Mentoring

Mentoring is at the heart of the reforms of initial teacher training for the lifelong learning sector.  The mentoring process has benefits for both mentors and mentees, including:

For mentees

• Increased confidence in working with learners and in having good knowledge and ideas and the ability to pass these on
• Help on how to teach something or interacting with the class.
• Greater recognition of different levels within a group
• Aims and objectives are improved and the use of differentiation is promoted
• Reassures the mentee that problems/difficulties are the same for all teachers
• Offers curriculum guidance in teaching subject - more structure and support for teaching and help/guidance with planning and delivery.

For mentors

• Encourages mentors to reflect on own teaching
• Mentees provide a 'fresh' approach to subject
• Draws attention to mentors' own teaching and broadens their own subject knowledge
• Important in recognising and helping to reverse the difficulties faced by new staff
• Learning from the mentees is invaluable in mentors' own development

(Adapted from Standards Unit ITT pilots 2006)

LONCETT is engaged in a number of activities in this area which are: 

• Five small-scale action research projects
• Mentor Training workshops
• Mentoring Mapping Project and 
• On-line Threshold Mentoring Programme.