Mentör Öğretmen/İlk Toplantı

Nitelikler

Where is the student in the mentoring landscape?

Danisan ve danismanin bulustugu ilk toplanti genellikle birtakim beklentiler ve tedirginlikler uzerine kuruludur. Iki tarafta karsisindaki uzerinde olumlu bir ilk izlenim birakmak ister. Rollerin ve sorumluluklarin acikca belirlenmesi, mentorluge karsi resmi bakis acilari veokuldaki diger danisanlarla isbirligi ve dayanisma gibi tartisma konulari ilk toplantinin konulari arasinda yer alir. Danisana okul ve ogrenciler hakkinda bilgi vermek mentorun gorevidir. Bu kisimda mentor ve danisan konumundaki ogretmen adayinin ilk bulusmasi uzerine durulacaktir. Bu kisim ayrica meslegine yeni baslamis ogretmenleri ile mentorlerinin ilk bulusmasi ile de iliskilidir.

Nilssen (2010) aday ogretmenin ilk toplanti suresince uygulama ile ilgili bilgilerle doldurulup sasirtilmamasi gereginden bahseder.

Nilssen (2010) argues that the mentee should not be overwhelmed with practical information during the first meeting. She also argues that the mentor should elicit information about the student teachers' experiences, thoughts and attitudes regarding what it means to be a teacher. Students who choose the teaching profession often have experience coaching children in sports or other extra curricular activities. One mentor explains: “Learning about a student's personal and professional experience gives me an indication of where the student is in the “teaching and mentoring landscape”. I also think it is important that students have some background information about me as mentor. That they know what my intentions are, who I am as a teacher, and the reasons I have for the kind of mentoring I wish to give. Thus, we “speak the same language” and everything becomes more predictable” (Nilssen 2010: 72).

This example illustrates that it is a good idea for the mentor to explain which form she would like the mentoring to have.

The mentor and student teacher frequently have different opinions about the purpose of the practicum period, perhaps due to different understandings of the teaching profession. Alternative questions for discussion could be:

• What is good teaching?
• What does it mean to be a teacher?
• What is good mentoring?

The answers to these questions will determine the nature of mentoring. Many student teachers focus on their lesson-by-lesson performance. One mentor explains: “The students often expect me to provide them with specific help and advice on how to handle a classroom situation. I saw that the group that I was mentoring expected me to tell them how things could have been handled differently” (Nilssen 2010:73).

Student teachers are commonly preoccupied with their own teaching during practicum. Below are some examples (Nilssen 2010: 60):

• The teacher's physical movement in the classroom and interaction with students at work.
• Handling chaotic situations.
• Using a language that children/youth understand.
• The expression of ideas and opinions to the students.
• Explaining pedagogical choices.

The student teachers have responsibilities beyond improving their performance in the classroom. They should discuss student assignments, observe various situations and participate in parent-teacher conferences.