Professional
Mentoring Program
for Early Childhood
Teachers
PROFESSIONAL MENTORING
PROGRAM FOR
EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS
FINAL REPORT COHORT 3
DECEMBER 2013
Prepared for:
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Prepared by:
Prof Andrea Nolan
Jenni Beahan
On behalf of the Mentoring Project Team:
Professor Andrea Nolan (Project Director)^
Dr Anne-Marie Morrissey (Deakin University Team Leader)^
Dr Catherine Hamm*
Elizabeth Rouse^
Jan Hunt*
Jennifer Aitken*
Louise Laskey^
Dr Sarah Ohi^
John McCartin*
Jenni Beahan (Project Co-ordinator)*
*Victoria University
^Deakin University
Final Report Cohort 3
December 2013
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.
INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 7
1.1 Background ................................................................................................................ 7
1.2 Aim .......................................................................................................................... 7
2.
FINDINGS: COHORT THREE .................................................................................... 7
2.1 General Recruitment Process ......................................................................................... 7
2.1.1
Mentor Recruitment .................................................................................................. 9
2.1.2
Mentee Recruitment ................................................................................................ 10
2.2
Challenges to Program roll out: .................................................................................. 11
2.3
Demographics ....................................................................................................... 14
2.3.1
Mentors ............................................................................................................... 14
2.3.2
Mentees ............................................................................................................... 15
2.4
Pre-Mentoring Program Evaluation (PMPE) .................................................................. 17
2.4.1
Mentors ............................................................................................................... 17
2.4.2
Mentees ............................................................................................................... 17
2.5
Mentor Training...................................................................................................... 18
2.5.1
Mentor Training Day ................................................................................................ 18
2.5.2
Mentor Training Day: Evaluation by Mentors ................................................................. 18
2.5.3
Mentor Training Day: Evaluation by Mentoring Project Team ............................................. 19
2.6
Shared Learning Day 1 ............................................................................................ 19
2.7
Shared Learning Day 2 ............................................................................................ 22
2.8 Site Visits................................................................................................................. 25
2.9 Online forums ........................................................................................................... 27
2.10
Self-Assessment Manual (SAM) ................................................................................. 28
2.11
Program Completion ............................................................................................... 29
2.12 Action Research Projects (Reflective Practice Projects) ....................................................... 31
2.13 Reflections on learning template: mentees and mentors ....................................................... 31
2.13.1
Personal learning ................................................................................................ 32
2.13.2
Effective mentoring.............................................................................................. 36
2.13.3
Discussion questions related to impact on practice ...................................................... 38
2.13.3.1
Mentor Reponses ............................................................................................ 38
2.13.3.2
Mentee Reponses ........................................................................................... 40
2.14 Mentees Experiences.................................................................................................. 44
2.15 Celebration Day ......................................................................................................... 47
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2.16 Post-mentoring program evaluation (POMPE) ................................................................... 48
3.
OVERALL REFLECTIONS ....................................................................................... 54
4.
CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS .......................................................................... 58
5.
APPENDICES ........................................................................................................ 58
Appendix A: Locations of Mentors and Mentees across Victoria
Appendix B: Locations of Mentors and Mentees across metropolitan Victoria
Tables
Table 1: Glossary of Abbreviations/Terms
Pg. 5
Table 2: Mentee Recruitment – Direct Contact Summary
Pg. 8
Table 3: Mentor Recruitment Summary
Pg. 9
Table 4: Mentee Recruitment Summary
Pg. 10
Table 5: Mentor/Mentee Service and Management Type Summary
Pg. 13
Table 6: Mentor/Mentee Numbers by Region
Pg. 14
Table 7: Mentor/Mentee Program Completion Summary
Pg. 30
Table 8: Mentor/Mentor – Useful Features of the Program
Pg. 49
Table 9: Mentor/Mentee – Least Useful Features of the Program
Pg. 50
Table 10: Impact of Mentoring on Professional Practice
Pg. 53
Table 11: Total number of Mentors and Mentees who applied and participated in the Program
Pg. 55
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Table 1: Glossary of Abbreviations and Terms
GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS AND TERMS(24)
EYLF
Early Years Learning Framework
NFP
Not for profit
NQF
National Quality Framework
NQS
National Quality Standards
NQS PLP Newsletter
National Quality Standard Professional Learning Program Newsletter
PD
Professional Development
Project Team/Facilitators
Members of the Mentoring Project team (see page 2) collaborated to
design; update and deliver the Program; and facilitated at or attended:
 Mentor Training Day;
 Shared Learning Days; and

Celebration Day
PSFO
Pre School Field Officer
RPP
Reflective Practice Project – also referred to as topic, focus project,
project, Action Research Project
SAM
Self-Assessment Manual
SLD
Shared Learning Day
VEYLDF
Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework
VIT
Victorian Institute of Teaching
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report documents the completion of the program for the third cohort of participants. As this is the final cohort
to undertake the program, this report also includes a section on what we have learnt along the way about
mentors, mentees and mentoring. The continued growth and sustainment of the Professional Mentoring Program
for Early Childhood Teachers over the two and a half years that the program has run would not have been
possible without the support of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), and
the leadership shown by Karen Weston, Jen Jackson, Briony Grigg and Gina Suntesic. They all played a part in
the shaping and reshaping of what this program became and the successful outcomes it has generated for those
involved and the field of early childhood.
This program was the first professional mentoring program for early childhood teachers across the state of
Victoria and, as such, was developing a culture which is currently only embedded in the primary and secondary
school sectors. Participation was not mandated and program expectations needed to be made explicit so the
program was not seen as adding more work to often overwhelmed beginning teachers. The program built on
many of the characteristics of effective professional learning -- it focused on practice identified by each mentee, it
was in context, there was an external mentor ensuring no tension between mentoring and appraisal roles so that
trust could be built, the learning was reciprocal as mentees and mentors learnt much from each other,
professional learning communities became established amongst the participants, and the focus was on practice
and making a positive impact on children’s learning and development.
This third cohort saw 115 kindergartens and day care centres across Victoria involved in the project this year.
The locations included all suburbs in Metropolitan Melbourne; Regional and Rural locations Apollo Bay,
Warrnambool, in and around Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Yea, Seymour, Walpeup/Ouyen and Mildura, Mansfield
and Wodonga and 10 participants from the Gippsland Region stretching from Corinella in the west to Mallacoota
in the east. Some mentors and mentees in Regional areas travelled up to 500km to attend training. Some
Mentors averaged in excess of 300kms to visit their group of mentees in the workplace. The data relating to
travel is well illustrated when viewed in the context of the State of Victoria, and with the assistance of the DEECD
GIS Mapping Analyst, Regional and Metropolitan maps were created (see Appendices A and B).
As we come to the conclusion of this third, and last cohort of mentees and mentors through the program, there is
cause to celebrate as mentees and mentors report positive outcomes from participating in the program. Mentors
have had an opportunity to pass on their knowledge and experience, gained lots of new ideas, were prompted to
reflect on their own practice, gained mentoring skills which they can transfer to their own settings, and expanded
their networks. Mentees felt part of a professional network, valued for what they knew and brought to their
teaching, gained confidence in themselves as educators, and have had the opportunity to reflect on one aspect
of their practice with guidance and support from a mentor and other colleagues. Both mentors and mentees
report the positive impact on their own practice and professional growth and on outcomes for the children they
work with.
Mentees learnt more about the power of programming, deeper thinking about practice, that making mistakes is
part of professional growth, to recognise themselves as capable and self-reliant, self-confident, and ways to build
collaborative practice. By the end of the program, mentors were on the whole feeling more confident and
empowered in realising their own professionalism and commitment to the early childhood field. They were more
comfortable in a mentoring role, with the realisation that they did have plenty to offer new graduate teachers and
those who were professionally isolated. There was also a real sense of reward and pride in what their individual
mentees had achieved. By being valued, mentors felt they could offer something back to the profession, and had
a sense of being part of a community of learners. What mentors gained through their involvement in the program
revolved around their professional practice, their self-worth, and their mentoring skills. What came through
strongly in the data was teachers building their professional identities through engagement within the program.
What we, the Mentoring Project Team, have noted throughout all three cohorts is the goodwill which surrounds
this initiative and the value participants place in the power of mentoring to make a difference to practice.
Professor Andrea Nolan and Jenni Beahan
On behalf of the Mentoring Project Team
December 2013
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1.
INTRODUCTION
This is the final report of the third and final cohort to complete the Professional Mentoring Program for Early
Childhood Teachers across the state of Victoria.
1.1
Background
The Professional Mentoring Program for Early Childhood Teachers addresses a workforce need for new or
isolated early childhood teachers and those who have limited access to networking opportunities, to access
support from an experienced colleague. Many of these teachers will be the only degree-qualified teacher
employed in their service. It also provides an opportunity for experienced early childhood teachers to take on
leadership roles that enable them to share their knowledge within the profession.
The Program was intended to run for 18 months as a pilot (beginning in June 2011), but the value, demand and
need to further explore mentoring in early childhood was apparent and the program has built over the three
years. Funding for the Professional Mentoring Program for Early Childhood Teachers was announced in the
2010–11 Victorian State Budget.
The Program begins with a Mentor Training Day for mentors only and then incorporates three Shared Learning
Days where mentors and mentees attend together. Site visits to mentee workplaces, online forums, and tailored
resources are provided to the full group.
1.2
Aim
The program aim remains the same as the original intention -- an increase in access to mentoring relationships
for early childhood teachers in an effort to support and further develop practice. The project has in fact acted to
broaden the idea of mentoring for early childhood teachers, promoting the benefits of effective mentoring for
teachers, children and families. Understanding and engagement with the VEYLDF and NQS remain features of
the program.
2.
FINDINGS: COHORT THREE
2.1
General Recruitment Process
Planning and advertising for the Program and recruitment for the third cohort commenced in October 2012.
Target figures for training were set at 30 mentors and 150 mentees (based on a 1:5 ratio) with the team to deliver
training in two groups at Melbourne CBD venues. Advertising material included testimonials from previous
participants to provide a snapshot of the benefits of mentoring to both mentors and mentees. As on previous
occasions and by mutual agreement, the Project Coordinator and the DEECD communicated with specific
stakeholders who alerted their members to the Program. Contact was made with mentors and mentees who had
previously been selected to participate in the Program but were unavailable to commence at the time, alerting
them to the proposed schedule for the third intake in 2013 and inviting them to participate.
During the initial planning stages for the third cohort, discussions took place with the DEECD and VIT to clarify
and confirm that the early childhood mentors would be welcomed and benefit from being included in the VIT
Mentoring Support Program (mentor training program). After viewing the VIT materials to be delivered and
reflecting on the relevance to early childhood mentors, it was decided that the mentor training would be delivered
by the Mentoring Project Team and not combined with the VIT training.
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As with the first two cohorts, the uptake of mentee applicants was slow and as anticipated, resulted in several
extensions to the closing date for applications. Mentors have always been strong supporters of the Program and
the number and quality of applicants, as judged against the set criteria, was again of a high standard.
At the initial application closing date of 18th January the number of applications received were 18 mentors (new
applicants) and 33 mentees (new applicants). This shortfall in mentee numbers was significant as the target
figure for 2013 was 150.
This result was anticipated and the Project Coordinator and the DEECD again sent communication to all
stakeholders advertising the amended closing date for applications of Friday, 22nd February. The material
included the following advice:
“Applications are now being accepted from mentees and mentors. Please submit completed application as soon
as possible but no later than Friday, 22nd February 2013 (extended from Friday, 18th January 2013). If mentees
are waiting to hear the outcome of offers of employment, applications should be submitted as soon as possible
so that the location can be noted. Mentees should contact the Project Coordinator if they cannot submit an
application by the 22nd February”.
In the end mentee applications were accepted up until May 2013 if logistically possible and this is commented on
further in ‘Challenges to Program Rollout’ (see page 11).
The strategies to increase the number of mentee applications included:

Victoria University employed an administration assistant to contact services in specific geographical
locations/regions to increase mentee/mentor allocation ratio (see following table);

Victoria University and Deakin University mailed a personal letter to recent Early Childhood graduates
(Bachelor and Master); and

Past, current and prospective mentors were also instrumental in identifying and referring potential mentees.
Table 2 shows the results of direct phone contact as noted in the first strategy above:
Table 2: Mentee Recruitment – Direct Contact Summary
Action
Result
Phone contacts with Managers/teachers
95
Expressions of interest followed up on via email for
mentees (Program information and application forms)
54
Mentee applications received
7
It should also be noted that nine mentors from the first and second cohorts expressed their interest in continuing
in the Mentoring Program. Three mentors from the second cohort were offered and accepted the role for the
third cohort to provide the opportunity for isolated mentees to undertake the Program. This is consistent with the
DEECD aim to have as many new mentors involved in the Program in 2013 which would ultimately benefit the
workforce.
While recruitment for the Program has always been challenging, we have learnt a great deal through
implementing the Program for two cohorts so the strategies developed and implemented for the third cohort
ensured that the Mentor Training Day and first Shared Learning Day proceeded as scheduled.
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2.1.1
Mentor Recruitment
Mentor applications for Cohort 3 were initially accepted until Friday, 18th January 2013 with a further extension
until Friday, 22nd February 2013. Applications were assessed by the Mentoring Project Team against the already
established criteria.
Table 3 provides a summary of numbers and additional selection information.
Table 3: Mentor Recruitment Summary
Numbers
Additional information
Number of applications held over from
2011 – mentor training completed
7
3 mentors accepted and were allocated mentees
Number of mentor applicants held over
from 2011 (could not complete training)
1
Number of mentor applications received
for 2013
48
Number of mentor applications who were
not selected for shortlisting as they did
not meet the criteria
3
Number of mentor applications selected
for shortlisting for the DEECD
endorsement
45
All applicants shortlisted were endorsed by the
DEECD
Trained/selected mentors from 2011
4
New applicants
20
The final selection of mentors was prioritised in
accordance with their geographical location to the
mentees then in accordance with relevant experience
Mentors continuing from 2012 for
Rural/Regional based mentees
3
Number of applicants offered mentor role
for cohort 3
27
4 mentors declined due to other commitments
Accepted and was allocated mentees
Mentor recruitment was not finalised until May 2013 for reasons that will be provided under the heading of
‘Challenges to Program Roll-out’ (see page 11).
Twenty applicants attended the Mentor Training Day on Tuesday, 12th March 2013 which was delivered by
Professor Andrea Nolan (Program Director) with assistance provided by Jenni Beahan (Project Coordinator).
The remaining seven mentors were either provided with individual one-on-one training via a telephone
conversation, or had participated in the Program in 2012 and were provided with updated Program information.
Mentors who had completed the training in 2011 were also invited to attend again to ensure that they were
brought up to date with the Program changes.
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2.1.2
Mentee Recruitment
While it was evident that information and the success of the Program was reaching Early Childhood teachers in
all areas of the State, the number of applicants once again did not meet the expectations for the year.
Table 4 provides a summary of numbers and additional selection information.
Table 4: Mentee Recruitment Summary
Numbers
Number of applications held over from
first and second cohorts
6
Number of applications received for 2013
(new)
89
Number of applicants who were not
offered a place in the Program
4
Additional information
2 – Not qualified
1 – did not meet criteria: Referred to other Professional
Development (Bastow Institute)
1 – Already undertaking DEECD Program
Number of applicants who were made an
offer
92
Number of applicants who declined
offer/did not take up offer
8
1 – mentee advised Program not suitable
2 – Timing of Program (rural based applicants)
1 – Timing/travel/location of Program – (rural based
applicant)
1 – Resigned from position
1 – No response to offer
1 – Accepted offer, did not start
1 – Acknowledged benefit of program but felt too
overwhelmed to take on something else
Number of applicants who accepted and
commenced in the Program
84
The majority of applications were received and assessed prior to the 1st Shared Learning Day on Wednesday,
29th March however applications were accepted up to May 2013. After this time consideration was given to late
applications and assessed on a case-by-case basis.
The final breakdown of mentee and mentor numbers for 2013 is as follows:

84 mentees commenced and participated in the Program for 2013

27 mentors participated in the Program for 2013
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2.2
Challenges to Program roll out:
Some of the challenges experienced for the first and second cohorts were again evident for this cohort; including
the matching of mentors/mentees in relevant service/management type and availability and suitability of mentors.
Through experience the administration of mentoring groups (mentor to mentee location and ratios) has been
refined and worked well. The matching of mentor to mentee in service type will always be difficult and was
addressed through allocating at least two teachers (either mentor to mentee or mentees) from a similar service in
one group. This concern should also have been alleviated as all participants had access to online forums where
they could raise issues or pose questions which could have been answered by any/all participants.
Geographically isolated mentees – availability of mentors
At the start of the Program in March, five mentees were initially not allocated a mentor as there were no
applicants within a close geographical location. The mentees attended the 1st Shared Learning Day and worked
with facilitators to confirm their expectations of the Program and to identify and develop their reflective practice
project to provide them with a start until a mentor could be allocated to them. Assistance was sought from the
DEECD to seek mentor applicants through local cluster managers in the locations and members of the project
team collaborated to identify, contact and encourage eligible teachers to apply. This situation was resolved as
follows:

Barwon South Region: A mentor who had participated in the Program in 2012 volunteered to take on the
role and work with two mentees who were located 161 km apart.

Hume Region: A mentor who had participated in the Program in 2012 volunteered to take on the role and
work with two mentees even though they were located 173 km apart. An added complication was that one
mentee worked in the same Centre; an underlying principle of the Program is that the mentor/mentee do
not share the same workplace and specific parameters had to be identified and agreed to by all parties so
that these arrangements could be approved. In this case the mentor kept a ‘professional distance’ when
addressing the mentee’s issues, even so there were times when the mentor had to remind herself that she
was mentoring the mentee and not ‘managing’ her. On the positive side, the mentor was aware of the
families, children and routine of the centre, and it was easy to arrange meetings between the mentor and
mentee.

Barwon Region: Contact was made with Cluster Managers/Directors through the local Shire Council who
identified several suitable teachers in the area, of which one had previously undertaken mentoring training
elsewhere. Although a little hesitant due to concerns of time commitment and self-confidence in mentoring
ability, the teacher participated in the Program and provided valuable support to the mentee.
Barriers to taking up the mentoring opportunity
During the life of the Program, it became evident that teachers were reluctant to apply for the Program and or
take up the offer of a mentor and/or were not approved to apply for the Program. The following situations were
found:

A PSFO or experienced teacher identified that a new teacher ‘was struggling in their practice’ and enquired
about the Program on their behalf. Despite information being provided to the teacher, applications were not
submitted.

A teacher was made an offer to participate as a mentee but declined the offer or withdrew from the Program
due to personal and work issues or felt so overwhelmed that they could not take on one more thing even
though the Program was designed to assist them to cope. An example of this is included here:
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“I do really appreciate what a great opportunity is, however I believe that it is just too much for me to handle at
the moment. I have so many commitments with my current kinder group I just think adding another one, no
matter how great the program, would just add too much for my stress levels, and would detract from the energy I
have to give the children and in the end that is the most important thing for me”.

Mentee’s perception of the ‘Reflective Practice Project’ as requiring emotional and time commitment – the
Mentoring Project Team worked with mentors and mentees to alleviate any concerns and encouraged all
mentees to document and record their progress to acknowledge and share their success in ways that were
meaningful for them and were part of what they were already documenting in their roles.
Coordinating the matching of mentors/mentees
This was the most challenging part of the Project but crucial to the success of the Program for all participants.
The process commenced with the mapping of mentors and mentees geographically, then grouping in ‘like
services’ to form the basis of a meaningful relationship. The target dates to finalise these arrangements were the
Mentor Training Day and the 1st Shared Learning Day and finalising arrangements were hindered by the
following situations:
Identifying and managing ‘conflicts of interest’: Once the groupings were established and successful mentors
were confirmed and accepted they were provided with details of their mentees. Three mentors identified conflicts
of interest and these were managed through re-allocating mentees or the mentor/mentee establishing the
parameters of their professional relationship during the Program.
Accepting late applications: While a closing date was set for applications, mentees were encouraged to apply up
to the 1st Shared Learning Day. After this date, the applicant was accepted if they met the Program eligibility
criteria; then if they could be matched to a current mentor. The mentoring team was reluctant to exclude late
applicants, however their inclusion resulted in some additional work by the Co-ordinator and the mentor as extra
time was spent with the mentee to go through the Program materials including the Mentoring Agreement and
Program rationale/commitment/requirements.
Mentees not starting/continuing with the Program: This caused a problem when a mentor was allocated to
mentees who either didn’t start or withdrew, potentially leaving the mentor with no one to work with.
Director/ Centre influence: Due to staff shortages in rural/regional areas some applications were not approved by
the Director. One Centre director wanted her staff to apply and be part of the program in the centre’s own group
(mentor/mentees), while another manager wanted to apply as a mentor for their Diploma qualified staff but could
not commit to mentor anyone else in the area. As the success of the program hinges on trust, the reciprocal
relationship with an experienced teacher outside of the mentee’s service, is critical to uphold. It ensures no
confusion over role expectation between that of being a mentor and being a manager with an appraisal role. The
mentee then has the freedom to explore concerns and challenges candidly that could otherwise be construed as
risky if it were shared with a centre manager or a direct report.
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Table 5 provides a summary of mentor and mentee numbers by Service and Management type
Table 5: Mentor/Mentee Service and Management Type Summary
Service Type
Management Type
Mentors
Mentees
Stand-alone Kindergarten
Local Government
12
18
Private
1
1
Community
Long Day Care
Other
Total
7
Other (Cluster)
3
4
Other (NFP, Committee)
1
2
Local Government
1
4
Private
1
29
Community
1
12
Other: Independent
1
NFP
1
Parent Committee
1
Committee
1
Other (University/TAFE)
1
Project Worker (Community Services)
1
Project Worker (Local Government)
1
Early Intervention
1
Educator (TAFE, University, Gowrie)
4
27
1
1
84
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Table 6 provides a summary of breakdown of mentor and mentee numbers by Region
Table 6: Mentor and Mentee Numbers by Region
Gippsland/East Gippsland
Mentors
Mentees
3
7
Grampians
3
Barwon/Barwon South
2
6
Western
5
12
Southern
3
11
Northern
3
11
Eastern
5
17
Hume
3
10
Lodden Mallee
3
7
2.3
Demographics
These demographics are based on responses to the Pre-Mentoring Program Evaluation (PMPE).
2.3.1
Mentors
Mentor demographics (number of respondents = 22)
Number of years’ experience (includes LDC, kinder, others)
Number
Percentage (out of 22)
Not specified
2
9%
Up to 20 years
6
27%
20-30 years
13
59%
Over 30 years
1
5%
Total
22
100%
Seven of the mentors only have experience in kindergartens, one mentor only has experience in LDC, and one
mentor only has experience in Early Intervention Programs (Primary School) with the rest mostly a mixture of
LDC, kindergarten and other children’s services.
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Mentor Qualifications
Number
Percentage (out of 22)**
B Ed (EC), BA, B Special Ed, B Teaching (EC), B Ed (Adult Ed), B
ECD
17
77%
Dip EC, Dip Ed, Dip Teaching, EC
12
55%
Grad Dip Inclusive Ed, Special Ed, TESOL
7
32%
M Ed
1
5%
Cert Teaching EC, Cert Gifted Ed
1
5%
Cert IV Workplace Assessment and Training
4
18%
Number
Percentage (out of 22)
Fair
5
23%
Good – Very Good
16
72%
Excellent
1
5%
Total
22
100%
Number
Percentage (out of 66)
Not specified
16
24%
0-5 years
31
47%
6-10 years
11
16%
11-15 years
5
8%
16-20 years
2
3%
Over 20 years
1
2%
Total
66
100%
**Note: Total exceeds 100% as many have multiple qualifications
Expertise with computers/technology
2.3.2
Mentees
Mentee demographics (number of respondents = 66)
Number of years’ experience (includes LDC, kinder, others)
Experience in children’s services was listed as:

14 with experience in LDC only

8 with experience in Kindergarten only

29 with experience in LDC, Kindergarten and Other (‘Other’ includes: out of school hours care,
Montessori, Early Intervention, school, primary school, integration aide in primary school, UK nanny,
children’s services trainer and assessor, family day care/playgroup, relief teaching)

15 not stated
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Mentee Qualifications – detailed breakdown
Number
Percentage (out of 66)**
B Ed (EC), B ECE, B ECS, B EC and Primary
35
53%
B Teaching (0-5yrs), B Teaching (ECE)
5
8%
B Ed (Primary)
4
6%
B Ed
8
12%
B Fine Arts
2
3%
B (unspecified major)
4
6%
Dip Children’s Services, Dip EC, Dip Ed (EC), Dip Childcare
14
21%
Dip (unspecified major)
3
5%
Grad Cert (EC)
1
2%
Grad Dip Special Ed, Grad Dip ECE
14
21%
M Teaching (EC)
4
6%
Certificate Applied Social Science (Child Care)
1
2%
Cert III Childcare
1
2%
Cert III Children’s Services
5
8%
Cert IV Workplace Assessment and Training
1
2%
Number
Percentage (out of 66)**
Bachelor’s
58
87%
Diploma, Associate Diploma, Advanced Diploma
17
26%
Grad Cert, Grad Dip
15
23%
Master’s
4
6%
Cert, Cert III, Cert IV
8
12%
Number
Percentage (out of 66)
Fair
6
9%
Good
45
68%
Excellent
15
23%
Total
66
100%
Mentee Qualifications – summarised by Higher Ed level
**Note: Total exceeds 100% as many have multiple qualifications
Expertise with computers/technology
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2.4
Pre-Mentoring Program Evaluation (PMPE)
2.4.1
Mentors
Mentors applied to participate in the Program in order to provide support to new teachers and to build confidence
through acknowledgement/affirmation of the skills/techniques/professional experience that they have already
accumulated. They saw the Program as a shared learning opportunity and made the following comments:
“mentors sharing and challenging knowledge and understandings; mentees gaining support and confidence as
we learn from each other”. They understood the purpose of the Program to be about supporting new graduates
and teachers who are less experienced or isolated. The mentors were looking forward to building professional
relationships with the mentees; “sharing passion and enthusiasm for the profession; knowledge, skills, and to
encourage new and creative ways of thinking and to help solve problems”. Some mentors were concerned about
developing rapport/connecting with mentees and meeting their expectations, while others had concerns about
using on-line forums. Those who had concerns also acknowledged they knew they would be supported by
Program staff or would “work through things with the mentees”. Mentors saw the opportunity for themselves to
develop or build on leadership skills and to network with other Early Childhood staff, particularly those in isolated
services or areas.
2.4.2
Mentees
Mentees applied to participate in the Program to be supported and be mentored by an experienced teacher from
outside of the service. They wanted to build on their knowledge and skills and enhance certain aspects of their
practice. They saw the opportunity to do this through working with their peers and experienced teachers; “I
applied for this program to gain insight and a deeper understanding of being a professional educator. Having the
extra support and guidance will develop my skills and will provide the kinder children and families who I work with
an evolving teacher”.
Mentees understood the Program to provide new and isolated teachers with support and guidance in their roles;
to build on their knowledge as educators and link their understandings to the NQF, the VEYLDF and the EYLF.
Just under a third of mentees were new graduates, located in isolated services and areas, or working in a
specialist field and hadn’t had the opportunity of working with professionals, nor did they have a critical friend to
discuss, reflect and bounce-off when in doubt. Others also wanted to develop their skills, knowledge and
confidence in leadership roles and enhance their practice in areas of: programming; teaching; and creating and
extending children's learning.
Mentees looked forward to many aspects of the Program including: meeting and working with their mentor and
other professionals, attending PD’s at Shared Learning Days and having open discussions to gain different
perspectives and strategies to assist with a range of professional and teaching issues. They identified that they
needed to learn how to work smarter not harder through effective time management and organisation; learn new
ways of doing things through visiting other services; and having a mentor observe and provide suggestions and
advice on current practices.
Most of the mentees did not express any uneasiness about the Program; those who did, expressed uncertainty
about the time commitment in relation to their workloads; expectations for the Reflective Practice Project and
their mentor expectations as reflected in the following comments: “hoping that our teaching philosophies, values
and beliefs can relate”; “Mostly, I'm uneasy about my mentor’s visits to my service. I'm just nervous that the
program I run isn't efficient enough”; and “I would not be keen to have a mentor who were like 'an annual
inspection' or Rating and Assessment visit”.
Mentees were positive about gaining something from the Program, which included: networking; broaden
knowledge and skills in all aspects of their work and personal development; receive affirmation for things that are
done well and ideas/suggestions on how to make improvements: “a confidence boost for the things I am doing
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well and some positive guidance for the areas I am struggling in. I hope to extend the network of E.C teachers I
know, despite living in a small rural town”. They were positive that having a mentor to provide support and
guidance would help them become better teachers and help them to establish their professional identity.
2.5
Mentor Training
2.5.1
Mentor Training Day
The Mentor Training Day was held on Tuesday, 12th March and was attended by 20 mentors. Of this number 18
were new to the Program and two had attended the Pilot Mentoring Program Training Day in 2011.
During the day the mentors were provided with an overview of the Program for the year, resources folder, and
information about their mentees and administration processes. The participants also had an opportunity to
network with the group – sharing experiences, expectations and concerns and also participated in workshops to
identify and discuss all aspects of mentoring.
The facilitators talked about experiences of past participants which informed mentors about some of the
situations that they might encounter.
2.5.2
Mentor Training Day: Evaluation by Mentors
Number of respondents = 20 (Some respondents did not answer all of the questions on the evaluation form).
Overall quality of Mentor Training Day:
95% rated as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ all aspects (venue, workshop facilitation, resource materials.
Hospitality/catering, location). One participant did not comment on any of these aspects.
Level of satisfaction about aspects of the training:
Allocation of time to different parts of the day:
All mentor respondents felt the times allocated were appropriate. A few comments included: “Each section
seemed to go for just the right amount of time to disseminate the required details/information”; and ‘Time to
reflect and review”. However, some also noted: “Perhaps more time spent on what to expect first meeting for
mentors and mentees”; and “Generally enough time to work through everything, but may have been nice to have
just a little more time”.
Flexibility in the day:
All mentor respondents felt there was enough flexibility in the day to meet their needs. A few of the comments
included: “Good balance of listening, discussion, moving around and variety of groups to work with”; “It was great
to have small workshops and get to know other mentors”; and “We had time at the end of the day to ask
questions and clarify issues”.
Most valuable aspects of the day:
The most valuable aspects of the day were noted as networking and sharing ideas with many colleagues with
varied experiences; getting an overview of the program; meeting the Project Team and other mentors; feeling of
support “feeling supported by the Project Team – knowing there will be support for mentors as well as mentees”.
Suggestions for improvement:
Suggestions for improvement included the addition of some active listening guidelines; more in-depth discussion
on the role of the mentor; and two mentors suggested having previous participants talk about their experiences.
Ten mentors made no comment and two mentors felt there was no need for improvement.
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What the Mentors gained from the day:
Mentors found the information and expectations about mentoring valuable and increased their knowledge and
confidence, while a few mentors felt that they were all on the same wave length and felt reassured they would be
supported.
2.5.3
Mentor Training Day: Evaluation by Mentoring Project Team
The Mentor Training Day was to have been run in conjunction with the VIT Mentor Support Program which had
been revised from previous years. However when the revised VIT materials were provided to the Project Team it
became apparent that the only part relevant to the early childhood mentors was the first hour of the day,
therefore the decision was made to run the training ‘in-house’. These revised VIT materials had a heavy
concentration on the VIT Registration process rather than the more generic materials that were used in previous
sessions.
The Mentor Training Day materials were evaluated and amended to reflect feedback from previous participants
and what has been learnt during the first 18 months delivering the program. The materials, information and
resources delivered during the day were very strongly enhanced by the Mentoring Project team members sharing
real life experiences and scenarios. This provided the mentors with the opportunity to gain a better
understanding of the Program and mentoring such as it is, not about fixing the problem nor telling mentees what
they need to do. Drawing from previous participant experiences, the session was able to outline the positive
outcomes that the program can achieve as well as the issues that can act as barriers to successful participation.
Practical examples and the rational for the Reflective Practice Project and Visit Logs were also discussed. As the
Program has developed the Project Team has been able to revise this training day to ensure it delivers all the
information that mentors require to understand and participate in the program. It also promotes networking
amongst the mentors and opens the channels of communication between mentors and the Project Team
members.
2.6
Shared Learning Day 1
Group 1 (Wednesday, 20th March 2013)
Number of respondents = 35
Overall quality of the Shared Learning Day:
97% rated the day as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’.
Level of satisfaction about aspects of the training:
The overwhelming majority of participants rated ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ all aspects (venue, workshop facilitation,
resource materials, hospitality/catering, location). A few rated workshop facilitation and location as ‘fair’ with the
comment: “far away”.
Allocation of time to different parts of the day:
94% of respondents selected ‘yes’. They noted there was enough time for discussions amongst educators
throughout the day, group discussions at tables and presentations from previous participants in the program.
Break-out groups before lunch were well received as an opportunity to debrief about experiences so far. One
respondent commented “would have like more time with mentor”.
Flexibility in the day:
All respondents felt there was enough flexibility in the day with plenty of time to chat. It was noted that the
content allowed for flexible topics and discussion times and respondents commented “I enjoyed the range of
topics discussed and different learning areas. I enjoyed the allocated time to talk and reflect”, “having breaks
was good and there wasn't a massive structure so we could comment when we wanted”.
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Most valuable aspects of the day:
The respondents noted many valuable aspects including:
Discussions and networking: in own support groups, colleagues in same settings, past mentor/mentee
presentations talking about reflective practice project.
Meeting colleagues with similar concerns: realising they were not alone with some of the problems/issues –
comments included “knowing that I am not alone and that we all feel in a similar situation, realizing I'm not the
only person with similar concerns”, “reassurance that I am not alone in support requirements to improve my role
as an educator”, “finding out that although we all work in different contexts, we experience very similar problems
and have similar concerns”, “seeing that most of us are feeling the same, knowing I'm not alone”, “I also feel a
sense of relief after meeting so many people in my situation”, “chatting with other mentees and realising that we
are all in the same boat”.
Understanding Program expectations: They gained an understanding of what is expected of them as a
mentee/mentor and the Reflective Practice Project.
Suggestions for improvement:
11 respondents made suggestions regarding more time for discussion and more sharing time with mentees and
mentors. Comments included “more one:one time with mentee. It would have been difficult to talk to five
mentees in the time frame”, “Some 'getting to know you' time early in the day instead of early thoughts on what
their Reflective Practice Project might be, when we re-visited this later”. Two respondents who had not yet been
allocated their mentor noted that they would have liked to have a mentor present/allocated.
What the participants gained from the day:
Respondents commented on the following gains:
Increased confidence: “Feel more confident - the girls are lovely and interested in the Program - have decided on
their project and I have already helped in some ways”, “More confident; we all are in the same boat”, “Support
and more confidence”, “Feeling more confident knowing that there are other people with similar issues”.
Identifying with colleagues in similar situations: “everyone feeling the same as me in some way”, “I'm not alone”,
“have similar thoughts and with support will have improved skills”, “to know I'm not alone. Great to sympathise
with peers. Ideas for project”.
Networking: “An insight into other teachers work life, I have gained an entire new group of educator
friends/professionals for support, guidance”, “New colleagues and friendships”.
Relief: “Relief that others feel the same and that there are others willing to give advice”, “some of my concerns
relieved as a mentor - good to hear concerns of others so I know my concerns are similar to others”.
Knowledge and ideas: “Lots of knowledge about mentoring which I found valuable as a mentor in my own
workplace, so thank you! You are all doing a great job”, “I gained my 'topic' that I'll be working towards. Also
picked up some ideas on future 'topics”, “Ideas for working together”.
Group 2 (Friday, 22nd March 2013)
Number of respondents = 46
Overall quality of the Shared Learning Day:
76% rated the day as ‘Excellent’ and 24% rated the day as ‘Good’.
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Level of satisfaction about aspects of the training:
As with Group 1, the overwhelming majority rated as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ all aspects (venue, workshop
facilitation, resource materials, hospitality/catering, location). One respondent voted ‘fair’ on workshop facilitation
but did not provide any comment.
Allocation of time to different parts of the day:
93% selected ‘yes’ – there was time for discussion, sharing and brainstorming at tables and in small groups with
mentees, enough time to chat and reflect and the program flowed well and was relevant. Three respondents
noted it was too stretched out; wasted time “needed more time for chat with mentees, finding out personality,
workplace circumstances, issue”.
Flexibility in the day:
All respondents felt there was enough flexibility in the day, there was enough time for discussion and it wasn’t
rushed; questions could be asked and answered; morning tea and lunch breaks sufficient, with the comment
“food time is great for networking”. Some respondents noted that they would have liked to have more time to
meet others in the profession and to have a chance for table discussions of topics.
Most valuable aspects of the day:
As with Group 1, participants noted many valuable aspects and commented:
Meeting people: “Meeting mentees and listening to their stories”, “Meeting the mentors and other team
members”; “Meeting other educators”; “Meeting other people in the same situation as me and the discussions we
had”, “Meeting with the mentees and having the chance to introduce and discuss our experiences and where we
work”.
Networking: “Connecting with other people in the LDC environment”, “Networking and chatting; gaining new
ideas; direction for the projects”, “Making connections with not only our mentor but with other educators who are
feeling and experiencing many similar things”, “Networking, sharing, brainstorming”.
Sharing: “Sharing ideas, relief other teachers are feeling the same; happy there is support”, “Sharing with other
colleagues who are willing to share struggles, not just successes!”, “mentor was great - had good advice”,
“Sharing ideas and concerns with other professionals”, “sharing ideas at the tables; learnt that I wasn't the only
graduate teacher that wasn't confident and almost every person was feeling it”, “sharing ideas and concerns and
hearing that they have similar problems”.
Clarification of Program expectations: “learning what the mentees expected from us”, “Clarifying what mentoring
is and the direction from here”, “mentoring session - clarifying role”, “discovering that we don't have an
assignment; realising that we should work smarter rather than harder”.
Suggestions for improvement:
17 respondents made suggestions which included:
More time: They wanted longer time to chat with mentees at initial meeting; time to communicate with other
mentees and mentor and time to share ideas and resources (websites, iPad apps). However, two respondents
noted that the day was stretched out too much, information and discussions could have been covered more
quickly or had been discussed at the Mentor Training Day.
Information: Others wanted more guidance for mentees on expectations of the day; more visual representation
of what the projects were last year/visuals of what the project looked like, possible resources. However one
respondent suggested “a little less talk about benefits, expectations of program”.
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Discussions: There was also suggestions for smaller group discussion; more face-to-face meetings and quieter
room for discussion “hard to hear quieter voices”.
As with Group 1, two respondents who had not yet been allocated their mentor noted that they would have like to
have a mentor present/allocated.
What the participants gained from the day:
Respondents commented on the following gains:
Increased confidence: “confidence on how to speak to Director”, “confidence; pride; professionalism”,
“confidence to create a plan for change and build on strengths”.
Identifying with colleagues in similar situations: “I have gained a sense of belonging with other educators and feel
not alone with the problems I am facing as a new graduate”, “I feel as though there are common challenges and
potential for support”.
Networking and building relationships: “initial relationship building happening, time to network”, “networking and
insight into other centres”, “a network of like-minded professionals who can relate to each other's
work/situations”, “My network has grown”, “a wonderful network of professionals and a feeling that I am not
alone”, “new friends, a relationship with my mentor and we are all professionals”, “met other staff working in
Kinder settings of all different types”.
Relief: “relief there is support, enthusiasm for the journey ahead”, “reassurance and support”, “relief and feeling
good about getting other people’s views in our profession”.
Knowledge and ideas: “great information to take back and implement in my Centre”, “the importance of reflective
practice for both mentee and mentors”, “direction; identification of goals”, “meeting and networking; a goal and
focus for change/development”, “coming up with ideas for topics; expanding network”.
2.7
Shared Learning Day 2
Group 1 (Monday, 29th July 2013)
Number of respondents = 41
Overall quality of the Shared Learning Day:
95% rated the day as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’.
Level of satisfaction about aspects of the training:
The overwhelming majority rated ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ all aspects (venue, workshop facilitation, resource
materials, hospitality/catering, location). A few rated these aspects as ‘fair’ and one rated ‘neutral’ but did not
comment.
Allocation of time to different parts of the day:
85% selected ‘yes’ – there was plenty of time to discuss and reflect with others; there was a variety of
information and enough time to talk with peers and to complete activities.
Nine respondents also made various comments: “would have liked more time with fellow mentors to explore
challenges and formulate solutions/strategies”, “discussion times 10 mins not enough! Would rather have a time
allocated at end of day to discuss with mentee groups ideas etc”, “maybe more time in break-out groups
(mentors/mentees)”, “maybe the 'Leader' session was a bit long - would have been good to spend more time with
mentors”, “guest lecture on change was too long” and “never have enough time”.
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Six respondents selected ‘no’ and commented: “it was hard to focus on such a long talk in the afternoon; bit less
for guest speaker”, “more time in groups addressing individual goals, most valuable part of the day - networking
and talking about like goals”, “more time with Mentors” and “felt rushed at times”.
Flexibility in the day:
The majority of respondents felt there was enough flexibility in the day with a good balance between small and
large groups and time to chat longer if needed. Two respondents also commented: “I would have loved more free
time to network” and “more time to talk about our own projects with our Mentor groups”. Two respondents felt
there wasn’t enough flexibility and the day felt rushed at times.
Most valuable aspects of the day:
The respondents noted many valuable aspects and commented:
Networking/discussion: “able to share/meet with more people in similar settings to discuss challenges and ideas”,
“Networking with other EC Educators”, “Being able to speak to converse with other mentees and mentors, and
getting a variety of perspectives, able to share/meet with more people in similar settings to discuss challenges
and ideas”, “I found the morning fantastic! Once again it was fantastic to network with others who are in the same
situations. Working collaboratively with others with similar projects i.e. planning was valuable. I have so many
new ideas and feel inspired to go back to my workplace and try my new ideas!”
Guest Speaker: “The PD by Karen Schmidt - this will be particularly useful in dealing with resistant staff at my
service”, “Karen's talk on change and leadership. It has put some ideas in my mind that I can use at work”, “the
speaker session about change, understanding change and what we need to learn about it”, “Karen Schmidt’s
workshop - very inspiring. I was reflecting on my own practices while listening to Karen - Thank You”,
“Leadership - very motivating and inspiring”, “The guest speaker was inspirational and affirming”.
Mentees/Mentors breakout groups: “grouping with like topics”, “discussions with mentees all together”,
“discussion groups about relevant topics”, “breakout groups = information/ideas exchange with other mentees”,
“talking to other mentors - their challenges and successes”, “content of breakout groups was directly relevant and
helpful in practice for follow up visits”.
Suggestions for improvement:
17 respondents made suggestions which included:
More time: As with the 1st Shared Learning Day, they wanted more opportunity to talk and share about progress,
issues or challenges “brainstorm solutions and learn from each other” and “more discussion about goals with
like-minded people i.e. those that have identified the same goal”.
Guest Speaker/PD’s: A few respondents noted “Karen Schmidt's session was good however I felt it wasn't really
what I was looking for. I would have liked something about collaborative practice”. “more PD's - seminars and
workshops from experts in the field on topics related to our projects”, “speaker geared more to early childhood”.
Facilitation/relevancy of materials: some respondents commented: “discussion time in the afternoon and the talk
in the morning would have worked better for me”, “SAM explanation - probably better to have had someone who
has actually done it to talk about it - especially (with one of the authors in the room!). Was very confusing and a
bit unprofessional to listen to waffle. (Rest of the program so far has been VERY professional)”, “I felt it was too
rushed. Often we didn't get time to delve more deeply. Although I am aware it is difficult to fit so much into one
day”, “I feel there were too many questions for us to stop and talk about - we only have time to look at the issues
superficially. It would be nice to have deeper discussions”, “guest lecture was too long and I didn’t find the topic
very relative to me and my experiences”.
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What the participants gained from the day:
Respondents commented on the following gains:
Knowledge and ideas: “Insights into change and change management”, “guest speaker - Karen Schmidt - Mind
sets great to reflect on practice and team. Having a tough time at work so good strategies – honesty”,
“Information from other mentors - challenges and possible solutions/ideas”, “more strategies to use in my
mentoring practice”, “more knowledge about how change can affect others and how to approach change/help
others approach change”, “like PD on change and will try new strategies”, “a little more knowledge on leadership
how to deal with change”, “skill and knowledge to take back to work and to improve my leader skills”, “new ideas
about my project topic – planning”, “I gained more knowledge about documentation, such as ideas and different
ways of doing things”.
Community of practice: “being able to share with others my reflective practice”, “I will be emailing the others in
the documenting group my planning document and facebook pages that I have found”, “continuing to create a
community with colleagues”, “knowledge about myself and knowledge that I am not alone in what I am feeling”,
“finding people in my project area”.
Confidence: “great confidence/reassurance booster. We're getting somewhere! Great opportunity to share
ideas!”, “motivation, confidence and inspiration”, “to have a positive approach towards changes”.
Group 2 (Friday, 2nd August 2013)
Number of respondents = 46
Overall quality of the Shared Learning Day:
100% rated the day as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’.
Level of satisfaction about aspects of the training:
As with Group 1, the overwhelming majority rated ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ on all aspects (venue, workshop
facilitation, resource materials, hospitality/catering, location). A few rated these aspects as ‘fair’ but did not
comment.
Allocation of time to different parts of the day:
95% selected ‘yes’ – the day was well balanced and there was opportunity to share ideas and experience; to
debrief and talk to group members. One respondent commented: “particularly valued and enjoyed mentor
discussion and Karen Schmidt”, however others commented “guest speaker at the beginning”, and “got a little
bored at the end, speaker went too long for a Friday arvo”.
Two respondents selected ‘no’ – they wanted more time for sharing ideas and discussion with
colleagues/mentees and less time for the guest speaker.
Flexibility in the day:
All of the respondents felt there was enough flexibility in the day which provided the opportunity to chat with
others with similar interest. Two respondents felt there should have been more opportunity to talk in smaller
groups and network.
Most valuable aspects of the day:
As with Group 1, respondents commented on the following aspects:
Networking/discussion: “Meeting people from LDC centres; listening and participating”, “discussion with long day
care colleagues”, “discussions with peers/mentors”, “opportunity to network, collaborate and regroup with others,
acknowledge that everyone faces similar challenges”, “speaking with like-minded early childhood professionals”,
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“I really enjoyed catching up with the other mentees again - great networking and debrief session, and sharing”,
“catching up with mentors from our region and others was great”.
Mentees/Mentors breakout groups: “mentor breakout session - realising similar stories circumstances amongst
participants”; “time to share experience with other mentors”, “gaining resources from talking to other mentees”,
“sharing information and talking about solutions, listening to other's points of view”, “gained lots of new ideas for
future programming, exchanged information”.
Guest Speaker: “Speaker was fantastic and valuable”, “Growing further seminar, very helpful!”, “Change
information from Karen”.
Sharing: “hearing and seeing how others plan and document from other mentees”, “group work - hearing about
other mentees programming”, “sharing our projects with our group”, “sharing the experiences with fellow mentees
and mentors”, “sharing with mentees, mentees sharing with each other”.
Suggestions for improvement:
11 respondents made suggestions which included:
More time: more break out time for Mentors to share.
Facilitation/suggestions for the Program: “for our groups to talk more - to help with our project”, “more examples
of research projects”, “more group work for networking”, “a little more interactive - hard to sit and just listen
especially in the second half of the day”, “possibly encourage others to share good things about early childhood
sector rather than emphasizing the challenges and obstacles we face”, “information given to workplaces outlining
the role of the mentor i.e. a mentor for the mentee - rather than a 'coach' that instructs”.
What the participants gained from the day:
Respondents commented on the following gains:
Knowledge and ideas: “To be confident in doing change and the tools to further help the process we are already
in”, “how to get change happening in the workplace and trying new things”, “how to support staff with change
(Karen's presentation)”, “together the challenges are made less formidable”, “Change is O.K. and persevere”,
“how you deal smoothly with changes and reach your goal”, “a better understanding of approaches to change how and why myself and others react to change, more ideas from peers”, “I enjoyed the talk in regard to the
'change' topic - good to see the other mentees and share some updated information with them”, “wider view on
planning, more ideas”.
Networking and collegiality: “understanding and learning from other people who are in the same profession”,
“that there are a number of common concerns/attitudes”, “sharing experiences with other mentors and mentees –
collaboration”.
Self-validation: “lots of information and a sense of understanding that I’m doing the right thing”, “the speaker was
great - feel better about my own practise”, “confirmation of progress - renewed commitment”, “much more
relaxed since 1st Shared Learning Day - feel happier in myself that I am doing things right”.
2.8
Site Visits
By the Celebration Day, all but three mentors had completed and submitted all of their claims and documentation
for site visits. As with the previous cohorts, not all mentees availed themselves of the opportunity to have four
visits. From the data received to date, two mentees were not visited as they withdrew from the Program after
attending the 1st Shared Learning Day; nine mentees were visited twice (they did not complete the Program);
and seven mentees did not receive all four visits due to time restraints – it is worth noting that this was by mutual
consent and most received a ‘final’ visit.
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The site visits are seen by participants as a very valuable feature of the Program and the following comments
were noted in ‘posts’ on the on-line forums:
Post title - Visiting mentees in Gippsland (mentor): “I have spent an enjoyable day travelling around East
Gippsland to visit three mentees. What a diversity of scenery and communities I have visited. It was wonderful to
talk with mentees in their centres and to listen to their story”.
Mentee response: “Really enjoyed your visit the other week. Lovely to see someone who is here to help. Support
can make such a difference”.
Lodden Mallee Region mentor response: “I did my visiting last week and I also appreciated being able to ‘place’
my mentees in their situations, such a treat to be able to see inside their workplace! One of the things that struck
me was that though my mentees are very different people, they expressed the same concerns - were they doing
enough? Were they doing it right? I wonder what other people will find.’
The visit logs were well utilised and provided mentees with the opportunity to track and document their journey
and success through the year. They also provided the opportunity to identify strategies and set goals for
maintaining their professional growth after the completion of the Program. Some goals mentees identified
included;

Improved practices: transition statements; documentation; program planning; partnerships with parents;
best practices.

Professional Development: to further develop skills and knowledge in: leadership; special needs (autism;
behavioural); IT/technology; Reggio environment.

Networking: sharing knowledge with colleagues; mentor/mentees from Program; the community - other
practitioners (Allied Health) etc.
Mentees also identified goals to undertake more University studies; validation and ‘extra-curricular activities to
feed the soul’.
Workplace visits again took many forms: scheduled individual visits to a mentee’s workplace; visits to mentor’s
workplace and meetings in a central location, sometimes used by Regional based mentors where mentees were
especially isolated. Everyone met as a group and the mentor then had an individual discussion with each
mentee.
Mentor travel to visit mentee: As with the first two cohorts mentors again travelled long distances to visit.
Metropolitan based mentors travelled from 160 to 310kms and Regional based mentors travelled from 150 to
580kms during each round of visits.
What has been noted by the Project Team is the need for clarification around the purpose and roles during
workplace visits so all concerned are clear about the protocol to be followed. For example:

In some instances the Manager/Director met the mentor at the beginning of the visit to provide a list and
discuss issues that should be brought up with the mentee;

Mentee’s were not ‘released’ during the mentor’s visit and were expected to continue working with the
children; and

There was also a lack of availability of relief staff in rural/regional areas which impacted on participation “I
was planning on catching up with mentee this afternoon but unfortunately, my manager is unable to secure
a relief teacher for my absence. It's an unfortunate scenario for many rural services”.
These situations required good will and diplomacy by mentors and mentees to ensure their own goals and
agendas were achieved by scheduling meetings outside of work hours if necessary
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2.9
Online forums
In response to feedback from the first and second cohort participants who noted that they would have liked the
forums to encompass a larger group and provide users with ‘alerts’ for new posts, a number of on-line forum
enhancements were implemented for the third cohort. These included: ‘post alerts’ to users (with the option to
‘turn off/on’) and the capacity to upload and view documents and images (individual groups or larger networks).
During the program the configuration of forums was changed several times to better meet the needs of the
participants. The initial setup of the forums was finalised and changes rolled out as follows:
May: ‘Collegial Support Forum’ for mentors/facilitators and Individual Groups of mentors/mentees.
June: Regional and Melbourne Area Groups – The set-up of two separate groups to allow participants to engage
and develop relationships with larger groups of colleagues for Regional based participants and the Melbourne
Area Group for all other participants.
August: Mentoring Program 2013 group - It was decided that all participants would benefit from sharing
information and concerns. This was particularly relevant as the participants attended training in two groups and
this set-up allowed everyone to share information about ‘like’ projects, interests and similar concerns, once again
supporting the concept that they were not alone.
A summary of the Forums and findings are as follows:
Collegial Support Forum: This forum allowed mentors to share their experiences and concerns with their peers
and facilitators and remained active for all cohorts. Through this forum, mentors found that they had similar
experiences when visiting mentees, both in their own concerns about how to be a good mentor, to work with and
support mentees with their issues and questions. Many mentors posted their ‘first visit’ experience where they
found mentees in a variety of situations which had them expressing their concerns about how to guide/support
mentees rather than fixing the problem. Mentors used the forum to source information for themselves and their
mentees around the following topics: outdoor environment; validation; identifying and using IT applications for
observations and behavioural management. It was also an avenue to announce and celebrate the successes of
mentors and facilitators who received awards for teaching and publishing. Mentors didn’t utilise this forum once
the ‘forum for all’ was implemented, which was after the 2nd Shared Learning Day – does this mean they were
more confident in themselves or did they feel that they could share with their colleagues (which included mentors
and mentees)?
Individual groups: The majority of mentors/mentees in individual groups utilised the forum, however three
mentors did not access this and the remaining 24 mentor groups ‘posted’ at least once with the maximum
number of ten posts from one group.
Individual group Topics: Many of the posts were to welcome participants, schedule visits and reflect on the
Shared Learning and Celebration Days. Practice related topics included: prac profile; indoor/outdoor play; Term
2; speech and development workshop; Jo Lange beyond telling off; resources and sharing; networking and
meeting surrounding kinder programs; planning and planning proforma; reflective practice; Playdough;
Assessments and checklists; Kinder information night for prospective families; outdoor learning environment;
information night; about observations; SAM; and superhero play.
Regional Forum: The total number of colleagues who were linked in this forum was 11 mentors and 27 mentees.
It is worth noting that when some teachers started the Program, they identified that they felt very isolated. The
forum provided them with the opportunity to share information about topics such as: visiting; meeting up with
people; implementing ideas developed from Shared Learning Day key note speakers. One mentor provided the
following information under the title NQS PLP Newsletter: “Both of my mentees are interested in family
collaboration as their project, and last week there was a fabulous article by Anne Stonehouse titled What Do You
think? - Communicating, conferring, collaborating - what do you do? It highlights the differences between simply
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gathering information from parents about their children, exchanging information about their children and actively
INVOLVING parents in the planning and implementation of the curriculum. I am always looking at new ways to
engage with and involve families in our centre, and this article gives some food for thought. The link to sign up for
these free E-newsletters is… “
Melbourne Area Group Forum: This forum was shared by 16 mentors and 55 mentees and prior to setting this up
some mentees only had access to one or two of their peers (in their mentor group). The forum was well utilised to
pose questions and discuss concerns about: special days at our school; focus group children; intentional
teaching; Bev Bos; emergent curriculum; documentation and Kindergarten information night.
Mentoring Program 2013 Forum: This was previously the Melbourne Area Group Forum and when Regional
members were included the number of participants totalled 80 mentees and 27 mentors. Any posts that were
previously made on this forum were able to be accessed by all mentees. Participants shared information about:
Intentional Teaching – Bastow Leadership course; SAM profile; Kindergarten information night; cluster
management; transition statements (this included uploading a document); Reggio Emilia; Celebration Days.
Impacts of Posts/website features: The topics and usage of the forums was monitored by the Project Coordinator (as site administrator) to identify and address any website issues or concerns as noted in posts by
mentors/mentees. As mentioned earlier, the mentors shared their experiences of first and second round visits on
the Collegial Support forum and noted one of their concerns that new to the profession early childhood teachers
were taking on leadership roles. The teachers (mentees) identified that they experienced difficulties with
implementing change and mentors quite often were not in a position to help them work through this. The
Mentoring Project team were alerted to this trend and it was decided to engage Karen Schmidt (Engaging
Leadership Consultant - Let’s Grow) to present at the 2nd Shared Learning Day. Karen’s presentation related to
change – in their workplace, how to make changes with co-workers and families. Another concern noted by the
Project Co-ordinator related to uploading articles and documents in accordance with copyright rules.
Feedback on on-line forums/website: 38 mentees and 15 mentors found it was useful. Mentees noted that it was
valuable for networking; communicating; sharing and resolving issues with peers and colleagues and some
commented ‘It was great to read posts from other mentees, it starts you thinking about your own teaching”, “to be
able to talk with everyone else from across the country to share information”, “Initially difficult but over time
relevant and helpful, as I was unable to attend 2nd SLD I felt connected through IT”. Others who found it useful
also noted that there weren’t enough participants engaged and they would have liked to have had sub-groups of
topics. Mentors found it useful for networking, sharing knowledge and experiences; it provided them with good
ideas and useful resource links. Participants who didn’t find it useful noted difficulties with logging in; keeping
track of posts; excessive email alerts; their own computer access and time restrictions; smaller groups seen as
not effective; or they preferred email/face to face contact.
2.10
Self-Assessment Manual (SAM)
The team continue to utilise this resource in the Program. To encourage participants to undertake and provide
responses on their ‘reflections’, evidence/feedback from past participants was provided as follows:
Mentees: “SAM has opened my eyes to my own practice enabling me to better understand the basis of my
philosophy”; and “This tool would be useful for me to revisit in a couple of years’ time to see if anything about my
practice has changed”.
Mentor: “I found SAM useful to help me reflect on my own practice”.
As with the first two cohorts, participants were asked to provide their responses to their Profile: Beliefs and
Values; Individual Reflection; Personal Profile (Table) and Individual Reflection on Personal profile. Just under
half of the participants provided all or part of the requested documents to the team. Some mentees and mentors
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noted they had difficulty completing the task due to time constraints or with technology (CD ROM provided with
the book). Some participants who did undertake and complete the profiles discussed their findings on-line:
Mentors:
“Hi everyone, I just completed my SAM profile and felt that the results were closely matched to my teaching.
However what I found interesting was that I did not have the same theoretical perspective over the three
domains, Environment, Pedagogy and Partnerships. For each Domain I had a stronger preference for a different
Theoretical perspective. Did anyone else find this, or did most people have the same theoretical perspective
across the three domains?”
“My results were different over the domains as well. What interested me was that I actually completed one of
these profile at Uni a few years ago when they first commenced. The results of this profile and the original one
were almost the same. Interesting. I have grown in my practises but my theoretical base has not changed”.
“When I did SAM in the early stages of my EC teaching, I was quite similar across the 3 domains - now I am
different across each one, with the partnerships with parents the most varied, and quite dissimilar to my previous
results. It rings true for me as my philosophy and practice have changed - an interesting exercise! (unfortunately
my CD isn't working properly and I can't save anything so I will have to do it again on a working CD)”.
“I also found my SAM profile did not have the same theoretical perspective over the 3 Domains. I actually did a
second profile - just in case I had not missed something - same result. Once all the SAM profiles have been
collected - it would be interesting to note if this is a typical result and does this reflect something about our
practice?’
Mentees:
“I too was different and I also completed SAM a few years ago and had very similar results, however, I have
evolved in my teaching”.
“I had a different experience. My results showed I am favouring one perspective across the three domains which
are different to my SAM results from uni a few years ago. It closely describes my practice but a few questions
were challenging”.
“My results seemed to be all over the place, I will be very interested to try it again next year with more experience
at kinder and a firmer view of myself as a kinder teacher, to see if it changes much. I found the process
interesting though, and sometimes easier to pinpoint which answer was least relevant than to hone in on those
that were most relevant. Tricky. I also had trouble installing on my laptop at home, but the kinder computer is a
fair bit older and had no issues with it. I just had to work through it at work, instead of in the evening when I tend
to work better on that kind of thing!”
2.11
Program Completion
Protocols were quickly established for mentors to notify the Project Co-ordinator if participants were experiencing
difficulties which may prevent them from completing the Program. In situations where the mentee’s employment
status changed (resignation or not offered continuing employment) participants were encouraged to continue in
the Program and be supported by their mentor even while undertaking relief teaching until their circumstances
stabilised. Follow up was made with all mentees who failed to respond to phone calls and emails, unfortunately
their lack of response provides no clarity on their departure from the Program.
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Table 7: Cohort 3: Mentor/Mentee Program Completion Summary
Numbers Comments
Number of new applicants offered
mentor role:
21
Trained mentors (from 2011):
3
Mentors who participated in both
Second and third cohorts:
3
Three mentors were asked and agreed to continue in the 3rd
cohort as mentees from isolated areas would otherwise not
have been able to be included in the Program. The mentors
undertook visits and attended all Shared Learning Days and
the Celebration Day.
Number of mentors who
completed Program
27
All mentors completed the program
Number of applicants who
accepted and commenced
Program as mentees
84
Number of mentees who did not
complete the Program. Reasons
for non-completion are shown in
comments
7
Formal departure from the Program
1 - resigned from position and left the field
1 - Change of management, position no longer available – left
the field
1 – resigned from position and took on role of Director of
Family Day Care
1 – Maternity Leave
1 – Support provided through workplace
1 – personal and work pressure
5
Number of mentees who
completed the Program
Informal departure from the Program: i.e. failed to respond
to email requests from mentors/Project Co-ordinator
72
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2.12 Action Research Projects (Reflective Practice Projects)
Project topics
Topic choices for the Reflective Practice Projects for cohort three can be grouped into six broad areas:
i.
Program Planning,
ii.
Professionalism/Leadership,
iii.
Assessment for learning,
iv.
environment,
v.
communication with families, and
vi.
Behaviour and guidance.
These are arranged from the most popular topic to the least popular topic.
Program Planning (27)
This area included projects with a focus on engaging boys; supporting individual children and also children with
additional needs; school readiness; children’s first language; long day care; tools for planning; and planning for 3
year olds.
Professionalism/Leadership (19)
Reflective Practice Projects under this area related to exploring identity; professional practice – role as an
educator/work-life balance/job satisfaction/developing teaching practices/time management; Professionalism –
critical reflection; working in shared services; team building; assertiveness/communication which included
communicating with co-workers; and behaviour management of staff.
Assessment for learning (10)
This area covered projects dealing with assessment and evaluation; and documentation – children’s
learning/program/observations and reflections.
Environment (7)
Under this area were projects which focused on the bush kinder; enhancing the environment; children’s learning
– creative collage; the physical environment – outdoor planning; and natural play indoors and outdoors.
Communication with families (5)
Projects in this area included informing families about learning that has occurred; and communicating with
parents.
Behaviour and guidance (3)
Projects under this area were concerned with dealing with challenging behaviours, and engaging boys as a way
to deal with and subvert inappropriate behaviour.
2.13 Reflections on learning template: mentees and mentors
As for the other cohorts, Cohort Three participants completed a template that was sent to all mentors and
mentees prior to the Celebration Day. This template was a way of capturing the learning that occurred during the
life of the Program in the eyes of the participants. It documented initial feelings and thoughts about participating
in the program, as well as documenting highlights and challenges of participation.
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2.13.1 Personal learning
Mentees
The following list provides a summary of what mentees felt they learnt from taking part in the program.
•
The power of programming
•
Deeper thinking about practice
•
Making mistakes is part of professional growth
•
To recognise themselves as capable
•
Self-reliance
•
Self confidence
•
Ways to build collaborative practice
The power of their programming was related to the ways of enhancing and promoting successful learning. This
included the improved skill of analysing situations, trialling different forms of planning and having a better
understanding of the planning cycle. The following comments highlight some of these aspects.
“That really there is no limit to what you can learn and incorporate into your program as long as it is relevant and
respectful of children and families. You truly can let the children and the families lead you”.
“I now know that my play based program really enhances and promotes successful learning”.
“I have learnt that I know a lot more about the planning circle than I first gave myself credit about. I can see I still
have many areas I can work on but can see that the planning cycle and documentation is a changing, continuous
piece that needs regular evaluation”.
Deeper thinking about practice was directly connected to self-confidence and professional identity as the
following participants noted:
“I have learnt that through reflecting on my practice not only personally but professionally as well, I have
developed a greater awareness of my own professional identity and my self-confidence is showing signs of
increasing”.
“Deeper thinking about practice….it started with planning but it is beyond that”.
“I have learnt that there were a lot of gaps in my knowledge base, and that I am a smart and intelligent woman
who is learning and becoming more competent and knowledgeable of not only the framework but my personal
practice”.
This deeper thinking about practice led one mentee to gain a better understanding of intentional teaching, while
engaging more in reflective practice and understanding the impact of this on practice was also mentioned by
other participants.
Coming to the realisation that making mistakes is part of professional growth was mentioned.
“Nothing is wrong and you don’t have to be always right and making mistakes is part of your growth as a
teacher”.
“I think in the past when I had meetings with parents I didn’t stop and listen enough, so I do more of that now. I
never doubted that parents have knowledge to assist with their children, but maybe by not really listening to
them, they felt I didn’t respect their knowledge”.
This then enabled some mentees to recognise themselves as capable and competent, with empowering
responses such as:
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“I do know a lot more than I think and I am a great teacher”.
“I have learnt that ‘I can do it’ and I am so proud of what I have achieved so far”.
“That I am capable and I can achieve when I put my mind to it. Sometimes you can’t rely on others so you have
to make your own resources”.
“I undervalue myself and always have and I have taken some steps this year to work on that with support
services, relaxation techniques, and remembering that I am a really good educator”.
These sentiments are strongly aligned with being self-reliant. This encompasses resilience:
“During this program I have learnt that I am quite resilient and an advocate for the children I teach and their
families. Through my project I have experienced ups and downs, but they have ultimately made me a stronger
educator and a stronger person”.
“I now have the power of my convictions and will question others practice in future and be true to myself and my
Early Childhood philosophy”.
“I have learnt to stop then breathe which would allow me to tackle any issues”.
“I have always held high expectations of myself – a lot of times unrealistic expectations. I learnt that I need to
remember that I am only one person and I cannot achieve an unrealistic work load in unrealistic conditions. If
things are not effectively working and you try and change them but are not receiving the positive
support/guidance to do this it is probably not the best place to stay in”.
Also fitting under the self-reliant heading is being capable:
“I have learnt that I AM capable and that I am doing a great job”.
“I have learnt that I am capable of so much more than I thought. If I am confident I can do it”.
Self-reliance also calls on the ability to try new things and be open to different ways of working:
“I have learnt that the best thing to do is just ‘try’. I learnt that it’s okay not to do things all at once. There were
occasions that I had an idea and thought about it before following through which was okay as it allowed me time
to gather resources and further extend it”.
“What I have learnt about myself is that I am stubborn when it comes to change and when it comes to getting
help. I have learnt through myself that I need to be more open with things and not be a closed door”.
Many Mentees noted an increase in their confidence which they acknowledged as being due to participating in
the program. They mentioned an increase in their ability to plan and confidence in the way they practiced.
“I feel that I have grown in confidence more than anything. I used to feel that I had to make up a great planning
cycle and use it the same way each year. Whereas now I understand that there is no right or wrong way to plan,
everyone has a different planning cycle and each kinder year is different depending on the age of the group, the
setting, the times of day, the families, the environment etc. So a plan is something that will evolve with each
teacher and class to meet the needs of that particular context”.
“Despite the most confronting and challenging year of my professional career in Education (1 year in EC and
several years in schools), I am still here. And next year these confronting and challenging experiences will no
longer be ‘firsts’”.
“I have learnt that through reflecting on my practice not only personally but professionally as well, I have
developed a greater awareness of my own professional identity and my self-confidence is showing signs of
increasing”.
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There was also a change in relation to vision for some which encompasses changes in attitude and behaviour
when interaction with children and “being able to share my vision with others and suggest some ideas for
experiences”.
Self-confidence was highly valued as a learning from the program. This related to being a stronger person and
a stronger educator.
Mentees also wrote about how they had learnt ways to build collaborative practice and a sense of being part
of a community.
“I’m better at talking to families and having those challenging conversations with staff than I actually thought I
was. I tend to be more process based and resort to solving things independently when under strict deadlines or
pressure rather than my usual people based approach to suggestions for support”.
“Sharing knowledge with other professionals and getting their help to resolve problems will provide lot of
opportunities for me to build confidence as a teacher”.
“I think this experience has helped me to feel less alone. Although I work in a long daycare setting I still have a
sense that I am somewhat on my own, as far as running the Kindergarten program. I believe this program has
given me the confidence to get through this year, my first as a graduate teacher, and I am really appreciative of
the support and guidance not only from my fantastic mentor and the amazing people running the program, but
also from the other mentees. Everybody has such wonderful knowledge to share and it has been a great
experience being able to share this knowledge and network with people who are in the same position and are
feeling similar”.
Mentors
Mentors initial feelings about being part of the Mentoring Program included ones of excitement, nervousness,
and proud to be part of it. These feelings changed to reflect increased confidence, a sense of achievement,
enjoyment, professional growth, being valued and being seen as knowledgeable as the program progressed.
Initially mentors were excited by the networking opportunities locally and more widely that the program offered.
Some were however nervous and anxious and questioned their own self-worth – Am I good enough? Do I have
anything to offer? What are the expectations and can I fulfil them? For one mentor there was a feeling of
intimidation by the experience, expertise and professionalism of the other mentors, while another felt proud and
privileged to have been chosen to participate in the program. These feelings changed over the course of the
program as illustrated in the following mentor statement:
“At first I was overwhelmed by the needs of the mentees and felt concerned about what I could offer, but now I
have seen how they all grew in confidence and skills through the year and I feel proud of their achievements and
proud to have been part of that journey alongside them”.
By the end of the program mentors were on the whole feeling more confident and empowered in realising their
own professionalism and commitment to the early childhood field. They were more comfortable in a mentoring
role, with the realisation that they did have plenty to offer others with years of knowledge and experience to draw
from that was seen as useful in supporting other educators just starting out in their careers. There was also a
real sense of reward and pride in what their individual mentees had achieved. They were pleased with mentees
progress and enjoyed the journey of their mentees. By being valued, mentors felt they could offer something
back to the profession, and had a sense of being part of a community of learners. However, it must be noted that
for one mentor there was a personal sense of underachieving as detailed below:
“I felt that I was available for the mentees and it was perhaps their busy lives (as stated below) that impacted
upon this communication. I suppose I feel a personal sense of under achieving from what I thought the program
would be about”.
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What mentors felt they had gained through their involvement in the program revolved around their professional
practice, their self-worth, and their mentoring skills. These aspects are detailed below.
Practice
‘‘I am getting better at being able to analyse a situation and form an overview of professional practice”.
“I have discovered that by being asked how or why you do things within your teaching practices allows you to
critically reflect on your practice and to clearly articulate the reasons why. I have learnt that some of the things
that I do with confidence are things that really do take time to understand and practice and that I have a
responsibility to encourage others to extend their skills and to always question why am I doing this…who is it
for…is it useful…can I realistically do this in the hours I am given, and to back yourself and do what you think is
pedagogically important”.
“I learnt that increasing my own professional networks helped me to reflect on my practice. It helped me to think
more deeply about my own philosophy and pedagogy”.
“It was a fabulous way to support and inspire others whilst learning and challenging my own professional
practice”.
“I can still improve my practice in so many ways. Talking to mentees about their practice makes me reflect on
mine more. It is really good to visit other centres and gain new insights/ways to do things! We often get caught
up in our own little world and way of doing things, and it is enormously helpful to step into someone else's
environment and learn“.
Self-worth
“That I still have lots to learn but I also have plenty to offer others. I am prepared to explore new ways of doing
things”.
“I have learnt that I have a lot to offer others. That I enjoy being a mentor and will seek out opportunities to do
this whenever possible”.
“Have learnt that over the years of experience that I have accumulated and gained, a large amount of
knowledge. That one can never underestimate how the ability to share, discuss and pursue further knowledge,
is of the utmost importance to the satisfaction in the profession and of course the ability to deliver and create
positive working conditions and environments for all”.
Mentoring Skills
“I have had to learn not to problem solve or try and fix the situation but to listen and reflect with the mentees. I
have tried to be an active listener and use ‘coaching’ techniques in preference to directly giving advice”.
“I can guide and listen I am a professional I enjoy sharing with adults as well as with children”.
“I learnt to listen without feeling the need to make everything alright”.
“I have learnt that I don’t need to have the answer to every possible concern or question before I can assist
others professionally. We gain knowledge from experience and experience is invaluable”.
“It also strengthened my communication skills greatly!”
“I learnt that I am a great listener, communicator and supportive and good at giving guidance to others”.
“I have learnt that mentoring is a skill that needs to be practiced and when done well, can be satisfying for all
involved. I have learnt how to step back and enable those around me to take responsibility for decisions made,
but will need to continue to practice this!”
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Overall, professional growth included the building of professional skills, such as improved reflective practice skills
and the ability to listen (not just talk), and to guide rather than fix the issue themselves. For some mentors there
was a sense that mentors had learnt more than they had been able to share with mentees.
“It was a very affirming experience - I was able to see how much knowledge, experience and wisdom I have
accumulated as a professional. It was a real joy to support another teacher - to see them grow was inspiring”.
“The process was a great reminder for me about the importance of seeking ways to continue to learn, be
challenged and support others”.
For one mentor participating in the mentoring program had a profound impact. This mentor has now recognised
her leadership potential and has a clear career pathway, which was previously missing.
“Participating in this program has increased my confidence as a professional, so much so, that I applied for more
of a leadership role within another organisation and got the position! I am sure participating in this program had
a positive impact on me getting the position. It has also crystallised for me the direction I want to take within the
profession (more in leadership), when before the program I felt I was just drifting”.
2.13.2 Effective mentoring
Similar to the two previous final cohort reports, the data displayed evidence of the four elements identified in the
literature which are equated with effective mentoring. These being reciprocal, dynamic, reflective, and based on
professional support.
Reciprocal: An equal professional relationship, both are teachers and learners. The experienced and new to the
profession or professionally isolated teacher work together in an equal professional relationship where they are
both teachers and learners.
Dynamic: Mentoring influences/changes the context; and the context shapes the relationship. The relationship is
organic. Whilst an understanding of mentoring is needed to underpin the approach, a formula does not work in
forming the relationship.
Reflective: The mentor facilitates reflection on the part of the mentee to support the development of their
professional identity; the mentor professionally challenges the mentee in developing their theory/philosophy, and
sense of efficacy. In doing this the mentor continuously reflects on their own practice and self-image as a teacher
and mentor.
Based on Professional Support: While personal support is inherent in a mentoring relationship the emphasis is
on professional support, in this case supporting the growth of teaching expertise.
The following are excerpts that illustrate the alignment to these four elements of effective mentoring.
Reciprocal
“I learnt lots – good ideas from them and others, the pressures and opportunities intrinsic to their situation, other
ways of connecting with fellow team members”. (mentor)
“That I still have lots to learn but I also have plenty to offer others. I am prepared to explore new ways of doing
things”. (mentor)
“Their concerns were varied and some issues required positive thinking from all parties. I am glad to have been
a mentor and I believe, I have learnt more than I have been able to share with them”. (mentor)
“Having participated in the program, I now know first-hand the benefit for mentors as well as mentees”. (mentor)
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Dynamic
“The mentees took on board responsibility for carrying out their plans”. (mentor)
“I can’t make people be like me (I did know it, but it reinforced it), that working with teachers has to parallel the
way we work with children or anyone – they will take up what they are ready for – that the environment and the
way we connect is paramount”. (mentor)
“I particularly enjoyed the energy and enthusiasm of the mentees I had. It really energised me within my
practice, and it was great to be surrounded by enthusiastic professionals”. (mentor)
“My relationship that developed with my mentee. It was a sharing of beliefs, philosophies, cultures and personal
acknowledgement of the difficulties we have both been faced with as professionals and as women”. (mentor)
“A sense of being part of and increased awareness of the value of ‘Communities of Practice or Learning”.
(mentor)
“Everyone has been helpful and friendly and have made me feel valued as an educator”. (mentee)
Reflective
“It encouraged me to reflect on my attitudes towards my own practice, and what I could do to change and be a
better professional”. (mentor)
“I feel as though I have reflected quite a lot on my practices and beliefs along the way, especially when having
lots of open discussion with my mentees, and this has allowed me to grow as an educator and begin to
understand more fully the role of a ‘mentor’ versus a ‘coach”. (mentor)
“I have discovered that by being asked how or why you do things within your teaching practices allows you to
critically reflect on your practice and to clearly articulate the reasons why”. (mentor)
“Talking to mentees about their practice makes me reflect on mine more. It is really good to visit other centres
and gain new insights/ways to do things! We often get caught up in our own little world and way of doing things,
and it is enormously helpful to step into someone else's environment and learn“. (mentor)
“Deeper thinking about practice….it started with planning but it is beyond that”. (mentee)
“I have better and deeper understanding of intentional teaching and reflective practice”. (mentee)
“I have learnt that through reflecting on my practice not only personally but professionally as well, I have
developed a greater awareness of my own professional identity and my self-confidence is showing signs of
increasing”. (mentee)
Based on Professional Support
“I am getting better at being able to analyse a situation and form an overview of professional practice”. (mentor)
“Learning to deal with issues rather than personalities and identifying what has worked better/well takes time to
learn”. (mentor)
“The process was a great reminder for me about the importance of seeking ways to continue to learn, be
challenged and support others”. (mentor)
“I don’t think we can under estimate the importance of having a professional forum where we can share
concerns, experiences and problems. Having professional relationships that are safe and non-judgemental
enable us to problem solve, move forward and reflect on practice”. (mentor)
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2.13.3 Discussion questions related to impact on practice
To explore the connections between participation in the mentoring program, participants own practice, and any
implications this might have for child outcomes, data was collected from discussions held at the Celebration Day.
Mentors worked in small groups, noting down individual thoughts, whilst mentees worked in pairs to document
their responses. Some participants noted personal responses to the questions on the template sent out before
the Celebration Day, and these were incorporated with the data collected on the day. All responses have been
summarised below under the questions that were used to frame the discussion.
2.13.3.1 Mentor Reponses
What will you take into your practice from participating in this program?
Participating in the mentoring program caused many mentors to consider working more collaboratively with
colleagues when back in their own centres. “Collaboration and support of each other is SO important”. They saw
a difference between helping someone and mentoring them. This distinction related to not fixing issues or
coming up with solutions themselves but instead having shared conversations with all staff involved in order to
encourage them to take ownership of specific processes so they could develop independent and autonomous
thinking. It was all about focusing on the strengths of colleagues and building these.
“To be a good mentor in my work place, to listen and identify gaps and assist my co-workers to set their own
goals in working out the issues instead of myself trying to fix everything all the time”.
“Listening to others is valuable I don’t have to offer solutions to be of value. Sharing of experiences is valuable to
both parties. Our profession needs forums where we can share experiences without feeling judged”.
“My participation has helped our service to reflect on practice and to fine tune our practice in everyday work,
leading to better outcomes for children. We create opportunities to converse with each other, families and most
importantly children. We create opportunities to listen to children and to listen to their ideas. We don’t jump in
with solutions but allow time for children to problem solve and test ideas themselves”.
Mentors spoke of how participating in the mentoring program assisted them to think more about their own
practice and they now had lots of new ideas to try out – what they had learnt from their mentees. This acted as a
reminder that there were other ways of being and doing. One mentor was going to allow more time to trial
different ways of working with staff to maximise what they could all achieve. All mentors, with the exception of
one, felt they were now more competent mentors with knowledge about effective mentoring skills such as active
listening, building relationships, taking a strength based approach, and involving all staff in discussions and
problem solving.
These mentors were keen to continue this role in their centres either formally or informally, with one mentor
stating that she was going to offer to informally mentor new graduates within her service, but also within the
cluster group as she now had a much deeper understanding of the issues facing new graduates.
Many mentors mentioned that they felt enthusiastic and motivated due to the many ideas that they gathered from
their mentees. There was a definite acknowledgement of the important place of reflective thinking in relation to
their own practice which this mentoring program had confirmed for them.
“I will take a deeper knowledge of reflective practice, and a new knowledge base around mentoring strategies
and skills. I am more aware of how to foster the professional practice of the mentee and how to promote
reflection for solutions over providing solutions. This way of problem solving then ensures ownership by the
mentee for both the problem and solution, resulting in a feeling of satisfaction and purpose”.
“Meaningful reflection allows us to grow and change our practice”.
A few mentors noted that they had developed leadership skills or a greater understanding of what makes a good
leader which will assist them in their own centres.
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What impact do you think participating in the program had on mentees practice?
There was consensus from the mentors that mentees had gained in confidence and self-believe in what they
were doing was on the right track. “Some often were so isolated / working in unsupportive workplaces that this
program was a lifeline for them and kept them sane; it really encouraged them and made them feel worthwhile”.
With this increased self-assurance it was felt that mentees could move forward with implementing new and
creative ideas “I hope that positive reinforcement enables them to feel brave in their practice”. Some mentors
noted an increase in their mentees knowledge-base, brought about through the opportunity to have professional
conversations. “I have received feedback that they feel supported just having someone to share their ideas and
problems with who is removed from their workplace; one in particular now feels she will stay in Early Childhood
from the support she has received from the group”. With a clarification and acknowledgement of their strengths,
mentees can set goals and move towards achieving these. All mentors felt that the mentees ‘had explored their
professional practice with an eye to improvement’ through their Reflective Practice Projects. Having reflected on
their practice throughout the mentoring program, mentees should have an “understanding that it's ok not to know
everything and that we can all benefit from support and sharing - this indicates good self-reflection not failure”.
One mentor hoped that her mentees did feel empowered to have professional conversations and were moving
away from ‘survival mode’ into professional engagement.
Do you see this as influencing outcomes for children?
All mentors agreed that participating in the mentoring program would positively influence outcomes for children
due to the improved and extended knowledge of the educators.
“If educators are more knowledgeable and seek out information and new ways, then children and families gain
from this in various ways as it influences what is presented or how it is presented to children”.
“Planning more effectively for children”.
“Offering a higher quality program; authentic change for programming”.
There were obvious improvements to practice brought about by the Reflective Practice Projects, and this
increased the confidence level of the mentees in relation to their professional practice. “If we are confident we
believe in ourselves and we can advocate best practises for children not only in our care but for all the children in
the future”. It was felt that improving professional practice and constant learning “can only be a good thing for
children” and led to “exploring new ways of Being, Belonging and Becoming”’ for all involved in early childhood
centres.
Reflecting on practice, through the Reflective Practice Projects, was seen as meaningful and practical, building
educator confidence. There was a strong sentiment that more confident educators leads to them being more
relaxed, responsive, and focused in their professional practice. This can create a ripple effect and spill into all
aspects of work such as ways of working with children and families which leads to positive relationships.
“Through reflection they can change outcomes for children by adjusting programing and observation techniques.
When educators feel supported they feel more confident in their teaching and children and families gain from this
confidence”.
“Happier more confident mentees will reflect in their interactions with children and families; building confidence in
their professionalism should reflect by confidence in the room and with the children and programming”.
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Two mentors explained how the mentoring process enabled this confidence to grow throughout the program.
“The more confident the teacher, the more involved they will become in ensuring they are offering a high quality
program for the children at their service. Having a mentor as a sounding board enables the mentee to focus on
building their skills and knowledge and reduces the worry factor about ‘Am I doing it right? Am I a good
teacher?’ which are questions most prevalent in the first few years in the field”.
“The mentees could focus on their work with the children as other aspects of worry with their work have been
shared and discussed with their mentor”.
This meant that attention could be focused on critical reflection upon practice and self-development which,
according to one mentor, “can only benefit the children”. This increased confidence in program planning and their
understanding of why they were doing what they were doing.
It is interesting to note that feelings of being happy were equated with increased confidence in one’s practice,
and this was considered important to keep educators in the field and as a way to harness their enthusiasm, as
the following comment illustrates:
“Happy fulfilled teachers means happy children; children benefit from more enthusiastic teachers planning more
interesting, stimulating programs (after networking/gaining ideas). Also reflection and good settings will be
improved; children will be observed more carefully, assisted more and outcomes improved; teachers will be more
motivated and interested in their job”.
“Confident staff and happy workplaces will create positive learning environments and positive outcomes for
children”.
2.13.3.2 Mentee Reponses
What will you take into your practice from participating in this program?
When analysing the responses from mentees as to what they would take from their participation in the mentoring
program into their practice, it was apparent that the experience had been extremely meaningful and relevant for
them as professionals. There were the tangible elements such as a change in the way planning, documentation,
and observation was undertaken and recorded, the development of new and different resources and “new ways
of doing things that will benefit myself, children and families”, effective ways of working with parents, goal setting,
improved communication skills, improved ‘school readiness ideas’, effective listening skills, taking a strengthbased approach based on their own strength, knowledge and experiences; to the more intangible elements such
as a different way of working with others, being open to ideas, the courage to seek support, the confidence to
find solutions without needing assistance every time, a willingness to explore, and persistence “in trying new
approaches and when reflecting”.
“During this program I have learnt that I am quite resilient and an advocate for the children I teach and their
families. Through my project I have experienced ups and downs, but they have ultimately made me a stronger
educator and a stronger person”.
An increase in confidence as an educator was mentioned by almost all mentees. This rise in confidence related
to their own ability as an educator to work and deal with others, their knowledge base, their abilities, their stature
within their centres and the profession, and their approach to planning.
“Not to be scared of confrontation and realise that I DO know what I am talking about, I DO have the knowledge
and the right words”.
“Confidence, its okay if things do not go the way that you had planned”.
“I have learnt to be confident in my abilities and philosophies”.
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“I have a renewed perspective on me as an educator, feeling and being more assertive and looking after my wellbeing a lot more. The relief in knowing that my team know that I was overwhelmed and getting it off my chest”.
For some mentees the program modelled skills related to mentoring and leading others in their own service,
where they swapped roles from being the mentee to become the mentor for others.
“The value of networking and having supportive colleagues and a mentor is so important. I hope to be supportive
in my role to students and co-workers and to join the local teacher network next year”.
“I have tried employing some of Karen Schmidt’s [one of the guest speakers at one of the 2nd Shared Learning
Days on leadership] advice with regard to managing change. I make more time to reflect thanks to advice from
my mentor. I am beginning to feel more comfortable (and less defensive) in my role as teacher in a kinder
environment. My planning continues to be a work in progress as I work out how to document the way we do
things, although I have enjoyed developing and trying several different formats”.
“I am taking leadership skills into my practice - delegating; sharing knowledge/information - particularly with
students; team work; mentoring skills for our teams in workplace services”.
How did this impact on the children you teach?
All mentee responses noted the positive impact the outcomes of their Reflective Practice Projects and their
participation in the program had on children’s learning and development. For one mentee the impact “created a
more high quality program with advanced results, more than what I could have ever done without support”, while
for another “the children became settled and more focused”. Due to the individual nature of the Reflective
Practice Projects, the representative responses have been grouped under the themes of: Inclusion, Planning,
Documentation, Relationships and Interactions, Children’s Learning, Environments, and Behaviour.
Inclusion
“Most of the children appeared to enjoy the new language and were very receptive to the Indonesian language.
It also helped the child from Indonesian descent to feel valued and included in the program”.
“My two special needs children have been using the schedule charts and step by step guides in drawing and play
dough. It has given them direction and I have seen them develop in their fine and gross skills. The special
needs children find it fun to do”.
Planning
“More detailed planning related to specific experiences and interests. Flexible set up - allowing for children to
have more input”.
“Introduction of new ideas and resources to support individual children’s interests”.
“Now that I have more of an efficient plan, I am spending less time rushing about and more time setting out
interesting and educational experiences based on their interests and needs I observed. The confidence I have
gained also shows during session and during discussions with parents and peers”.
“The children get a huge say in what they are doing, they now are undertaking a program based on their
interests, not what I thought they liked, so for them the days are more enjoyable. For the parents they can now
appreciate my planning and see what their children are undertaking and achieving easier which has sparked
more conversations”.
“The children have enjoyed a varied program, they have practised working/playing together and independently.
They have had plenty of input into the program. They have responded well to increasing challenge in the
environment, in their social interactions and enjoy having some level of control over what activities will be
available for them to try”.
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“It has enabled me to develop my routine for the program and to allow more time for play and more time for the
kindergarten program to operate a bit more separately from the younger program that is being offered. I have
also been able to provide different experiences and activities that were suggested by my mentor”.
“More effective program = happier children”.
Documentation
“More comprehensive portfolios and record of learning”.
Relationships and Interactions
“I think the families came to trust me, confide in me and feel more confident and connected. SO the children
noticed that and felt the same. The more positive I became in my feedback with parents, the more positive I
became with the children as I noticed they didn’t spent the whole time being terrors. Introducing the concept of
Peace and Respect really helped the whole room dynamics”.
“It has allowed me to use new strategies to interact with my children being a warmer environment for them”.
“I guess the children have sensed me becoming more relaxed in the setting after realizing that I’m not worthless.
I have learnt to relax a little more in the classroom and enjoy moments with the children on a daily basis, instead
of sitting back and focusing on the paperwork side of things”.
“Adults confidence - impacts children's emotions and security; makes us re-think our interactions with children”.
Children’s learning
“I will encourage children to demonstrate much more creativity and open mindedness towards experiences.
Through using natural resources children are able to connect with the natural world and learn about how their
contributions affect the future”.
“I am now encouraging them more to be more autonomous over their choices and encouraging self-reliance
rather than giving them the answer. Allowing them to problem solve in challenging moments as I have learnt so
much from this myself”.
“More effective ways of doing things so I can engage with them more”.
“The children are more engaged in the different experiences and they explore new experiences too”.
“The children gained a stronger sense of identity and ownership of their learning by contributing directly to the
different forms of reflection. It was also used as a tool by parents and families to ask the children about their day
at kindergarten and about what they have learnt. The children love writing within the reflection book and using
their new attained skills in all their areas of development. They became more active participants of their learning,
as I became a more active participant within my learning”.
Environments
“They have a more stimulating outdoors program and environment”.
“A positive atmosphere more optimistic, inspiring other team members”.
‘The impact on the children is probably not as evident, as say a new routine or environmental changes would be,
but the fact that I am more confident in what I am doing has to impact on them and the environment that is
created in return”.
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Behaviour
“Those children who have challenging behaviours improved their behaviours, and had better their selfregulation”.
“The group has become calmer and the children contributed more into their learning progress”.
“The children’s needs are being met, in my ability to identify what they are, and my confidence helps keep the
harmony of the children’s behaviour in the kindergarten environment”.
One interesting outcome was that many mentees noted a flow on effect from their own increase in confidence.
They felt that the children became less stressed and more relaxed in the early childhood environment due to they
themselves being more confident in their own abilities which lowered their own stress levels. “Confidence within
our role to allow us to STOP second guessing and just BE” and “It is better for the children if I am less worried
about if I am doing the job right and I can focus more on them and teaching with confidence”.
What do you think the mentors got out of participating in the program?
Mentees thought that mentors had gained professionally and personally from their participation in the mentoring
program. They mentioned aspects such as a sense of satisfaction and acknowledgement watching their mentees
grow in our ideas and practice, gaining new knowledge and practice ideas, understanding the issues facing new
graduates as well as other educators, centres and communities, expanding their networks, finding a friend,
leadership skills, the ability to pass on their own knowledge and what they have learnt through experience – “I
believe the mentors would have had the opportunity to realise how valuable their support and knowledge truly is
and being able to share this with people would be very rewarding for them”, confidence in themselves as
mentors, and a sense of contribution to the profession – “The mentors are able to validate themselves as early
childhood professionals and feel good about themselves for the positive impact they have had on providing
guidance and support to new teachers of the industry”, a chance “to share their passion for early childhood and
continue to be advocates for early years education”, reflecting on their own experiences and practice, and a
belief “in themselves that they can make a difference” - self-validation.
The following three mentee comments are offered as a summary of the sentiment of many:
“If they aren't walking away feeling proud that they have helped to shape the future in a positive way, then they
should be!”
“I hope they all feel the happiness that they have given us. It’s a wonderful feeling having someone devoted to
helping you, who comes to you and spends time out of their day to pass on their knowledge and experience to
you in such a positive way”.
“The mentors should be very proud of their efforts in helping us all this year! I know at one point I was ready to
quit and leave the industry after I was told I was doing everything wrong. I went and had a meeting with my
mentor and she sat with me and listened to everything I had to say, gave me feedback and most importantly
reinforced that I wasn’t doing anything wrong, that everyone has different ways of doing things and encouraged
me to stay in my job. I hope they get a lot of satisfaction after helping us all, sometimes just knowing there was
someone there was enough for me, other times I needed to have a meeting, send a few emails or a phone call
and she was always there!”
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2.14 Mentees Experiences
Two mentees agreed for us to share their journeys in the program, to further highlight the experiences of
mentees.
Mentee A
“When I decided to accept the offer to join the mentoring program I wasn't entirely sure what I was going to gain
for this experience. I had no idea that the journey I would be taking would be such a roller coaster ride not only
for me but also for my mentor.
At the start of the program I was employed as a teacher in the child care room. There was an expectation that I
would implement a kinder program in this room. This became a great challenge as this was a new centre
established next door to a long established kindergarten.
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New staff were employed with little training on the framework and inexperience.
New young children and families with little knowledge of the framework, and
Management that wasn't on hand to assist with any issues that arose.
And so my journey began.
At my first meeting with my mentor we set goals. The things that really stood out were my self-esteem and my
professional identity which were both very low. As a new mature age graduate I was very nervous about stepping
into the role of a teacher and being in a childcare room this made it even more difficult.
So we decided I needed to step up and work with my colleagues in order to make the changes at the centre.
I asked to set up a meeting with the staff to find out where everyone was in relation to the framework and then
approached the kinder teaching staff in relation to establishing links between the two settings as there was great
division between the two.
The third goal and most important was to approach management regarding training for all staff in the framework.
From these goals my project began to take form and come into focus.
Reflective practice
I began to realise that I needed to look at what was happening, why things were happening and what I can do
differently and this will impact on the environment as a whole.
I researched reflective practice and it had many connotations.
Catharine Hydon made it very clear and simple for me.
Reflective practice is when you look at yourself. What you did or didn't do and what you could have done better
or differently, taking a step away and looking back at you rather that evaluating or viewing the program. It is
about what you did.
So after not having any luck with management I decided to move on and got a new job as a teacher. I had
walked into a nightmare.
My beliefs and values were pushed to the limit. My self-confidence and professional identity were shattered and I
walked out after three weeks.
At the next meeting my mentor’s encouragement and support was a blessing. She was so willing to do whatever
she could to get me through this rough patch. At the same time she had her own personal challenges to face.
She was a tower of strength. Thank you
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In July I was offered a three year old teaching position at my original work place and that has been a most
rewarding experience. I have also been relieving in the four year old room as well.
At the next shared learning day I realised the goals I had set and the project I had decided to pursue were
exactly what I needed at the time. Even though I have made some huge mistakes along the way it was a great
feeling to know that I was still on track. The more I reflected on my own practice the more I realised I was making
progress. To where at that time I wasn't sure.
I decided to join an agency and within a week had a job at one centre for three days a week till the end of the
year. This has been a wonderfully rewarding experience and I have gained so much in the short time i have been
there. During this time I continued to apply for jobs with continual knock backs and non replies.
When I met my mentor for our third meeting my spirits were high as I felt I was finally gaining the self-confidence
and professional identity I had been striving for. I felt I had achieved a number of my goals.
The management at my work place had finally agreed to organise framework training for the staff and this has
been booked for Saturday 30th November.
I had the opportunity to attend a one day PD with Catharine Hydon on documenting children's learning and this
confirmed for me that I was on the right track with my teaching as well and supported my ongoing learning and
development.
At my relief position I have been welcomed by not only the children but the families and the committee and the
cluster management to the point where they are trying to find way to keep me on.
And then out of the blue last Friday I received a phone call from a preschool offering me a position to implement
a pilot teaching program called the enhancement program for 4 year old kindergarten children.
So through this journey I have begun to accept that I have the skills and the abilities as a teacher to deal with the
many challenges that are presented through constant reflective practice and to remain true to my values and
beliefs about my practice”.
Mentee B
Leadership
I’ve taken a different approach to the ‘project’ and am writing it as a reflective journal of how I have changed as a
leader and how I can continue to improve my leadership skills.
What is leadership?
I believe leadership is about being adaptable to change, having a vision, the ability to influence and encourage
peers. A good leader will listen to the opinions, ideas and concerns of all who surround them within the work
place. Two key characteristics of leadership are respect and fariness, without these characteristics the people
who surround you would have no trust within you therefore they may not view you as a leader.
What does leadership mean to me?
Leadership to me is stated above but I also believe with every new challenge you grow as a leader, and there is
always room to learn and experience more.
My experiences with leadership?
I have been in the industry since 2003, within long day care. Within four months of starting I was promoted to
2IC. Before I left the long day care industry, at times I was acting coorinator, 2IC, pedagogical leader, room
leader and kindergarten teacher. Currently I work within a sessional kindergarten, I teach one 4 year old group,
one 3 year old group and co-teach at another kinder one day a week.
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I’ve been confronted with difficult parent issues, challenging educator issues, worked within a community that
faces poverty, abuse, neglect, and violence. I myself have been bullied due to improving my skills and wanting to
extend my knowledge of the industry. Also the industry has changed greatly over the small amount of years I
have been employeed, which has made me reflect and adapt to new and improved practices.
Currently I’m also involved with the mentor program through Deakin and have found my mentor to be an
outstanding resource, easy to talk to, and extremely encouraging of my future ideas.
How have I grown through negative experiences?
It was extremely hard, what I had experienced as it wasn’t until I reached full time work that I had been bullied. At
first I would break down and not know how to cope with what was happening to me. I knew I couldn’t leave as
financially it wasn’t that simple. I organised to speak to a professional who advised me that the best option was
for me to leave and 18 months later I did. The professional gave me strategies to work through what had
occurred and what continued to occur, but to also document and speak up about what was occurring. It finally
got to hand in my resignation and start fresh with two amazing teams.
How did I grow - I have gained confidence, and am good at my job so I knew they couldn’t fault me in any way,
so I have used that to continue to improve my abilities and I knew I had the support of the other educators within
the team.
How do collegues see me?
I asked my collegues and they see me as positive, a strong leader who asks a lot of questions, is direct,
respectful, and can work through tricky situations. An educator I once worked with always lets me know “I was
the best 2IC she ever worked with” (very fair, caring and respectful).
How do I show leadership within my role?
I believe I show leadership within my role by being an active participant, with decsion making i.e: new equipment,
new policies, new practices ect. I also believe it is shown when considering the children and how an outcome
may affect their time at the kinder. Asking the children what they think they might like to change, taking onboard
their ideas. I also believe in improving my abilities, knowledge and skills through professional development.
How does the template work?
The template I’ve adapted can be used at educator meetings, the first column is for everyone to add
topics/ideas/discussion points prior to the meeting.
At the meeting is where we will fill in as a team the discussion column for each item placed into the agenda
column.
Next is recognising if the topic is meeting the frame work, our philosophy and our practices- if not how can it.
Could we improve this, why?, how?
The time frame column, and who is going to undertake the task column allows for each educator to take
responsibility and ownership of a task.
The outcome column identitifies how the task was achieved.
Each member of the team will be allocated a task, so one person isn’t overwhelmed at each team meeting. The
time frame will be discussed by all educators, and agreed upon depending on the task.
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Where to next?
Currently I’m looking to further extend my skills and have been looking towards starting a Graduate Diploma of
Teaching (Primary), I have also spoken to my manager who is encouraging me to take part in the Bastow
leadership course next year. I have lots to consider and hope to continue learning and improving my skills”.
2.15 Celebration Day
Group 1 (Monday, 18th November)
Number of respondents = 38
Overall quality of Celebration Day:
74% rated the day as ‘Excellent’ and 26% rated the day as ‘Good’
Level of satisfaction about aspects of the training:
Most respondents rated ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ all aspects of the day (venue, hospitality/catering, location, time,
administration). One respondent rated location as ‘Fair’ but did not comment.
Most valuable aspects of the day:
The most mentioned were:
Opportunities to share information and achievements with other teachers Comments included: “The feedback
from other mentees. This has given me insight and aspiration to continue researching (perhaps more study) and
to continue in teaching”, “Networking with colleagues and sharing ideas, philosophies, strategies”.
Guest speaker presentation: – Bess Sajfar ‘Connecting with Nature’. Comments included: “Bess' talk was truly
inspirational”, “Having Bess talk to us about learning in nature was fantastic and inspiring”.
Reflection: “Reflecting on the course - sharing achievements and/or milestones”, “The networking and sharing of
experiences. I also liked reflecting on what I had learnt and how I was putting it into practise”.
Suggestions for improvement:
Suggestions for improvement included:
More time: for guest speakers, sharing stories, sharing projects “Spend more time presenting projects and
hearing from mentees - perhaps each mentor could do a little speech to summarise mentee’s challenges and
achievements”.
Group Networking: “Getting groups together with their projects (documenting, planning etc). Sharing of resources
etc”, “getting into groups with topic 'specific' to further discuss’, ‘time with individual group/mentor to discuss what
worked well”.
Celebration Day Group 2 (Friday, 22nd November)
Number of respondents = 44
Overall quality of Celebration Day:
80% rated the day as ‘Excellent’ and 20% rated the day as ‘Good’
Level of satisfaction about aspects of the training:
Respondents rated ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ all aspects of the day (venue, hospitality/catering, location, time,
administration).
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Most valuable aspects of the day:
The most mentioned were:
Opportunities to share information and achievements with other teachers: Comments included: “Sharing our
experience, reinforcing importance of networks and continuing with them”, “sharing ideas, knowledge and
experiences. Supporting each other. Meeting new people in same line of work”.
Guest speaker presentation: by Niki Buchan ‘Connecting with Nature’. Comments included – “the talk by Niki
about the value of nature in children’s development”, “The presentations and speakers discussing Nature and its
role in kindergarten”.
Reflection and celebrating successes: Comments included: “Celebration of achievements; inspirational E.C.
Leaders and potential leaders”, “E.C. is important and children will benefit from such dedicated committed
professionals”, “The most valuable part of the day is seeing people's achievements of their diverse focus topics”,
and “Gained lots of new knowledge from other mentee's works”.
Suggestions for improvement:
A few participants noted that they would like to have more time to spend with their group and one suggested that
the power point presentations be provided as handouts.
2.16 Post-mentoring program evaluation (POMPE)
Number of respondents: Mentors = 24 and Mentees = 59
Overall rating of the Program:
Mentors rated the Program as ‘Excellent’ (75%), ‘Good’ (21%) and one didn’t respond.
Mentees rated the Program as ‘Excellent’ (87%) or ‘Good’ (13%)
Recommending the Program:
The overwhelming majority of mentors (96%) who responded to this question selected ‘yes’ they would
recommend the Program. The mentors found the Program provided the opportunity to network and become a
better reflective practitioner. The Program also allowed them to share knowledge, learn and develop reciprocal
relationships, comments included: “It is important that new inexperienced educators believe in themselves. The
program also avails highly experienced Early Childhood professionals to learn from those new to the sector”,
“Working together helps share knowledge and experience. It’s a win win for everyone, mentors, mentees,
children and family. My mentee would have left the field if it wasn’t for this program”, and “Important to build skills
beyond the basics - we are all learning”.
The overwhelming majority of mentees (98%) who responded to this question selected ‘yes’ they would
recommend the Program. Mentees noted they had opportunities to network and grow in learning and confidence
and identified the importance of having an experienced non-judgemental mentor from outside of their
organisation. Mentees noted the value of the support that was provided through the Program and commented:
“It is essential to have mentoring support for those new to the field, to help set up networking/sanity saving
opportunities outside of work, that get it”, “Great to have a support network of professionals who are going
through the same things”, “I got an enormous amount of encouragement from my mentor, the support helped me
stay in the industry”.
One mentee who rated the Program as good, wouldn’t recommend the Program and commented: “having a
mentor was great but the project was extra work for me and I didn't gain much”.
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Useful features of the Program:
Both mentors and mentees ranked the features in order of usefulness as shown in the following table:
Table 8: Mentor/Mentee - Useful features of the Program
Mentors
Mentees
Shared Learning Days:
16
42
Visits
10
38
Resources
4
10
All features
7
5
Other useful features were noted as: forums - “was a great tool for further developing knowledge and
understanding of early childhood issues”; networking - “networking with peers and department officials,” and
guest speakers at the Shared Learning and Celebration Days.
Following is a summary of mentor and mentee comments:
The Mentees commented:
Shared Learning Days: “Guest Speakers, knowledge shared by professional team involved”, “The shared
learning days were the best! Great chance to network and meet peers”, “We could meet others who work in the
same field and could share ideas”, “shared learning days were useful for the guest speakers, time for reflection,
networking…”.
Visits: “The visits were also great as they gave me someone outside my workplace to talk to”, “were really helpful
to have one to one time with mentor to discuss the areas I was working in”, “Visits by mentor, as well as visit to
her kindergarten for some fresh ideas. Loved shared visits with mentor and mentee group”, “visits were useful for
one-on-one attention to specific issues/areas for improvement, seeing the context of the setting and the
challenges I faced”, “face to face discussions provide connection, trusting relationships and confidence”.
Resources: “reading resources - great articles are hard to find, so having a resource folder was handy”,
“Resources - Professional presentations at shared learning days inspiring and useful”.
The Mentors commented:
Shared Learning Days: “Shared learning days great for networking - to see what else is going on out in the field”,
“collegiate, sense of sharing”, “I found the Shared Learning Days great for bouncing ideas off others”.
Visits: “Visits were great for connecting with the mentees and developing the mentor/mentee relationship”, “The
visits to meet and gain from my mentees. Also better understand the region, in which I work”, “visits were
interesting - satisfying but needed the SLD to give background and framework for building relationships as well
as skills and understanding”, “also visiting my mentee’s work place and also being able to share my workplace”,
“visits - see other services, understand context for discussions”.
Resources: “SAMS was interesting results/food for thought”.
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Least useful feature of the Program:
27 mentees and nine mentors noted some ‘least useful’ features of the Program as shown in the following table:
Table 9: Mentor/Mentee Least Useful features of the Program
Mentors
Mentees
Forum/website
8
12
Reflective Practice Project
1
1
SAM
2
1
Visits
1
1
Resources handouts
1
1
The mentees commented on the following aspects:
Forums/Website:
Content – “The online posts. Some I found didn't really need to be posted, but again others might have benefited
from it”.
Usage – “I felt I used the forum well but others didn't engage as much perhaps due to commitment”. However,
others found it was too much: “Too many - so time spent overwhelming when so many other things to do, I hope
to look back at some point. Did look at initially”.
Ease of Use – “The daily emails about posts were painful, consider just a weekly reminder that there has been
post and to please check”, “the website because it was difficult to find time to go on and also manage technical
difficulties (forgotten password, problems with internet, etc.)”.
Shared Learning/Celebration Day: “2nd Shared learning day we didn't get much "sharing" time - lots of time on
critical reflection etc. important, but felt like back @ Uni. Would have liked more time to chat with fellow cohort
participants”, “Revisiting how the program works at the start of the celebration day”, “I felt the Shared Learning
Days and Celebration Day were too stretched out. It felt like you were padding”.
SAM: “SAM program wasn't as useful for me due to doing it at Deakin 2yrs previously and not much has
changed”.
Reflective Practice Project: “The project. It was very specific and I was hoping for a more rounded learning
experience to enhance my overall practice not just one area”.
The mentors commented on the following aspects:
Forums/Website:
Content – “forum - wanted these to be more pointed, relevant bit nebulous”.
Ease of Use – “The website. Difficult to find the time to log on”, and “Website for mentors to mentees”.
Reflective Practice Project: “Project work - Only because I found my mentee focused on something different each
meeting. She did not need a project to engage her in the program - I do understand that some mentees may
have”.
SAM: “I didn't get much out of doing SAM. It was very hard to understand”, and “SAM - through lack of time to
really explore it”.
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Networking opportunities:
In response to a question about whether the Program enabled the participants to network, 97% of mentees and
88% of mentors considered that it did. Two mentees and three mentors did not feel that they were able to
network, but did not give reasons.
Time commitment to mentoring relationship:
When asked was the time commitment in the mentoring relationship as you had expected? Were you able to fit
in the mentoring into your work-life balance comfortably 16 of the 24 mentors responded ‘yes’.
The following comments from mentors are representative of the sentiments of those who provided an additional
response:
“The travelling took up a lot of time, but it was worthwhile. Easier than last year where I was travelling and visiting
three mentees in one day!”
“it was, for the one mentee I had allocated to me. I made myself too available - needed to set reasonable limits”.
“the four visits were a great amount, as were the number of shared learning days”.
“I knew it would be tricky, but well worth it”.
“between us we were very flexible and open to what each had going on, to adapt”.
“planned ahead - But I have a supportive work environment which encourages and allows time”.
Other mentors commented on particular aspects:
“It was ok for me as I only had two mentees. I am not sure if I would have been able to fit in more mentees. Two
was the perfect number”.
“Generally - but would have liked to have had more time to visit mentees outside of four scheduled visits and it
was fine, would have liked maybe two more visits or another Shared day”.
“It was difficult as I was only able to visit on prep days and trying to fit three mentees and long travel times was
very difficult”.
“Most of the time - But with long travel (for some mentee visits) and towards the end of the year, work life
became more busy”.
“Sometimes the work was a little hard to fit in with everyone's timetable. It’s funny how time flies until your next
visit is around the corner”.
“It was a big ask and especially this Term - I would prefer not to have Term 4 involvement in anything similar”.
53 mentees found the time commitment as expected and the following comments are representative of the
sentiments of those who provided an additional response:
“As the amount of time and energy you undertook was decided by you as an individual. Work was not always
happy but they had agreed to the program”.
“timing and visits were flexible and was able to work around both mine and mentors time schedule”.
“but was very difficult to coordinate dates”.
“SAM took me a while through and was a little time consuming”.
“I had a very different journey than expected. I found it difficult to do work but I was doing everything differently”.
“The mentoring meetings were a struggle but it did finally happen”.
“It added some extra hours but worthwhile and the benefit was greater than input”.
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“At the start it was good, I fitted in and the end when I wrapped it up, in the middle lost a bit of momentum”.
“I have had such a busy year and have felt that I didn't put in enough time into the program. That's my own fault
though!”
“The last meeting/Celebration Day was difficult with timing due to increased workload in Term 4 around end of
transition statements etc”.
One mentee noted: “No, not enough time” and one Mentee noted: “No, a bit demanding at end……. The SAM
work”.
Comments/suggestions for future mentoring Programs:
Both mentors (20) and mentees (8) provided suggestions with many related to the Program continuing. The
following comments are representative of the sentiments of those who provided an additional response:
Mentors: “This is a needed program, which all mentees (new grads) should have the opportunity for - maybe a
part of employment to have a professional mentor connected with them. If not sourced by self then available
through a program like this”.
“this program needs to continue! The sense of isolation felt by our profession is at times overwhelming!”, “The
program could take on some form within cluster management kinders, e.g. ECMS, where teachers are trained
then used/employed within the service in the mentoring role”.
“Excellent program - it is necessary for new/even experienced teachers to have some support - idea of
mentor/mentee network work within each geographic region would be useful”.
Mentees:
“The mentoring program was much more than I expected, and thanking my lucky stars I was signed up and
accepted! Really hope this program can be offered again to anyone who needs it!!!”
“Wonderful program to offer I hope it continues for many years to come and can help and support many future
educators”.
Other suggestions related to identifying and targeting teachers who would benefit from being involved in the
Program.
Understanding of mentoring:
The majority of mentors (75%) and more than a half of mentees (65%) stated their understanding of mentoring
had changed.
Essential characteristics of mentors:
Both mentors and mentees found the following essential skills/characteristics of a mentor to be important:

Listening – active and reflective; and

Communication – open and honest communication.
Mentors felt they should be empathetic and supportive; guide and encourage; share their experience and
resources and empower their mentees.
Mentees were looking to their mentors to be approachable, available and committed; non-judgemental, open to
ideas and supportive, to guide and ask/provoke: “probe to seek solutions rather than offering your own”, and to
empower “to problem solve” and “helping to increase confidence”.
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Changed perceptions of self as an early childhood professional:
23 of the 24 mentors either selected ‘yes’ or provided statements of changed perceptions on the following:

the need for ongoing reflective practice;

increased confidence: have knowledge to share; acknowledgement of desire for continuous learning; to
broaden horizons and take on leadership roles.

Notion of value: recognition of own value and the work EC teachers do is invaluable. “Yes. I realised the
importance of mentoring and that it is a valuable skill as a professional. It has also given me the confidence
to take on more leadership roles within my practice”.
56 of the 60 mentees either selected ‘yes’ or commented on changed perceptions on the following:

Confidence: they were more confident in themselves as professionals; and in their interaction with
colleagues, children and families.

Self-value, self-belief and professional identity: “it’s been surprising to discover that I am a better teacher
than I thought I was”, “My professional identity and self-esteem have grown throughout this program. I can
do it!!”, “Yes - given my confidence in my own abilities - I can do it!”, “I can be a leader, I have the ability to
delegate and the confidence to fulfil my teaching goals for myself and the children in my care”, “I can now
see myself as a competent, confident leader in early childhood”, “Better my way of working as EC Leader in
working with my team members as well as the children and families”, “My approach to documentation is
more meaningful and reflective”.

Learning: “I have learnt I had skills that didn’t surface prior to the program. Learning to understand that
there isn't one way of learning. To be open to others suggestions and ideas”, “I'm gentler on myself now. I
allow myself to make mistakes, learn from them and move on. I love consulting with others”.
Impact on practice:
The following Table illustrates responses of mentors and mentees when asked: Has mentoring changed your
professional practice in any of the following areas? Participants were able to choose all that they considered
applied to their practice.
Table 10: Impact of mentoring on Professional Practice
Aspect of Practice
Mentors (24)
Mentees (60)
Ways of teaching and assessing for learning
10
31
Ways to create effective learning environments for children
7
31
Your relationship with children
3
31
Your relationship with families
7
28
Your relationship with colleagues
18
37
Building a ‘community of practice’ with other Early
Childhood Teachers
18
32
Building a professional identity and self-efficacy
17
44
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General comments about the Program’s impact:
The following comments from three mentees are representative of the sentiments of those who provided an
additional response:
“It has been a fantastic tool for reflective practice and helped me learn ways to do so. Happy children = Happy
parents!!”
“I've learnt to have an open mind, not be afraid to try new things, and have learnt there is no one way to do
things. Trial and Error process when providing experiences for children. I’ve relaxed more in the setting making
time with children and families more relaxed and fun. I’ve built a stronger relationship with colleagues, some I’m
still working on. Educators I’ve met through this program we share ideas, experiences etc helps us all become
stronger in our teaching”.
“Less stressed having the support of a mentor therefore more relaxed with children creating a calmer
environment. Improved my commitment to supporting colleagues. Reacknowledging myself as a professional.
Thank you for this opportunity to participate in the program. I began feeling alienated and leave with strength”.
The following comments from three mentors are representative of the sentiments of those who provided an
additional response:
“Every visit has given me "food for thought" and new ideas. It has been a valuable learning experience for me as
much as my mentees”.
‘Using knowledge and experience to support mentees to follow their ideas. The program allowed an 'impartial'
sounding board to share thoughts; ideas and follow up. With colleagues - not to be a problem-solver - be more
open to exploring options. Families - using a 'coaching' style. Acknowledging with confidence, skills and
experience”.
“Given me new ideas for assessment. New ideas for outdoors program. New ideas re parent partnerships. Will
make efforts to continue to create a community”.
3.
OVERALL REFLECTIONS
Key Findings of the Professional Mentoring Program for Early Childhood Teachers
We have learnt a lot about mentors, mentees and mentoring from conducting the Professional Mentoring
Program for Early Childhood Teachers. While the program aims and intention remained consistent for the three
cohorts who undertook the program, the content, delivery and resources were assessed and modified on an
ongoing basis to improve the program in accordance with participant feedback and reflections of the Project
Team. We report here the major findings related to designing and implementing a mentoring program for early
childhood teachers under the headings of:




Recruitment and retention
Supporting mentors and mentees
Building reciprocal relationships
Changes in practice.
Recruitment and Retention
At the commencement of the program, the target figure for mentee participants was set at 360 and while a target
figure for mentors was not identified there were initial concerns that recruitment of mentors could be difficult.
This proved not to be the case as experienced teachers within the field saw the need and benefits of a mentoring
program and welcomed the opportunity to be involved.
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The following table shows the number of applications received and the number of mentor and mentees that
participated in the program:
Table 11: Total number of Mentors and Mentees who applied and participated in the Program
Mentors
Mentees
Year
Cohort
Applications
Received
Actual
Participation
Applications
Received
Actual
Participation
2011
1
58
10
64
47
2012
2
38
21
86
72
2013
3
48
27
89
84
144
58
239
203
TOTAL
Recruitment for each cohort resulted in the number of mentor applicants far exceeding the requirement in the
Melbourne area, while regional / rural areas did not attract the same level of support, which resulted in four
mentors being involved in consecutive programs and served to demonstrate their passion, generosity and
commitment to the program.
The issues of recruitment have been addressed in individual reports, however, the issue of teachers who would
benefit from being mentored not accessing the program remains unresolved. It is evident that there is
willingness by experienced teachers to provide support, however those teachers who need support do not
necessarily seek or receive assistance. A way forward in the field, perhaps, is for experienced teachers to seek
out or make themselves known to and work with, those in their local community who would benefit from support,
including opportunities to network – particularly new graduates starting out, but also being a source for those in
isolated areas.
The application process allowed mentors and mentees to provide their reasons for applying. Mentors saw this as
an opportunity to pass on their knowledge and experience, to guide and support others. Mentees also identified
that they wanted to be guided, but they also did not want to be told what to do. Setting criteria to select suitable
mentors and having them respond in detail to questions about their professional experience in the field, their
professional learning, and previous experience of mentoring or being mentored, along with reasons for wanting
to take part in the program 1, were worthwhile exercises to find suitable mentors. However, allocating mentees to
mentors, matching service type and location, was time-consuming, administratively burdensome and often times,
difficult to accomplish in time for the commencement of the program.
This program was the first professional mentoring program for early childhood teachers across the state of
Victoria and as such was developing a culture which is only known in the primary and secondary school sectors.
Participation was not mandated and program expectations needed to be made explicit so the program was not
seen as adding more work to often overwhelmed beginning teachers. This could have been a major reason why
many potential mentee participants did not take up the offer of taking part in the program.
Being able to compensate the mentors with a nominal stipend was advantageous to this program and helped
retain the mentors in the program. Paying mentors to mentor and covering their site visits to mentee workplaces
gave the program a professional quality which was greatly appreciated by the mentors and affirmed their
1
Questions such as: what they were hoping to achieve, what they considered makes a good mentor and mentee, what they saw as the most pressing
issues that new or isolated early childhood teachers could face, etc.
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knowledge and experience was of value. Recompense to mentee’s service to have their position backfilled (if
required) while they attend the training days, greatly assisted their participation.
Supporting Mentors and Mentees
Coupled with the importance of choosing the mentors was training them in effective mentoring practices, and
also supporting them throughout the program. For example, while all of the teachers involved in this program
were qualified to teach, this does not equate to the ability to ‘mentor’, which sits more in the domain of adult
education. This is a skill that needs to be learnt, developed, practiced and supported.
The Mentor Training Days and Shared Learning Days were well attended and received positive feedback from
the participants. Participants in each cohort initially struggled with the concept of mentoring; mentees looked to
mentors to give them the answers to their issues and mentors found it difficult to ‘not provide the answers’.
Ongoing support was offered during the face-to-face workshops as well as through an online forum at two
different levels, for mentors to support each other-- ideas were shared and questions raised in regards to what
the mentors were experiencing with their mentees; and on the next level for mentors/mentees to communicate
and share ideas and issues. This again allowed colleagues to find support from within the field and created a
community of practice culture.
Having a full-time Project Coordinator attached to this program meant that all participants had a consistent point
of reference for information updates and reminders of activities they were required to complete via emails, phone
calls and in person on Shared Learning Days. This was appreciated by participants and in many cases acted to
encourage them to remain involved in the program. It also offered a much needed level of certainty and
continuity for the learning that was taking place for Deakin and Victoria University as the program evolved, and
provided insight into the rate at which the culture of, and demand for, mentoring in early childhood was changing.
Building Reciprocal Relationships
The mentee/mentor relationship is crucial to the success of the mentoring process. The choice of mentors is
important as they need to be willing to share their experience and knowledge, nurture the mentees and allow
them to develop and gain confidence through their own achievements.
What we quickly discovered was that feelings of isolation experienced by the new graduates, or teachers working
in professionally isolated areas, can become crippling to innovation, as many mentees did not have confidence in
their practice and questioned if what they were doing was ‘right’. This lack of confidence also influenced the
amount of stress the teachers felt which had a direct impact on their interactions with the children they taught
and their families. Self-doubt about their ability as a new graduate teacher and limited or no access to share
these feelings with a trusted colleague, left many feeling alone and timid about seeking support. Allocating a
mentor for each mentee, and bringing them together through face-to-face workshops, supplemented by opening
up an online forum, brought about a new found confidence and a sense that they were not alone.
To achieve the all-important trust element of the reciprocal relationship, parties (mentors and mentees) needed
to be open and willing to participate and choose to do so of their own volition. When this was not the case (i.e. a
mentee’s early childhood service decided for them that they would attend the program), it did not work out.
Mentors noticed a lack of engagement from these mentees and felt dissatisfied with the mentoring experience.
Conversely, we learnt that mentors who are time-poor and prioritise other aspects of their work over availability to
mentees, created dissatisfaction for mentees.
All three mentee cohorts appreciated the fact that their mentors were from outside their own workplaces. This is
an important point, as this professional distance allowed the mentees to be honest in their discussions about
their development as professionals. Trust was built between each mentor and mentee, with mentees very much
seeing mentors as ‘on their side’ and working in their best interests. It would be difficult for someone who was in
charge of appraising staff to also act as a mentor as this could potentially impact on the type of information that
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was shared with the mentee, the freedom of the mentee to speak candidly about their challenges or concerns,
and the judgements that could be drawn from this interaction by others and by the mentor/mentee pair. The
impartiality of an outsider as mentor, enables trust and unlocks constraints that would ordinarily be present in
close working relationships, which is vital for new graduates that have not yet established their practice,
developed their professionalism and had the benefit of years of experience.
Establishing an effective means of communication to build reciprocal relationships was important and required
some flexibility. The original intention of the website was to enable mentors and mentees to keep in touch
between the site visits. What we soon realised was that every mentor/mentee relationship built its own way to
communicate which suited the members of that particular group. For example, some groups utilised the online
forum consistently throughout the program, while other groups never used this platform to communicate. Site
visits were a well-received feature of the program however, participants needed direction as to the form these
took i.e. what questions would guide each visit and the ensuing discussion.
Changes in Practice
Locating the mentoring around an issue/topic identified by each mentee made the experience meaningful and did
not present as yet another task to do. This was important as many new graduates initially thought the mentoring
program was something ‘extra’ that they had to add to their already overflowing list of things to do, and were too
overwhelmed to apply. By making the program intention clear, that it was to assist them to achieve some of their
goals and overcome some challenges they were currently facing, support grew amongst the mentees. Having
the Reflective Practice Project drive the focus of the mentoring, enabled each mentee to be involved in action
research on their own practice. They noted this as relevant and meaningful to them and that it promoted their
engagement.
The Reflective Practice Project allowed mentees to identify an aspect of their practice to focus on during the
program and implement changes with guidance and support from their mentor. The reports for all three cohorts
document the changes in practice through mentees working on aspects of program planning; assessment and
learning; environment; communication with families and behaviour guidance. Through the mentees and mentors
documenting and sharing their learning we have reported their successes on improved outcomes for children
and families as a result of effective mentoring.
We have learnt that mentoring is important for beginning, isolated and experienced teachers and that everyone
gains from participating in mentoring if they are open to the process.


Mentors found they gained lots of new ideas, were prompted to reflect on their own practice, gained
mentoring skills which they can transfer to their own settings, and expanded their networks;
Mentees felt part of a professional network, they felt valued for what they knew and brought to their
teaching, they gained confidence in themselves as educators, they had a ‘critical friend’ to share
successes and disappointments with without the fear of being judged, and they had the opportunity to
reflect on one aspect of their practice with guidance and support from a mentor and other colleagues.
Conclusion
While this program was well received by the participants, and the program was flexible enough to allow for
improvements as the program was implemented, there still remains issues in connecting with professionally
isolated teachers. In rural and regional areas, early childhood services and staff can be geographically isolated
and sparsely distributed. This can make it difficult to establish professional networks and provide local
professional development and mentoring. These factors added layers of complexity to the administration of this
program, compared for example to mentoring programs in schools. This is something that will need further
thought for future mentoring programs. It is clear to us that for effective mentoring to occur there needs to be
clear expectations for both mentors and mentees related to outcomes, there needs to be time and resources
dedicated to the program and training and support is needed on an ongoing basis.
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4.
CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS
The Mentoring Project Team has presented the Mentoring Project at the following conferences/ seminars, and
two articles have been published during 2013 relating to the program.
Presentations:
2013 Early Childhood Education Conference: Together we grow - towards excellence. Professional Mentoring for
Early Childhood Teachers – Supporting a future of excellence, 31st May and 1st June, Melbourne, Australia.
2013 Learning and Development Advisory Group Meeting, VCAA. Professional Mentoring Program for Early
Childhood Teachers: Implications for Professional Learning, October, Melbourne.
Publications:
Nolan,A. Morrissey,A. and Dumenden,I. (2013) Expectations of mentoring in a time of change: views of new and
professionally isolated early childhood teachers in Victoria, Australia. Early Years: An International Research
Journal,Vol. 33, No.2, 161-171.
Victoria University Research Highlights: Excellent, engaged and accessible. Mentoring better teachers.
5.
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: Locations of Mentors and Mentees across Victoria
APPENDIX B: Location of Mentors and Mentees across metropolitan Victoria
PROFESSIONAL MENTORING PROGRAM FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS FINAL REPORT COHORT 3 DECEMBER 2013 58 | P a g e
Appendix A: Location of Mentors and Mentees across Victoria
PROFESSIONAL MENTORING PROGRAM FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS FINAL REPORT COHORT 3 DECEMBER 2013 59 | P a g e
Appendix B: Location of Mentors and Mentees across metropolitan Victoria
PROFESSIONAL MENTORING PROGRAM FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS FINAL REPORT COHORT 3 DECEMBER 2013 60 | P a g e