Exploring Effective Mentoring From The Point Of View Of The Mentee

The DfEE's Circular 9/92 setting out requirements for Initial Teacher Education marked a shift to a greater emphasis on school based training. One of the effects was to create a requirement for the introduction of mentoring programmes in schools. A key objective was for more experienced teachers to ease the transition of trainee teachers from University into the teaching profession.

Research was carried out in one Comprehensive School in the Autumn Term of 2007. Eleven PGCE and GTP students completing their first teaching placement were asked to identify what they regarded to be the competencies of an effective mentor based on their experiences of being mentored. The research revealed 42 competencies of an effective mentor. Identifying the competencies valued by mentees provided an invaluable insight into the sorts of competencies required to create a job descri ption for the mentoring role.