1. https://sites.google.com/a/mtholyoke.edu/mage-training/home
Peer Computing Expert Training Lesson 4 Peer mentor’s role and effective feedback
Borrowed liberally from the Mount Holyoke MaGE Training Course educational materials

2. Peer Mentor Roles When you think of mentoring, what comes to mind?
It’s important to review the images and anticipations we have of mentoring
These images/anticipations may not actually be what the role calls for at various times
A small note to discuss mentoring often evokes a sense of anticipated gratitude from the learner which may not be provided
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3. Peer Mentor as Mirror
Feedback, information, checking on process all help the learner to improve, gain confidence and skill because learner gains internal sense of progress
Peer mentors have to walk a fine line
If the mentor plays too strong of a role “doing too much for the learner” then the student is not helped in the longer run
If the peer mentor withholds and makes the student guess too much, the student gets frustrated/angry
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4. Effective Feedback Specific and Timely
Focused on both what went wrong and what is going right (and why)
Pointing toward options & strategies, not just end states
Appreciation of the learner’s effort
Convey attitude that learner will get it
Growth mindset
Be careful with “this is easy” (even if it is don’t say it)
Be careful with “I struggled with X” – you don’t know if the learner identifies with you, but it might help
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5. Serving as a Mirror Do this : Avoid jumping into advice
Tell me more about what you are doing
I hear you saying this works.
What happened when you tried X or Y?
Where did you get that information?
Walk me through it so I can see how you are thinking about this
Avoid jumping into advice
First: ask questions, listen, reflecting back
THEN give broader context (or process) within which the learner is situated
which steps were taken, which options remain (pros-cons of those), what might happen next
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6. Being a Coach
Do this:
Are you willing to try a new strategy?
One option is to …
An alternative would be …
I’m going to try to map where you are, and a short list of steps that might help you to move forward
When you tried those things, which worked for you?
Avoid saying what you would do; focus on the strategy’s usefulness “many people find…”
Feedback: Appreciation of effort is important
Coaching helps if the person is willing to take responsibility
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7. Other Roles Are you a teacher? Are you an editor? Are you a GTA?
When do you edit the code directly?
Are you a GTA?
What if the student needs more help?
Are you a friend?
Discuss: Managing boundaries
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8. Learning & Motivation
Video created by Ngoc Vu, student at Mount Holyoke College
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