Mentor or evaluator? Assisting and assessing newcomers to the professions

Abstract

PurposeA four‐year longitudinal study was conducted on the school‐to‐work transition in four professions traditionally called “helping professions,” namely education, social work, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy. One goal of the study was to understand the nature and process of the mentoring relationships that develop and sustain newcomers in their professional life, especially the possible tension between the roles of mentor and evaluator. It was expected that this would help us in our jobs of preparing student practitioners and supporting their mentors and would offer models of practice suitable for other occupations.Design/methodology/approachTeams of researchers visited university students involved in professional training and engaged in a practicum during their final year at university. The students and their supervisors were interviewed separately according to a semi‐structured protocol, and each interview, lasting between 40 and 60 minutes, was audiotaped and transcribed.FindingsAn inherent contradiction between supervision‐as‐mentoring as the literature defines it and supervision‐as‐evaluation – as the universities and professions demand was observed. Evaluation as it is practiced often includes intangibles, even though the intended evaluation seems well‐defined.Practical implicationsAlthough this study was focused on practice in four particular professions, it is believed that the findings may be extrapolated to any enterprise where experienced practitioners are placed in a supervisory role with newcomers and are expected to perform the potentially conflicting role of mentor and evaluator. If the same person must mentor and evaluate the newcomer, they must be trained in these roles, evaluation guidelines must be clearly defined, and dialogue is of prime importance.Originality/valueThe paper focuses on the role of the universities in the preparation of new entrants to the “helping professions” and offers some suggestions for their support – which are generalizable to any workplace where beginners are trained, mentored and evaluated.

The Interconnectedness of the Roles of Mentors and Mentees in Pre-service Teacher Education Mentoring Relationships

“…• Uses feedback from mentor with critical reflection to determine their own progress (Le Maistre et al, 2006). While this review did not find any studies that focussed specifically on the interconnectedness of mentor and mentee roles, Figure 5 summarises how mentor and mentee roles mesh.…”

“…The mentoring literature reflects the viewpoint that mentoring roles change as the relationship evolves (Bullough et.al., 2003;Kostovich & Thurn, 2006;Lai, 2005 ;Le Maistre et al, 2006;Rajuan, Beijaard & Verloop, 2007). Bouquillon, Sosik & Lee (2005, p.239) have concluded that 'mentoring relationships are dynamic phenomena that evolve over time and in distinct phases'.…”

“…• Treats the mentee as one who is already part of the profession (Bray & Nettleton, 2006) • Advocates for the mentee in the organisation (Bray & Nettleton, 2006) Evaluator • Appraises the mentees progress (Le Maistre et al, 2006;Kilcullen, 2007) • Provides feedback (Le Maistre, et al 2006;Killcullen, 2007) • Engages in mutual evaluation with mentee (Greene & Puetzer, 2002) Communicator • Sharing of professional knowledge and skills (Lai, 2005) • Providing a variety of communication methods (Bray & Nettleton, 2006) • Provide feedback on progress to further develop learning (Jewell, 2007) …”

“…Mentors nurture the development of the mentee through building rapport (Hudson & Millwater, 2008). They also use such interpersonal functions as supporting, advising, empathizing and role modelling, (Hopper, 2001;Le Maistre, Boudreau & Pare, 2006;Hall et al 2008). However as a requirement of the professional placement as set by the university, mentors assess the functional competencies of the mentee (Walkington, 2005b).…”

Excellent Mentor Teachers’ Skills in Mentoring for Pre-Service Teachers

“…According to studies (Hall et al 2008;Hawkey, 2006;Le Maistre, Boudreau & Pare, 2006;Schwille, 2008), mentors can provide not only pedagogical guidance, emotional support and professional socialization, but also empathy and serve as role models. Considering that teachers' knowledge and skills are event-structured, context-based, and practice-oriented in nature (Kessels & Korthagen, 1996), mentor teachers have multiple roles.…”