How to be a Good Mentor

1. How to be a Good Mentor By Roxanne M. Williams Ed.D.

2. I walked to the other building in a daze. Wasn’t somebody going to walk over with me and tell me a little bit about what to expect? Wasn’t anyone going to show me where the bathroom was or tell me what the other teachers do for lunch? Wasn’t I going to get a few words of encouragement, or for heaven’s sake, an idea of what time the first period started? I felt very alone. I started to really understand that I was totally on my own (Wong, 2002).” Experience is the best teacher?

3. Better Idea…Have an Experience with a Mentor • NEA Research – Most teachers said cooperative and competent colleagues help them the most in providing the best service in their teaching positions.

4. Best Idea…Have an Experience with a Good Mentor

5. Can Anyone Become a Good Mentor?

6. A cheap sweater unravels after one washing, and a poor mentoring relationship will do the same!

7. I have a theory about this…

8. Definition of Mentor Training • Mentor training: Formal systematic programthat teaches best practices for classroom observation, conflict resolution, and teaching frameworks. This component implies that just teaching experience is not enough.

9. How would you rate mentor training? • Not important • Unsure • Some need it • Important • Crucial

10. Literature and Research on Mentor Training • Evertson & Smithey (2000) • Two types of mentor training compared • Better conferencing skills • Protégés of highly trained mentors journaled specific discipline plans and student centered approaches • Protégés of highly trained mentors were rated higher on lesson pacing, checking for student understanding, and implementing rules, routines, and procedures. • Giebelhaus & Bowman (2002) • Calkins & Kelley (2005)

11. Systematic Strategies for Mentor Training • Induction Manual – Outlines mentoring process • Meetings • Steps in classroom observation process • Forms • Timelines • Coaching & Mentoring: First-year & Student Teachers (Podsen & Denmark, 2007) • Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching (Danielson, 1996) • The First Days of School (Wong, 2001)

12. Systematic Strategies for Mentor Training Continued • Monthly Topic & Meetings • Personal Goal Setting • Professional Journal Reading • Classroom Observation

13. Definition of Relationship Building • Relationship building: A meaningful relationship must exist between mentors-protégés before any positive professional developmentcan occur.

14. How would you rate relationship building? • Not important • Unsure • Some need it • Important • Crucial

15. Literature and Research on Relationship Building • Calkins & Kelley (2005) • Faculty had difficulty with knowing how to build mentoring relationships • Hobson (2002) • Protégés had problems with their mentors • Rose (2003) • Identifies different types of mentoring

16. Systematic Strategies for Relationship Building • Supervision of Instruction (Glickman, 1990) • Conceptual development must be considered • Induction Day • Year 1-4 Teachers and Mentors • Presenting Together at a Conference • Sometimes it is wise to reassign mentor-protégé pairs

17. Definition of Mentor Selection by Mentoring Styles • Mentor selection by mentoring styles: Matching mentors with protégés based upon the needs or functions required, such as teaching, sponsoring, encouraging, counseling, and befriending (Anderson & Shannon, 1988)

18. How would you rate mentor selection by mentoring styles? • Not important • Unsure • Some need it • Important • Crucial

19. Literature and Research on Mentor Selection by Mentoring Styles • Different mentor roles • Mentoring styles reflect protégés professionalmaturation • Mentors may adjust approach • Anderson & Shannon (1988) • Nyquist & Wulff (1996) • Burlew (1991) • Calkins & Kelley (2005) • Cunningham (1999) • Rose (2003)

20. Systematic Strategies forMentor Selection by Mentoring Styles • Needs Assessment (Podsen & Denmark, 2007) • Ideal Mentor Scale (Rose, 2003) • Create your own survey (SurveyMonkey.com)

21. Definition of Measures of Mentor Effectiveness • Measures of mentor effectiveness: The need to measure the affects of the mentoring process in order to guide the direction of the mentor-protégé relationship and inform mentors of their effectiveness.

22. How would you rate measures of mentor effectiveness: • Not important • Unsure • Some need it • Important • Crucial

23. Literature and Research onMeasures of Mentor Effectiveness • Measuring relational satisfaction levels • Identify type of mentoring role preferred • Identify differences in mentor effectiveness • Calkins & Kelley (2005) • Evertson & Smithey (2000) • Hobson (2002) • Rose (2003) • Williams (2009)

24. Systematic Strategies forMeasures of Mentor Effectiveness • The Relationship Survey (Williams, 2009) • Piloted and Administered in Dissertation • Measures Relational Satisfaction Levels of Mentors and Their Protégés • Survey Items Targeted Learning, Teaching, and Leading (Progressive Professional Development) • Ideal Mentor Scale (Rose, 2003) • Survey Monkey to Write your Own

25. Definition of Pairing of Mentors-Protégés by Personality Style • Pairing of mentors-protégés by personality style: Purposeful pairing of mentors-protégés based upon personality tests and research indicating which types work best together.

26. How would you rate pairing of mentors-protégés by personality style? • Not important • Unsure • Some need it • Important • Crucial

27. Literature and Research onPairing of Mentors-Protégés by Personality Style • Certain careers attract specific personality types (MBTI) • Use diverse personality tests • Professional development cannot happen if people are not “getting along.” • Hobson (2002) • Rose (2003) • Williams (2009)

28. Systematic Strategy for Pairing of Mentors-Protégés by Personality Style • MBTI (www.cpp.com) • 4 Dimensions • Extraversion (E) versus Introversion (J) • Sensing (S) versus Intuition (N) • Feeling (F) versus Thinking (T) • Judging (J) versus Perceiving (P)

29. Definition of Student Learning Outcomes • Student learning outcomes: If the mentor-protégé relationship is an effective one, their professional development should be evident through positive student learning gains.

30. How would you rate student learning outcomes? • Not important • Unsure • Some need it • Important • Crucial

31. Literature and Research on Student Learning Outcomes • Evertson & Smithey (2000) • Protégés classrooms of highly trained mentors had students that were more attentive and well behaved • Horton & Oakland (1997)

32. Systematic Strategies for Student Learning Outcomes • Evertson and Smithey (2000): Make it evident that mentor training is imperative • Coaching & Mentoring: First-year & Student Teacher (Podsen & Denmark, 2000) • Full Circle Back to Mentor Training

33. A Good Mentor Should be Like Being in a Warm Fuzzy Sweater?

34. What do you think about this? Which component of mentoring most often determines the effectiveness of the relationship? • Mentor training • Relationship building • Mentor selection by mentoring styles • Measures of mentor effectiveness • Pairing of mentors-protégés by personality style