Counselling and Psychological Services &
Department of Chemistry
Transition
Mentoring
Training for Chemistry Mentors 2009
17 March 2016
© University of Reading 2008
www.reading.ac.uk
What is Mentoring?
• An informal relationship
• A supportive relationship
• A guiding relationship
• Leads to the growth of both mentor and mentee
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What Mentoring isn’t
• Not personal tutoring
• Not psychological counselling
• Not telling someone what to do
• Not doing it for them
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What does the word ‘Mentor’ mean?
• The word ‘Mentor’ first appears in Homer’s Odyssey
• ‘Mentor’ is the name of the disguised goddess ‘Athene’
• In the role of ‘Mentor’ she acts as the guide of the young
Telemachus
• Etymologically ‘mentor’ means ‘guide, counsellor’
• Comes from the root ‘men-’ (as in ‘men tal’) meaning
‘remember’, ‘think’
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So…a MENTOR
is someone who…
• keeps the other person in mind
• thinks about what might be going on
for them
• ‘looks out’ for them
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What is a mentor?
A mentor is
A mentor isn’t
• guide
• guardian angel
• friend
• foster parent
• listener
• therapist
• coach
• probation officer
• caring person
• tutor
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What kind of things
can a mentor help with?
• Practical
– Where can I buy…? Who do I ask about…? How can I …?
• Social
– Good ways to meet people… the cheapest pizza…
the friendliest pub…
• Academic
– How do I write a lab report?
– What’s expected for an assignment?
– What’s the best way to revise for this text?
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What makes a good mentor?
Discuss in pairs:
• What would the characteristics of an appalling mentor
be?
– What would be really unhelpful in a mentor?
– What sorts of things would really put you off using a mentor?
Brainstorm your ideas in the whole group…
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Aims of Transition Mentoring:
• Support new students to develop skills to become
–
–
–
–
–
independent adults
independent learners
comfortable about asking questions
able to look for and find their own answers
develop AUTONOMY
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Good Mentoring is about…
• enabling students to develop new skills
• NOT solving or overcoming ‘problems’
it involves:
• Encouraging
• Supporting
• Enthusing
• Avoiding the word ‘problem’ and the phrase ‘can I help?’
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Your experience is key:
YOU are the EXPERTS!
YOU have done it already!
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What was it like for you?
In groups of three, talk about:
• What were you most worried about before you arrived?
• What did you find hardest about
– your first term?
– Your first year?
• Where were the ‘hotspots’?
• What do you know now that you wish you’d known
then?
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Recording a Welcome Podcast
• In your groups you will be assigned a theme:
– Welcome soundbites – introduce yourselves and explain your
role as mentors
– Things you were worried about before you arrived;
what happened to your worries when you got here
– What will be happening in Freshers Week – and 3 POSITIVE
points about studying in the Chemistry Department
– One piece of advice you would give yourself as a First Year.
Close the podcast with a goodbye/see you soon message
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Part 1 support- Autumn term
1. A few weeks before Freshers’ week- email to
introduce yourself
2. Freshers’ week• Wednesday- module
enrolment
• Friday- meet and greet quiz
and chat
3. Week 2/ 3 social activity- mentors to
arrange
Support in terms of practical course worries
4. Week 3- first tutorial to be
started and handed in in week 4.
First tutorial week 5.
There are key times within
the calendar of a Part 1
student when they may
require more support.
Listed here are those
times. If you can think of
any more we can add
them to the timeline.
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5. Week 6- Refreshers week- may
hold study skills session
6. Week 8- begin revision for
end of term test in week 10
Part 1 support- spring term
7. Beginning of Spring term- may
be a difficult time for some first
year students. Some might need
extra support.
8. Beginning of spring term
Organic chemistry test
9. Weeks 2, 3 and 4 IT skills.
Coursework due in week 5 or 6
10. Week 7- Organic
chemistry final lab report
.
due in
I will send reminder emails to
you all shortly before each.
Please make particular effort
to contact your mentees at
these times.
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11. Week 8- begin
revision for end of spring
term test in week 10
12. Easter- Begin
revision for end of year
exams which start in
week 5 of summer term
Tips for writing your first email:
• Make it personal and friendly
• Refer to your own (recent) experience
• Add something about what you are doing this year
• Talk about what your favourite 1st year modules were
• Or your least favourite
• Mainly, try and remember what you felt like when you
were in their position
– What were you worried about?
– How did you feel?
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