Youth Mentoring

Educative Mentoring: A Way Forward

The aspects of learning in mentoring are essential because most teachers develop their knowledge in a role of isolation where they examine complex aspects of learning. Certain attitudes and skills are needed in order to mentor as learning is the central idea and design of the curriculum they use. The design model that shifts mentoring practices to an educative role helps data to be gathered through conversations, action research, and reflections. Mentoring practices shift from a focus on the transmission of knowledge-for-practice to inquiry into knowledge-of-practice. The research limitations on this project were minimal so transferability is potentially problematic. The findings in the experiment contribute to the development of a mentoring curriculum and guidelines that are successful and beneficial to research and development.

Article Abstract Purpose – In recent years mentoring has been promoted as an essential, yet complex, new teacher induction dynamic. Mentors generally develop their knowledge of this role in isolation and in situ, and despite extensive research in the field few studies investigate how mentors learn. Therefore it is important to continue to examine the complex aspects of learning to mentor. The purpose of this paper is to focus on understanding the knowledge, attitudes and skills required by mentors to simultaneously focus on their own learning, new teachers’ learning and student learning. Design/methodology/approach – In this New Zealand study the authors examined a pilot programme aimed at shifting mentoring practices to an educative model. Through a two-year professional development intervention, 22 participant mentors inquired into, analyzed and documented their practice. Data were gathered through learning conversations, action research documentation and reflections. They were analyzed using qualitative methodology. Findings – Evident was a shift in mentoring practice from a focus on the transmission of knowledge-for-practice to inquiry into knowledge-of-practice. Change was observed after sustained and serious engagement with evidence about mentoring practices. However the shifts did not come easy, nor were they assured. Research limitations/implications – This study is not without limitations. Transferability is potentially problematic. The pilot study was well resourced, therefore expecting the implementation and outcomes to transfer to other contexts without similar resourcing maybe unrealistic. Practical implications – The findings contributed to the development of a mentoring curriculum and national guidelines for mentoring new teachers. Originality/value – While the findings emerged from a situated context, the theoretical and practice issues reported are matters for international attention, particularly the matter of transitioning from a well-practiced, efficient teacher mentor to an adaptive educative mentor.

Resources:

Langdon, F. and Ward, L. (2012). “Educative Mentoring: A Way Forward.” International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, vol. 4 iss:4, pp. 240-254