners.
Communication techniques such as listening, feedback and body language can
facilitate or create boundaries in the coaching and mentoring relationship.
“Communication means transferring thoughts and ideas with an intention of delivering
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information.” (Lovekar, V., 2011) It is paramount for the coach/ mentor to be a good
listener, to establish rapport and to demonstrate that the learner should do the same
when the coach/ mentor is talking. The coach/ mentor should assess the learner at the
beginning of the coaching and mentoring process, not only to understand the strength
and weaknesses of the learner, but also to learn about the learner’s perceptions, views
and ideas thus being able to communicate appropriately with the learner.
References
Lovekar, V. (2011) Effective Communication Techniques,
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/effective-communication-techniques.html, Date
accessed 16/06/2013
Discussing techniques of mentoringt by Maren Swif
Techniques of mentoring
Maren Swift
There are various strategies should the coaching and mentoring relationship not
develop in the right direction. To create an environment for rapport, the coach/ mentor
must get to know the learner. Megginson and Clutterbruck (2011) recommend the
conversation ladder which relies on two principles: “One is to ask a set of questions
about topics of central concern to people, which they will love talking about. The
second is to retain in memory the sequence …” (Megginson and Clutterbruck, 2011, p.
19). Basically being a good listener should create a good rapport with the learner. A
technique called ‘Circles of disclosure’ is recommended if the learner is unwilling or
unable to talk about themselves. Using areas the learner is willing to talk about, the
coach/ mentor draws and labels circles, which are acceptable to the learner. “The edge
of the circle is the Border of Disclosure – the boundary between the private and the
public” (Megginson and Clutterbruck, 2011, p. 21). Seeing the circles should shift the
context from an emotional to an intellectual level, which the learner may find more
comfortable to discuss. “Another version of this technique (…) views the border as
being between current and potential capability” (Megginson and Clutterbruck, 2011, p.
21). In any case this technique would prove useful to highlight issues the learner
wishes to suppress, finds difficult to discuss and to set boundaries in regards to what
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the learner is willing to disclose.
An unsuitable location or environment can be a barrier to creating a positive coaching
and mentoring relationship. Both parties need to be able to concentrate and be able to
talk in confidently but may not need to be ‘away’ from the other learners completely, so
that they can still share break times with them, for example. There may be many other
factors which need to be considered such as daylight versus artificial light, need for a
table, formal or informal setting, very small versus a very big room, are other people
watching a problem? An open discussion between the learner and coach/ mentor may
be possible to address these issues. Another technique is for the learner to draw best
and worst possible environment for the sessions which in turn would give the basis for
future meetings in a suitable environment (Megginson and Clutterbruck, 2011).
References
Megginson, D., Clutterbruck, D. (2011) Techniques for Coaching and Mentoring
Oxford: Elsevier
Self-assessment for Basic Mentoring
To self-assess: You can now self-assess your own understanding and skills using the Learning
outcomes and assessment criteria in the table below.
To demonstrate your own assessment of your knowledge you need to indicate where you think you
have achieved the learning outcome. You can do this by writing/typing ‘agreed’; where you think
you have met the learning outcome partially you can write something in the particular box below
the table.
Mentor Training - learning outcomes and assessment criteria
Learning outcome
Basic
Intermediate
Advanced
LO1
I am aware of some
I am aware of some
I understand a range
Organisation context
and challenges
of the communication communication
of organisational
barriers to effective
barriers and issues
issues and
mentoring
of role conflict in a
communication
mentoring
barriers that can
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relationship
affect a mentoring
relationship
LO2
Role of mentor
I understand the
I understand the
I understand the
need for ground rules need for a structured
need for a planned
and scheduling of
approach to
approach to
contact in a mentor
mentoring and the
mentoring, the
relationship
difference between a
difference between a
coach and a mentor
coach and a mentor
and the way these
roles change over
time
LO3
I am able to provide
I am able to provide
I know how to
guidance and
suitable guidance
enable the mentee to
support for a mentee and support for a
mentee without their
effective, self –
being overly
motivated and
dependent
independent teacher
I know some
I know some
I understand the
strategies for dealing
strategies for dealing
principles and
with difficult
with difficult and
models of giving and
messages
complex messages
receiving
Mentor Skills
LO4
Communication
techniques
progress to be an
constructive
feedback
LO5
Facilitate reflective
practice
I am able to identify
I am able to describe
I am able to describe
and communicate
approaches to
a range of
about barriers to
address some of the
approaches to
effective teaching
barriers and
address most of the
and learning
challenges identified
current barriers and
challenges identified
LO6
I am able to identify
I able to carry out
I am able to design a
the skills and
and evaluate a
constructive
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Evaluate mentoring
attributes for
constructive
mentoring
effective mentoring
mentoring
relationship and set
relationship
up best-practice
opportunities for
myself and others
Comments
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11. Self-Certificate
Self-Certificate of Completion of Mentor Training
(Please send this to the Centre Manager where your trainee(s) are undertaking their teacher
training course)
This is to self-certificate to state that I, . . . <replace the dots with your
name>. . . . . . . . . , have completed the Consortium Mentor Training
programme.
I agree to provide the evidence of my work in this pack if requested; this
could be to the centre manager or an Ofsted inspector.
Name of Mentor: . . . . . . . . .<your name> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date of completion: . . . . . . <date of training completion> . . . . . . . . . . . .
Centre/college (of trainee): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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