Mentor Training: For mentors
This module has been designed to develop your knowledge, understanding and skills for mentoring.
The module contains a range of activities for you to engage with throughout terms 1 to 3.
All the materials can be accessed here. Work through the activities at your own pace, but follow the chronological order presented.
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The materials are the property of, and copyrighted by, Bowden Education and must not be reproduced.
Term 1: : An introduction to Mentoring
In term 1, we will explore what mentoring is and the most important skills needed to be an effective mentor.
Activity 1:
Motivations to mentor
Watch the video below that captures motivations and inspiration to act as a mentor.
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After watching this - make a note of your motivations to mentor.
Activity 2:
What is mentoring?
Take a few moments to think about what being a mentor, or mentoring, means to you.
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You may choose to note down specific words or phrases.
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Try and pull these together into a simple definition and bring this to our group coaching session
Activity 3:
Skills for mentoring
You will be provided with a set of cards. Each card contains a skill required for mentoring.
Produce a Diamond 9 with these cards by following this guidance.
The question is:
What are the most important skills for a mentor to possess in order to be an effective mentor?
Note - there is no right answer and do not over think this...
Take a photo of your Diamond 9 and bring this along with the cards to the Group Coaching Session
Activity 4:
Group Coaching
We will join together for a Group Coaching Session.
During this session, we will consider a working definition of mentoring that supports your work as a mentor of TAs, develop an understanding of what mentoring is, and what it is not, as well as consider the skills required for effective mentoring.
We will use the CLEAR model to support our mentoring:
Your Group Coaching Session will take place on Tuesday 26th September at 14.30-15.30
Please bring along your own definition (Activity 2) and a photo of your Diamond 9 and cards (Activity 3)
Term 2: Guide to Mentoring
In term 2, we will identify the core elements of effective mentoring and how to establish a mentor-mentee relationship.
The topics covered build upon the sections of the mentor handbook.
Activity 1:
Mentor handbook
This mentoring handbook is an overview of the key elements of mentoring and has been designed to support your practice as a mentor.
Please take time to read this by clicking on the handbook, below.
We will explore each area in more depth over terms 2 and 3.
Activity 2:
Definitions & purpose of mentoring
In the mentoring handbook (p2) there are three definitions of mentoring:
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“A structured, sustained process for supporting professional learners through significant career transitions” (CUREE, 2005, p.3)
“Being concerned with ‘growing an individual’, both professionally and personally. It is linked with professional and career development, and is somewhat characterised by an ‘expert-novice’ relationship” (Lord et al, 2008, p.10)
“Mentoring describes a relationship in which a more experienced colleague shares their greater knowledge to support the development of an inexperienced member of staff” (CIPD, 2021, p.2).
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Read each of these.
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Which definition most resonates with you?
Why do you think this is?
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If one specifically chimes with you, adopt this as your working definition of mentoring.
If you, however, like different elements from two or indeed all definitions, consider coming up with your own definition of mentoring and note this down - this can be your working definition.
If that is what mentoring is, what is its purpose?
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Mentoring takes a lot of time and energy for both the mentor and mentee, and a lot of investment from the organisation.
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If this is the case then you may wonder why mentoring is worth doing.
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Read this article, that highlights the benefits and purpose of mentoring.
The article is written from the perspective of a private organisation. Think about how each of the benefits and purposes apply to your school setting.
Activity 3:
Benefits of mentoring
There are many benefits of mentoring, both for the mentee (the person being mentored) and the mentor (the person doing the mentoring).
Watch the video (below) that captures the general impacts and benefits of mentoring as told by Austin Stanford in his 2018 TEDx talk, Standing on the shoulders of giants.
Mentoring brings benefits to both the mentee and the mentor. The table below suggests some of these benefits:
Listen to the podcast below, where Harriet shares the benefits of being mentored.
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Read the blog, below where early career teachers explore their experiences of being mentored.
Whilst this focuses on teachers, consider how the benefits they highlight might apply to your TA mentees.
Activity 4:
Ethics of mentoring
Watch the short video that summarises the ethics for mentoring.
Think about each area of ethics discussed. How do you maintain these within your mentoring practice?
Read this summary, produced by The University of Southampton on the ethics of mentoring.
Consider how well you apply each of the guidelines in the document.
Download the form below, RAG rate each of the guidelines, as instructed on the form.
Then add a target for each of the guidelines.
Choose one guideline to practice or undertake within your next mentoring session/meeting.
Keep embedding these guidelines into your practice referring back to your RAG rating document.
Activity 5:
Planning your mentoring
A mentoring relationship has 4 distinct phases which are shown in the diagram below.
The majority of the time across the mentoring relationship will be across the progression phase - as this is in effect the mentoring sessions.
Building rapport and setting direction as well as winding up are far shorter in length.
Watch the video below (from the start through to 10.57mins) that explores, in detail, the first mentoring session and has some great ideas and frameworks to help you plan for your first session. The focus for this video is the medical profession, although the core ideas can be applied to education.
Using the information from the video, complete the planning for, and undertake an initial mentor meeting.
Completing the template below (this template can be used for all your initial mentor meetings. You can pre-populate some of this and then the remainder will be completed during the session.
For subsequent mentor meetings, the template below can be used. This will help to frame your planning and capture the key points from the mentor session.
Term 3: Developing as a Mentor
In term 3, we will build upon the basics and consider the skills required for effective mentoring, the frameworks that support mentoring, how to be a reflective mentor and assess the impact of your mentoring practice. The topics covered build upon the sections of the mentor handbook.
Activity 1:
Frameworks and models for mentoring
Activity 2:
Developing essentials skills for mentoring
Activity 3:
Becoming a reflective mentor
Activity 4:
Assessing the impact of mentoring