Theory and Application: Mentoring

Hannah Julia Paredes Kilnoski

Research Base:

Williams, E. J., Matthews, J., & Baugh, S. (2004). Developing a mentoring internship model for school leadership: using legitimate peripheral participation. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 12(1), 53–70. https://doi-org.leo.lib.unomaha.edu/10.1080/1361126042000183048

Zachary, L. J., & Fischler, L. A. (2010). Those Who Lead, Mentor. T+D, 64(3), 52–57.

Theory and Research:

Zachary and Fischler’s article opens up by outlining some of the major benefits of mentoring programs. These include creating relationships, feeling more connected with the organization, promoting career development, encouraging big picture thinking, supporting diversity efforts, managing knowledge, facilitating growth in potential future leaders, recruiting and retaining talent, and improving technical knowledge. There are loads of benefits for both the mentor and the mentee. These benefits and roles for leaders and mentors are outlined in clear bullet points throughout this article. Furthermore, it dictates that mentorship is a necessary competency for all leaders and that this skill is how leaders can build incredible teams. This article also served as an introduction to researchers Kouzes and Posner and their five exemplary practices for leaders in mentorship.

In Williams, a key point in the conclusion stood out to me. It reads, “Universities struggle to bridge the gap between leadership theory presented in academic coursework and practice as it occurs in the field as they prepare future educational leaders. Even well-designed coursework cannot present the complete picture of educational leadership. This picture can only be accessed through carefully crafted experience in the action of the practice.” (Williams et. al, 2004). To address this gap, this article suggests using a Legitimate Peripheral Participation model to help create and build mentor and internship programs. The idea here is that it becomes an authentic and active learning environment, these experiences combined form a situated learning experience, where knowledge and theory can be practiced and applied.

Application and Reflection:

As a teacher mentor, my main focuses were mostly surrounding making teachers feel comfortable and supported, offering help and advice when asked and encouraging teachers to follow their dreams when it came to professional development and further career aspirations. As I am taking all these classes in Educational leadership however, I see that these form only a part of the skills and responsibilities that are needed to create a comprehensive and effective mentorship program. I was reminded of my Human Resources class where we created a rough outline for our idea of a perfect mentorship program that we would want to implement in our schools. During that time, I remember reading that a mentorship program should last at least three months to be effective. In retrospect my mentorship as a new teacher lasted about that long and I still met with my mentor regularly even after that period. When you think about it, Of course the timing there is important. I wouldn’t want my surgeon to operate on me after a mentoring period of a couple weeks so why are our new teachers being put into that situation? Is it because of this lack of mentoring and support that we have seen so many new teachers leave teaching? Among many other possible factors, I would say probably. The stress and frustration I felt when I moved schools was almost completely because there was no mentorship or shadowing put in place, no training or orientation, it was like swimming into a cave full of unknowns blind. This prompted me into creating a city-wide induction training, New teacher orientation, mentors at each campus of our school and a document of helpful tips that teachers could keep on hand. I didn’t want anyone to feel the way I did my first month at that job.

I think those intentions and steps taken were noble but I think the execution could be done better now. After reading these articles, I see there’s a lot of responsibilities and areas to cover within a mentorship program both for the mentor and the mentee that I could revisit and fill out with a bit more detail and specific roles and guidance. I also think that the idea of situated learning is something I will take with me moving forward. When I think about teachers who would ask how we learn best, this is what I would want. An environment where I can first learn the theory and back up knowledge to support the second and maybe most important facet of learning, the guided practice and application of said knowledge. I think now I can use these ideas to better reflect the vision and goals I would have as a leader for mentees in my organization.