Mentoring

What is a mentor?

In Greek mythology a mentor was a trusted advisor or counsellor appointed to look after, guard and nurture King Odysseus’ son when the King was away at war. Hence, a mentor came to be known as someone who:

  • is a role model

  • acts as a guide, advisor and/or counsellor

  • has remarkable wisdom

  • shares this knowledge with a less experienced colleague

The classical definition: an experienced, intellectually and socially valued mentor acting as advisor for a less experienced employee. Consequently, the mentor was usually a senior person.

Conceptual change

However, a conceptual change is taking place where mentoring is now associated with collaboration, collegiality and interaction. Mentoring is not ‘one-way guidance’ but involves conversation, discussion and dialogue. Mentors do not ‘transfer’ knowledge. Rather there is a reciprocal exchange of ideas and joint construction of knowledge. Young employees are not the only ones who benefit – both novices and experienced teachers learn something new (Hannu L.T. Heikkinen, Hannu Jokinen & Päivi Tynjälä, 2012).

By bringing together a range of different perspectives and by explicitly sharing knowledge, those involved create new knowledge and meaning (Livingston & Schiach, 2010).

What is the difference between mentoring and coaching?

There is a “confusing array of definitions found in modern discourses” around mentoring (Garvey, 2009, p.27). There is a huge overlap between mentoring and coaching and often the terms are used interchangeably.

Burley and Pomphrey (2011) have offered the following definitions to discriminate between the two terms:

  • Coaching – specifically focused, short-term collaborations

  • Mentoring – broader, longer term relationships

Mentoring is concerned with developing the whole person and the individual while coaching is concerned with skills.

What is the purpose of mentoring?

Mentoring has come to be seen as a key professional development tool from initial teacher education to senior leadership development. It is used in a wide range of school contexts and for a variety of purposes, including:

  • Initial teacher training

  • Early and continuing professional development of teachers

  • Leadership programs

  • Coaching to develop specific abilities in specialized areas such as sports and music

The key purpose of mentoring is the social construction of new professional knowledge in order to inform individual and institutional change. This is achieved through a 'learning conversation'.

What are the key elements of a ‘learning conversation’?

  • trust and relationship building

  • listening

  • questioning

Trust and relationship building

A mentor can engender trust through:

  • respecting the confidentiality and personal boundaries of the mentee

  • adopting a warm, positive and attentive approach (Grencavage & Norcross, 1990)

  • having a genuine interest and sense of belief in the mentee & their goals (van Nieuwerburgh, 2014).

This is further developed during the learning conversation through the elements of listening and questioning.

Listening

Key elements of active listening:

  • Pay attention

  • Show that you are listening

  • Provide feedback

  • Defer judgement

  • Respond appropriately (Hymans, 2012)

Positive listening behaviours:

  • Eye contact

  • Facial expression that indicates you are present and focused

  • Open posture (leaning forward, open hand gesture)

  • Minimal ‘encouragers’ - silence is a valuable aspect of active listening, and can be seen as a ‘sacred space’

  • Probing/clarifying questions or responses

Negative listening behaviours:

  • finishing the mentee’s sentences

  • guessing difficult words, etc.

Such actions serve to disempower the mentee and diminish feelings of autonomy and competence.

Asking questions

The quality of the questions asked determine the quality of the learning conversation. Questions drive the direction of the dialogue and can open up new thinking or restrict the conversation to superficial or irrelevant factors (Creasey & Paterson, 2005).

Mentors should consistently aim to ask thought-provoking questions which focus on the mentee developing greater awareness about the situation (van Nieuwerburgh, 2014).

Questions should be posed in a neutral tone of voice with non-judgemental wording to enhance trust and encourage honest, critical reflection by the mentee (Robertson, 2006).