An effective mentor-mentee relationship is pivotal in the mentoring process. Here are some strategies suggested by teachers who participated in the MET program that may promote the development of this important relationship.
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Meeting prior to 4 weeks
 Communication of shared expectations/experiences
 Personalise – getting to know person as a learner & person
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Positive & friendly
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Optimistic & open
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Keeping it real & honest
 Sharing philosophy
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Support & openness
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Providing effective feedback
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Setting expectations
 Ask questions
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Have a purpose
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Humour
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Active listener
 Professional courtesy
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Hands on practical mentoring
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Practise what you preach
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Critical friend
 Find out about them (ask questions)
 2 way relationship
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Background – strengths, weaknesses, motivations for teaching, previous prac experiences
 Provide open, respective communication
 University content
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Effective communicator – leading, listener, supportive, respectful, specific feedback, tactful feedback, trusting, negotiating, questions, accepting, sharing practise & resources & knowledge
 Day 1 set clear expectations
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Question to get to know each other outside of classroom
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Work as a team & equals
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Collaboration, agreed upon planning
 Problem solve issues – involve supervisor
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Mutual respect in relationship

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Developing an understanding of the mentee’s strengths & weaknesses in terms of teaching & learning
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Develop a rapport so that team work can occur
 Displaying empathy – listen to one another
 Shared responsibility by both parties – engage in meaningful conversations – making the best use of each other’s time
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Make mentee feel welcome
 Invest time
 Set goals & expectations – Uni, mentor, mentee
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Open communication & honesty & honest feedback
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Be positive, passionate & enthusiastic
 Establish ground rules – two way partnership
 Find solutions together
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Reflection time – future goals & challenges
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Patience & assertive not aggressive
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Discuss life outside
 Story based examples
 Goals for short & long term
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Expectations – time & commitment
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Build credibility – talk as professionals, professional distance, positive
 asking mentee for feedback, show trust in them
 time for discussion
 facilitate building relationships within the school community
 open minded, embrace learning & individuality
 clear goals from the beginning
 constructive feedback
 smile
 develop a relationship – ie through conversations
 develop an understanding of their professional vision
 find out what skills, life experience they have had
 ask – ‘what do you want from me?’
 social courtesy – making mentee feel welcome
 keeping it positive, leaving mentee out of school politics (negative)
 clear expectations from beginning
 positive welcome
 shared goals & aspirations
 talking – open communication
 not overloading
 feedback conversations involving “self-reflection”
 non-judgemental statements

 working together – eg planning
 informal, social get togethers including morning tea & lunch times
 personal interest & smile
 open, welcoming, non-threatening – constructive, immediate feedback
 sharing – knowledge, practice, passion
 acknowledge the commonality
 lifelong learning journey
 two way
 reflective
 willing to listen & communicate
 trust & be caring
 bring out the best, positive feedback
 allow mistakes & provide feedback
 be open to forming a relationship
 be supportive of risk-taking moves
 be honest but constructive
 encourage reflection
 encourage a collegial role in the classroom where the class respects the mentee
 mutual respect, professionals at different stages
 create a supportive environment – building self-confidence
 scaffolding & modelling
 honesty with feedback – point out the faults but encourage & suggest better ways
 shared goals & ideas
 communicating – prior meeting, orientation, regular/ongoing
 showing a personal interest
 regular reflections
 making them feel welcome – give them desk space
 non-judgemental, support role
 inclusive involvement
 class expectations
 people need to be asked
 need to be careful of relationships
 making TIME to get to know them
 discussion of the process and outcomes
 value of knowledge, TWO WAY
 positive communication
 sharing experiences
 positive attitude
 contact time
 consistency of behaviour

 culture, identity
 knowing someone’s interest
 matching personalities/similar expectations
 building positive rapport
 understanding goals
 open communication/positive feedback/effective feedback
 developing relationships initially
 making time to meet and discuss
 find out about each other (personal and professional)
 keep records of goals (articulating expectations)
 making contact time
 consistency of behaviour
 being aware of their culture
 getting to know their interest
 time allocated to meeting and discussing expectations, hopes, plus role of each participant
 establishing a commitment – time/processes/professional relationship/confidential
 deliberate articulation and demonstration of valuing contribution from both participants
 prior – conscious decision by Mentor to developing a partnership with Mentee rather than supervisory role only
 commitment to reflective disposition
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Identify what they do well
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Find out goals
 Give clear expectations – how do they fit it?
 Share knowledge
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Orientation – build confident in relationship
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Take an interest in wider life – professional relationship
 Send back dud’s early
 Allow time for discussion (routine)
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Allow them encourage reflection and self-assessment (encourage a reflection cycle from the start)
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Be willing to “share your children”
 Getting to know the person and their circumstances
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Not impose your schedule or practices
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Be open to their ideas
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Comment sandwich
 Setting up or negotiating expectations (explicitly), familiarise the mentee with school-based policies
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Consider the necessary set-up so they feel they are welcome

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Respecting them as professionals
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Trust – confidential and safe ‘risk taking’
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Welcome pack – meet and greet meeting
 Welcoming, get to know each other – find out about personal interests
 Active listening – be patient, be prepared to put the time in
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Be open and transparent about points of need
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Be positive about giving and receiving feedback
 Honest and open with assurance of confidentiality
 Safe environment – constructive feedback
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Encourage to learn from mistakes
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Reflection encouraged, discussed and modelled
 Flexible and confident for experimentation
 It is the core of the whole teaching experience
 Issues – prevention, allow student to make mistakes/take risks, fear of judgement, personality conflict/mis-match, time pressures, not valuing the worth of the student, make space for the preservice teacher
 Strategies – allow enough time, keep relationship professional, positive constructive assessment, listen, clear expectations, induction, triad (student, mentor, supervisor)
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Meet and greet informal meeting at beginning (seminar visit)
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What do you want to get out of it – not just mentor expectations (goal setting)
 Time allocation
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Modelling good practice
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Approachable
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Listening
 Preparing the environment (accommodating), “welcoming/information pack”
 Lunch time sessions – fielding questions/feedback
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Mentor/mentee – professional discussions, open dialogue, mutual expectations, 2 way
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Communication – process (what do you need to know?), purpose (goals/clear expectations)
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Welcoming
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Relationship building – sharing & learning from each other
 Trust & confidentiality
 Follow-up & consistency
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Celebrate
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Feedback & reflection
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Let them get to know you to develop relationship
 Make time for discussion
 Organised, expectations, goal setting (model)
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We are human (good & bad)

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Social context
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Earn & develop trust – check in check out
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Effective listener
 Share self personally
 Don’t claim to be “expert” – want to develop equal relationship
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Share you care genuinely
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Open honest communication
 Questioning techniques to guide self-reflection
 Frame up lines of communication & develop framework of communication – your involvement & their involvement
 being open
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Constructive feedback
 Need to be a listener
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Clear framework on when they will teach, you will teach, when you/they will teach, when they will take control
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Make and give time – welcome (get to know them), comfortable and open dialogue, previous contact, clear expectations, work area
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Be positive and friendly
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Be professional (dress, conduct, attitude)
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Mentor needs to be conscious of the need to have a positive first impression
 Open body language and humour
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Over the practicum, mentor provides positive feedback to balance the guidance
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Establish achievable goals
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Welcoming – smile and empathy (organised before they arrive, working spaces)
 Expectations (both ways)
 Know what the prac involves (obstacles)
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Timeframes negotiated and debriefs
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Contact details, medical
 Open communication and allowances
 We’re all human
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Make them feel comfortable, smile
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Give them time
 Sharing own experiences good/bad
 Open and honest
 Give them phone number and email
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Treat them as a professional
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Ask them questions
 Positive communication
 Negotiate role/relationship
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Discuss needs

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Negotiate times to meet
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Share expectations
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Establish expectation that feedback will be a key component
 Smile, keep it friendly and positive