My Mentoring Odyssey Roisin McCarry, St. Colum’s P.S., Portstewart

What is Mentoring? "Mentoring is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be.” Eric Parsloe, The Oxford School of Coaching & Mentoring

Theories and counter theories

A mentee emerges “Crucial to successful mentoring is the building of a good personal and professional relationship” (Rundell 2002)

Creating a learning platform National Framework for Mentoring and Coaching (CUREE 1997): Ten principles to help increase the impact of continuing professional development on student learning

Creating a structure The Teacher Education Partnership Handbook (DENI 2010) for Early Professional Development requirements GTC NI: Professional Competences Agreed focus and format for observation lesson

Observations and reflections Jolly Phonics program in action Professional Competence 19: Create a safe, interactive and challenging environment … Reflections on the delivery of the program for future reference

Peer mentoring of our Mentoring “It is very important for coaches and mentors to realise that there are benefits through this coaching process for them as well as for the participants… including skills such as … gaining respect in the eyes of their colleagues …” (GTC NI School-based Professional Development p. 18)

Next steps Reviewing progress of PDA write-up Learning opportunities arising from reflection on practice Focus for second PDA

What we’ve gained and learnt from the process A positive experience of mentoring Targets set, successful outcome The importance of paperwork: a learning journal, minutes of meetings Sharing learning experiences through observation and communication The opportunity to practice and develop management skills

Final thoughts- where am I now?