1. Being a Mentor Session 2 The City of Edinburgh Council in partnership with Edinburgh University1

2. Teacher Mentor Roles Problem solver Resource Advocate Teacher
Facilitator
Coach
Trusted
Listener
A mentor will undertake a range of roles depending on the context and the nature of support required by the mentee.
It is helpful to consider the roles and think about what each might look like in practice eg.
Mentor as a resource - sharing materials, modelling
Mentor as a coach - asking open questions to facilitate and promote the mentee’s thinking and decision-making
Collaborator
Assessor
Ref:
New Teacher Center,
Santa Cruz,
California
(2007)
Learner 2 2

3. The Mentoring Continuum
Collaborative
Facilitative
Instructive
The Mentoring Continuum devised by the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) provides a focus for the mentoring dialogue.
Instructive: sharing guidance, experience, information with the mentee.
Collaborative: working together to share ideas, create, develop and produce materials and strategies.
Facilitative: using a coaching approach to enable the mentee to shape, develop, clarify thinking and then decide next steps.
Ref:
New Teacher Center,
Santa Cruz,
California
(2007)

4. The Four Stages for Dialogue
Before
Planning and Preparation
During
(2) Facilitating the conversation
(3) Agreeing the outcome/action/next steps
After
(4) Evaluating / Feedback/Review
As a mentor the following steps will support successful dialogue and professional learning:
Plan and prepare for the dialogue, consider information or feedback to be shared, consider key questions to promote the mentee’s reflection and enquiry
Engage in dialogue which will support the mentee’s self-evaluation and goal setting
Agree what actions and next steps need to be taken
Talk about the dialogue and reflect, consider what was helpful and what might be included next time

5. A Mentoring Dialogue...reminder
Assess the mentee’s needs by:
Building trust
Identifying successes and areas for development
Establish a focus for work by:
Paraphrasing
Clarifying
Support mentee’s development by:
Instruction
Collaboration
Reflection
Promote accountability by:
Identifying next steps
Follow-up
The University of California Santa Cruz provides an outline of the role of the mentor in
supporting and facilitating professional dialogue.
The key themes involve developing clarity of understanding, providing the appropriate support and promoting next steps and action
Ref:
New Teacher Center,
Santa Cruz,
California
(2007) 5

6. Getting to know you… Getting started...
What are the benefits, the challenges,
the strategies, which might support the process ?
Key Question
How are we going to work together?
Share your ideas in a small group
Building trust and setting the tone for the mentoring relationship requires time and investment particularly at the start.
It is important to agree how you will work together, providing a climate for open and honest reflection about practice. 6

7. Wise words…
“Remember that any time you want someone’s brain to do something new it is likely to bring up fear and concern, stopping their neurons from processing new ideas. So it is important to make people feel safe.”
It is important in a mentoring relationship to set the tone, agree how you will work together, build ground rules for sharing ideas and thoughts without fear of judgement or ”getting it wrong”.
Building trust leads to a productive relationship.
Ref:
Rock, David (2007)
Quiet Leadership;
Harper Collins,
New York 7

8. Seek first to understand, and then to be understood..
- Stephen R. Covey
Demonstrating empathy will enable a collaborative relationship to develop.
It is important to demonstrate empathy and to engage in active listening so that the mentor gains a clear understanding of the mentee’s perspective and can then provide
the appropriate support.
The partnership and dialogue can be developed using a coaching/mentoring cycle.
The mentor should:
Listen to understand the mentee’s perspective on a challenge, question or issue
Ask open questions to gain further information or clarification
Support the identification of next steps in learning or practice
Ask for feedback both on the mentoring dialogue and the outcomes of any steps or
action taken as a result of the discussion
Some time should be given to reflect on what has worked and how this professional learning can be applied in the future.
Ref:
Covey, Stephen R. (2004)
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Simon and Schuster Pub New York

9. What goes into our communication?
Words
Tone
Facial expression
Professor Albert Mehrabian, currently Professor Emeritus of Psychology UCLA, has carried out research on communications since the 1960s. More information about Albert and links to his work can be found at
Mehrabian derived a formula from his research into communications of feelings and attitudes. It must be pointed out that this formula cannot be applied freely to all communications.
Words: 7% of meaning in the words that are spoken.
Music: 38% of meaning is paralinguistic (the way that the words are said).
Dance: 55% of meaning is in facial expression.
The value of Mehrabian's theory relates to communications where emotional content is significant, and the need to understand it properly is high. It is applicable when considering the impact and outcomes derived from motivation and attitude.
This area forms part of the engagement in professional dialogue and reflection through the mentoring process.

10. Listening Levels 3 2 1 Level 3 - Attentive, person-focused
‘..interesting way
of looking at things,
I’d like to know more’ 2
Level 2 – listening in part, and adding your own meaning/advice
‘I know, I’ve done that too, and
here’s what you should do
about it..’
It is helpful to consider how ready we are to listen and at what level.
Active listening is person focused, listening to understand and listening for potential so that support towards the best outcome can be achieved (Level 3).
Level 1 – Waiting to say your stuff 1
‘I have something far
more interesting to say..’

11. The Mentoring Conversation
Setting the tone
Opening up the opportunity for self evaluation and reflection
Identify goal(s)
Explore current position
Consider options
Commit to action/next steps
The mentor has an opportunity to encourage successful engagement in professional dialogue by:
Helping to create a positive, non-judgemental, supportive atmosphere
Asking open questions and creating space for robust reflection and enquiry about practice
Working with the mentee to identify what might be achieved next
Finding out what is currently happening in areas of practice
Considering what steps/actions might be taken to move towards the goal
Helping to make decisions about resources and other support required to enable the mentee to reach their goal

12. Goal / Plan / Actions
Begin with the end in mind..... Long term goals Short term goals
There may be an overarching goal for the mentee for example, meeting the Standard for Provisional Registration or completing the placement requirements successfully.
The support of the mentor will enable mentees to work towards a long term goal by identifying, striving for, and reaching smaller goals on the way. 12

13. Stimulus for Dialogue Teaching and Learning experiences
Outcomes for learners
Area of GTCS Standard
Successes
Challenges
Next Steps
The stimulus for professional dialogue might involve a number of aspects and themes.
The focus might include:
A teaching and learning opportunity undertaken by the mentee
Outcomes for learners, reflecting on completed activities and achievements
An area of the Standard for Provisional Registration
Key successes and achievements
Challenges or questions
Next steps for placement activity or professional development 13

14. TALK Tell the person what you are thinking from the start
Illustrate your assumptions about the situation with examples that you have directly observed or heard that led to your conclusions.
Ask whether he/she has the same interpretation of the situation.
If not, ask that the person explain his/her alternative view of the situation.
Listen to his/her response
Listening refers to stating what was understood, checking to see if this is what was meant, exploring differences, and working to reach consensus on a joint meaning of the situation
Keep open to others views
For dialogue to be productive all parties must acknowledge that theirs is only one interpretation of a situation; shared meaning can only come from accepting and surfacing our multiple understandings.
For successful engagement in mentoring dialogue, full consideration must be given to self, others and the circumstances/context.
Engaging in professional dialogue helps you to become more aware of your own thinking and reasoning. The model from O’Neill and Marsick helps mentors to:
(1) Make your thinking and reasoning more visible to others
(2) Ask about others’ thinking and reasoning
(3) Sort out assumptions and inferences we make about a topic/situation from what has actually happened
Why might this be?
You want to be sure that you are clearly understood and that you clearly understand the other person.
The outcome of the situation is important to you and the mentee.
Ref: O’Neil, J and Marsick, V;(2007)
Understanding Action Learning ;
Amacom Pub 14 14

15. Mentoring in Practice A Café Conversation
In small groups read the scenario.
What assumptions might you make?
How can you test your assumptions?
What additional information might you need?
How might you introduce the discussion/what questions might you need to ask?
What support might you provide?
Is there anything additional that you
might need to consider?
The scenarios are designed to prompt discussion and exchange of ideas about how to support mentees undertaking their placement in pairs.
Consideration will be given to professional dialogue in triads and on a basis. 15

16. Career ‘waves’ + _ Anticipation Anticipation Reflection Survival
New Teacher Center,
Santa Cruz,
California
(2007) +
Anticipation
Anticipation
Reflection
Survival
The Career Waves graph was devised by the University of California, Santa Cruz.
It is helpful for mentors and mentees to reflect upon each stage and how it impacts on feelings, attitudes and practice.
Mentees begin a placement with a sense of “Anticipation” thinking about the possible learning opportunities that lie ahead.
Then they learn that learning to teach is more complex and they move into “Survival” - they are constantly working to keep going,. They might start to feel jaded, lose confidence, patience and presence in the classroom.
They then may enter “Disillusionment”- Is this the right career for me?
(As the mentor you need to focus in on the positives at this stage. Be an active listener)
After a break or small success, they might come back “Rejuvenated” – feeling better and more confident about the teaching role.
Then they enter the “Reflective” period – next time I will include or change...
Then the excitement returns with new “Anticipation”.
Rejuvenation
Disillusionment _ 16 16

17. Mentoring in Practice Group Discussion
Consider what the mentee needs at each phase
Suggest strategies which might be useful during this phase
Mentors might need to consider how they support mentees at each phase of the Career Wave Stage.
The nature of support/dialogue and mentor role will vary depending on each phase. 17

18. Tools to Support the Process
Reflective Log
Goal Setting Tool
Evidence of Development
There are a number of tools which might be used to support the mentoring process. The main focus will always be on the professional dialogue but the following tools may be used to support the dialogue and next steps.
Reflective Log: This provides a reminder of the key areas of the Standard for Provisional Registration –the overarching goal if the mentee is a student teacher. It also provides an opportunity for the mentee to reflect on successes since the last meeting and to highlight key areas which they would like to focus on during the professional dialogue.
This also provides a record of the agreed next steps for the mentor and mentee.
Goal Setting Tool: This tool has been devised to support discussion and action towards a particular goal or goals. The success criteria helps the mentee to visualise clearly what the action or steps being taken might look like and the anticipated outcome.
Evidence of Development: may include materials produced, observation notes, learner achievements, feedback. 18

19. Tools to Support the Dialogue
Coaching Model “GROW”
Reflective Questions
Consequence Matrix
Metaphors
There are a number of strategies and tools which have been devised by writers David Megginson and David Clutterbuck in their publications Techniques for Coaching and Mentoring and Further Techniques for Coaching and Mentoring.
Consequence Matrix: The matrix has four quadrants each with a question which enables the mentee to consider all the possible outcomes if they choose to take a particular action:
What will happen if I do..? What will not happen if I do...?
What will happen if I don’t..? What will not happen if I don’t..?
Metaphors: The use of metaphors is always helpful when the mentor and mentee are trying to work out key roles and responsibilities within a particular context.
A metaphor might be applied to a particular context or situation eg if this was a musical play, who is the director, lead role, props etc?
The GROW Model is a well-known coaching tool which provides a structure for the facilitative aspect of professional dialogue. It enables the mentor to support the mentee in identifying their goal and the possible actions/steps towards meeting it.
Goal
Reality at the moment
Options
Way forward/wrap-up
The Reflective Questions support mentees to evaluate where they are with a particular aspect of practice and to consider what they might wish to achieve and what steps they might take to get there. 19

20. Mentoring Competencies
Reflecting
Maintain and review the process, relationship, progress and achievements
Record and maintain notes
Reflect on and develop own mentoring competence
As a mentor it is important to review the relationship and how it is working and the progress and achievements being made by the mentee.
It is also important as a mentor to reflect on your own skills in relation to facilitating dialogue and providing effective and appropriate support.
Ref:
New Teacher Center,
Santa Cruz,
California
(2007) 20

21. References New Teacher Center, Santa Cruz, California
Megginson, D. and Clutterbuck, D., (2009) Further Techniques for Coaching and Mentoring; Butterworth–Heinemann
Rock, D.,(2007) Quiet Leadership; Harper Collins, New York (2007)
O’Neil, Judy and Marsick, Victoria (2007) Understanding Action Learning ; Amacom Pub
Covey, Stephen R. (2004):The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People; Simon and Schuster Pub New York
There are many resources which can inform and support the engagement of dialogue to support reflection, enquiry and professional learning.
The references above have informed this professional development opportunity but it is not an exhaustive list. 21