Mentoring is an integral aspect of both personal and professional development. Through our research, we are inquiring into the various resources, strategies, theories and frameworks that support effective mentoring relationships at the post-secondary level. Research has identified mentoring as one of the key methods in assisting teachers in their professional growth since it provides mentees with practical support that helps them gain self-confidence, solve problems and apply critical thinking skills to situations affecting student learning (Crow 2007,Hubball et al. 2010). This poster presentation provides an example of an investigation of mentors working with in service K-12 teachers providing small group and one-on-one support, resources, theory, and feedback to support the critical examination and assessment of teaching practice. In this model, mentors engage in relationship building and co-construct a community of practice, collaborating with teachers as they participate in three inquiry-based field studies and a portfolio of their learning. To support mentors, we are developing a shared resource ‘bank’ that can be accessed by mentors and program staff to support teacher learning and encourage leadership. Paraphrasing and questioning prompts, community building activities, and generational and learning style tools are examples of these resources. This poster will provide details of the Mentor/Mentee relationship and the tools included in the resource bank. A QRC will be included for access to resources that others can use to support a mentoring model in their own context.
Crow, G.M., 2007. The professional and organizational socialization of new English head-teachers in school reform contexts. Educational management, administration & leadership, 35 (1), 51–71.
Hubball, H., Clarke, A., and Poole, G., 2010. Ten-year reflections on mentoring SoTL research in a research-intensive university. International Journal for Academic Development, 15 (2), 117–129.
