Critical Thinking, Caring and Professional Agency: An Emerging Framework for Productive Mentoring

Abstract

In this paper, we report on a mentoring programme which provides an accreditation pathway to a master's level qualification. The paper serves three purposes. First, informed by selected literature on education we caution against expedient reductionist models that are based solely on novice-expert mentoring relationships with limited facility for critical inquiry. Second, we present an evolving theoretical framework for productive mentoring based on our critique of a preferred academic literature and interactions with mentor teachers, school principals and teacher educators. We proactively encourage an awareness of societal norms and traditions that can appear as counterculture to critical thinking. Lastly, we consider some implications for productive mentoring as an academic, caring and professional practice within a continuum of teacher education.Keywords: expedient reductionist models, critical thinking, caring and professional agency, productive mentoring, four principles, contextually responsive.Critical thinking, caring and professional agency:An emerging framework for productive mentoringIn this paper we adopt three different and complementary lenses through which to consider mentoring as an academic and professional practice: the international literature, our own reflective and reflexive dialogue and observations from mentor teachers' efforts to interrogate AN EMERGING FRAMEWORK FOR PRODUCTIVE MENTORING 3 their own professional practices. We contend that when inquiry-driven models of mentoring, encompassing critical thinking, caring and professional agency are contextually responsive, they can be successful in providing meaningful teacher education and professional learning. We present a framework for mentoring, productive mentoring, that is based on four principles, uses an evidence-informed lens, and addresses a multiplicity of mentoring relationships of learning.We caution against expedient reductionist models of mentoring that are based solely on rigid novice-expert relationships with limited facility for critical co-inquiry or sustained networks for professional knowledge generation. During the last four years we have advanced dialogue within the context of a challenging school culture and an awareness of societal norms and traditions that can run counterculture to critical thinking and professional agency. We have regularly and consistently shared, between ourselves and with our students, our own reflective and reflexive positions with regard to teaching, mentoring and education. We have observed the struggles of our motivated mentor teachers as they seek to interrogate their professional practices and the cultural constraints they face in trying to become scholarly and professional mentor teachers.Hargreaves (2003) believes that if the education community accepts teachers working within small budgets and conforming to externally imposed standards, teachers will become "the drones and clones of policymakers' anaemic ambitions'' (p. 2). He advocates an alternative scenario in which "highly sk...

Creating, Implementing, and Redefining a Conceptual Framework for Mentoring Pathways for Education Doctorate Students

“…Kram (1985) encourages constant monitoring of programs not only to gather information on how to implement change, but to also build buy-in with stakeholders of the mentoring program. The productive mentoring framework, as proposed by Simmie and Moles (2011), also encourages a learner-centric model of mentoring in which mentees are considered an important voice in deciding upon the structure and content of mentoring programs.…”

“…Productive Mentoring Theory (Simmie & Moles, 2011) Theory informs practice through a learner-centered and democratic approach.…”

Experiences of Supervision at Practice Placement Sites

“…As reported by this sample and further supported by the body of evidence [22][23][24], placement supervisors have a notable effect on a learners practice and collaboration with a longer term mentor could further enhance the skill base of students. Moreover, evaluation from a pilot mentorship programme in Australia details the multiple benefits experienced by participating students and concludes that engagement in mentorship programmes could reduce "transition-shock" [30]. Furthermore, the Centre for Workforce Intelligence [20] paper predicts that competition between candidates for pharmacy positions will further increase over the coming decades and thus it would be hugely beneficial if graduates can demonstrate that they are in possession of the skills required to ensure a smooth transition from student to pharmacist.…”

“…Each received an email, inviting them to complete a 54-item postplacement web-hosted questionnaire. The postplacement survey tool was based on the published literature [16,23,[27][28][29][30] and further developed to align with the aims and scope of the placements. Domains focused on experiences, views and attitudes, identification of facilitators and barriers (post), and demographics.…”

A Common Approach for Clinical Supervision in Psychotherapy and Medicine: The Person Centred and Experiential Model

“…Somewhat expedient reductionist approaches to supervision tend to address ambiguity through prescriptive expedient normative processes [61], link strict normative procedures to successful measurable outcomes, and perhaps underplay diversity [62]. Alternatively, we seek to present a humanistic of supervision model which retains the fundamental character of science-practitioner model [63], while balancing two different worlds: where supervisors rely on rigorous research, while remaining actively involved in their reflective selfregulated supervision journey, free of prescriptive reductionism.…”