To SPMP

STUDENT PEER MENTORING ALU Getting to know you:  Write two words that positively describes you based on the first letter of your names. e.g.  J ack R ussel – J ust R esilient - Share what you think is so important about you that your team mates should know.

1.What do we mean by ‘Mentoring’ 2.Rationale 3.Principles underpinning the process 4.What SPMP is NOT 5.What SPMP can do 6.The Mentoring Cycle 7.Mentor Skills 8.How you can prepare for your Mentoring Meetings?

What is ‘Mentoring’

This is my son, mine own Telemachus…” The original ‘Mentor’ was appointed by Odysseus to act as tutor and a guide to his son Telemachus while Odysseus was fighting the Trojan wars. The goddess Athena appeared to Telemachus in the guise of Mentor and advised him to stand up to his mother Penelope’s suitors, hence the idea of a ‘mentor’ as a guide and wise counsellor. (Greece and Athens) The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines a mentor as "a trusted counselor or guide."Online Dictionary Mentorship is a relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a protégé to gain knowledge and skills in a specific area.

The rationale for peer mentoring is to support the academic growth of the individual and to promote excellence in learning and academic performance Rationale

Activity Think of an individual(s) who has mentored you. Take a moment to reflect on that experience.  What was it about them that influenced you?  What traits or qualities made this person an effective mentor?  What lessons did you learn from them?  Share and reflect with the group.

Mentoring is a positive developmental partnership, which is driven primarily by the mentee. It offers a reflective space where the mentee can take responsibility for and discuss their development Its primary aim is to build capability and self-reliance in the Mentee Mentors can help highlight issues and assist the Mentee in planning ways through them Principles underpinning the process

Cont. They can help clarify the Mentee's perspective while bringing an additional impartial view to bear on the issues Sometimes, when the issues are straightforward and urgent, a Mentor might offer advice or suggest a direction Confidentiality, trust, understanding and positive expectation are key to a successful mentorship

SPMP is NOT  For dealing with underperforming individuals  Taking on the problems or academic work of the Mentee.  Dealing with personal issues  Getting inappropriately involved with one of the students you are supporting  Taking on responsibility for the students’ emotional state or action

What SPMP can do?  Understand academic functions and demands better  Improve / Maintain good academic performance  Improve communication and develop study skills for the courses under study  Increase problem solving and critical thinking skills and enhanced leadership skills  Improve the student(s) level of academic performance and satisfaction levels  Academic Mentoring helps students to reach their full potential, in the way that their academic progress is monitored, analyses and supported.  Based on your academic aspirations, can support you to reach your academic goals.  I can coach and advise on academic related interests

My role as a mentor Meeting weekly on specific time frames Listening actively to my mentee(s) academic concerns & aspirations Motivate & supporting mentee(s) academic goals Providing information, guidance and constructive feedback Assisting the mentee(s) to consider and evaluate various options Facilitating & evaluating the mentee’s decision making and problem solving Maintaining confidentiality of matters discussed Acting as a role model, guide representing values & ethical standards Track and record evidence of mentee/s achievements

1. Building Trust 2. Review the growth plan 3. Direction Setting 4. Progress Making 5. Maturation 6. Review progress & Closure The mentorship cycle

The SPMP cycle Building Trust: Developing mutual trust and comfort Review the growth plan: Check the set goal & ask Why, When, What, How questions Direction-setting: Set ground rules & explore each other’s expectations of mentoring. Progress making: Experimentation, coaching and learning proceed rapidly Maturation: Relationship becomes mutual in terms of learning and mentee becomes increasingly self-reliant. Closure: Formal relationship ends, an informal one may continue

 Identify new knowledge and skills applicable to their learning goal  Seek guidance and advice related to ongoing growth opportunities  Actively accept responsibility for own growth, decisions and actions  Completing tasks and projects to an agreed standard & time  Be receptive to feedback and coaching  Maintain the confidentiality of matters discussed  Allocate time to complete tasks and prepare for the meetings Mentee’s Role

First meeting essentials Introductions – Get to know each other-but be a good listener Ask you mentee to introduce themselves and what they expect to get out the mentorship Discuss mentoring experiences- and together set expectations ( time, formalities and deliverables and timelines) Review the goals together and affirm if the mentee understands what they mean and what needs to be done Record everything and share with the mentee and then later record them in the main document shared with the LEAP team. Plan the next meeting

Thank You