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8/2/2019 RSV Sampler

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My employment background at the university covers both teaching and administrativetasks. As a teacher, I am assigned to handle general education subjects in languagesand major subjects in professional education. On the other hand, my administrative jobincludes the responsibilities of managing the internal and external activities of studentsand dealing with intervention plans and training projects for teachers in all matters in the

levels of both elementary and secondary education. For this problem posing vignette, Iwould like to dwell on the issue of mentoring program as one of the focal projects in myworkplace. The mentoring program in our school has long been in existence, but arecent assessment of its program components puts it into its proper prospective. Thismeans that the program has been overhauled in order to cater the present needs of theworkforce in our organization. But no matter how well-established the program,problems arise.

Almost every first semester, there are newly-hired teachers to meet the growing numberof student population in our university. Most of them are beginning teachers. In this

case, these teachers will be required to undergo the mentoring program. First andforemost, my first concern is assigning mentors to these new teachers. I am certain thatfinding criteria and methods for choosing mentors is a problem common to all mentoringprograms. Guided by the principle that beginning teachers become good teachers byassimilating the desirable skills, attitudes, and professional outlook of their mentors, itseems to me a tough decision as to who will I appoint to become a mentor of eachbeginning teacher. What I also noticed is the transition of these novice teachers fromtheir student teaching experience to their first teaching assignment which can be bothexciting and traumatic. The same can be true for mentors as well. Part of the transitionfor mentor is dealing with the responsibilities of a new job (mentoring) along with theother responsibilities they have. Thus, confusing "assessment" with "evaluation"

provides a common cause of mentor program failure. As part of our programs thrusts,an effective mentoring process is built on a foundation of mutual trust. The objective ofthe process is assistance. Both trust and assistance are placed in serious jeopardy ifthe mentor is saddled with evaluation responsibilities. Assessment, however, is animportant part of the mentoring process which allows the beginning teachers self-reflection and direction for improvement.

Further, lack of time is yet another factor that can negatively impact on the quality of thementoring relationship and can determine, in some cases, whether or not therelationship will be a success or failure. Like in the case of X & Y, I have assigned X asmentor to our newly-hired teacher named Y. Mentor X has been working in UM foralmost seven (7) years. She had an excellent reputation being chosen as the modelteacher of the year in her third year of teaching. In fact, her track record of splendidperformance as a classroom teacher, year level advisor, club consultant and as afaculty officer is very evident. She was so excited about the opportunity to become apart of the mentoring team. After successfully completing the mentors training program,she applied for the position as mentor. When the screening process was complete, Iimmediately informed X that she had been appointed as a mentor for Y, a beginning


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teacher assigned to teach in the Engineering department. X and Y met for the first timethe day before in-service. They spent time discussing the students, fellow teachers,school administration, classroom management issues, and a variety of other topics thatwere on Xs mind. That first day seemed quite promising. But over the next month, Xand Y found it difficult to find time to meet. There was an instance when Y needed

information and direction from X, but I took the responsibility of mentoring because Xhas been busy all the time. Although email was a resource for communicating, butseeing and talking each other would be more personal and helpful. At the close of thesemester, X and Y reflected on their mentoring relationship. X was not pleased with herlack of being able to support Y, although Y did not blame her for that. Both weredisappointed and frustrated because they had not been able to meet on a regular basis.I stressed to them that communication is one of the most important aspects in amentoring team, but nevertheless I characterized their mentoring relationship assupportive, even with the limitations that existed.

In relation, I embraced the idea that good communication helps to strengthenmentoring, which in turn contributes to performance and the professional developmentof both new teacher and mentor. When communication is minimized and is not a priorityfor one or both mentoring team members, then we can expect to see a relationship thatis not functioning at its full potential. Communication is a choice and not every adult isas skillful in communicating with other adults as they might be with their students. Thatis why I need to be thoughtful and purposeful in my selection of mentors. Also, as newteachers are adjusting to a new career, they need to know that someone is willing tosupport them. Believing that support is important, because it helps the new teacherunderstand that they are valued and that someone is there to listen and care, I realizethat it is necessary for me as the administrative coordinator of the mentoring program to

seek mentoring practices that is more effective and beneficial for both the mentors andthe mentees. To attain this goal, firstly, I should consider some mentoring programpractices in other organization to find out what practice is suitable in my workplace.Secondly, I need to know somecommon obstacles in mentoring programs to be able to foresee arising conflicts toovercome them. Lastly, I would like to find out how to handle conflicting issues inmentoring program to safeguard the mentor-mentee relationship.When I return to myworkplace, the management expects me to mobilize the Teaching-Learning Center(TLC) where mentoring program is a component. Thus, a chance to explore this projectwould be a great opportunity. This will be beneficial in my future workplace endeavour.Thus, my focusing questions for my research story revolve around these areas ofconcern: (1) what are some of the best mentoring program practices? and (2) whatare other conflicting issues in mentoring program and how I would be able tohandle it?

Guided by these focusing questions, I began to keep a professional journal where I canencode instances or conversations that may arise that would help me gain a deeperreflection of mentoring practices for beginning teachers. I began noting in my personal


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journal the two-fold experiences that I had related to mentoring. I recall my experiencesas a mentee when I was still new in the teaching arena. Gradually, upon gaining anumber of years in teaching, I had been given an opportunity to become a mentor, aswell. The mentor-mentee relationship in our university has long been in existence as afocused project in the professional development program. This project is known as

mentoring. Mentoring is defined by Nemser and Parker (2002) as a coping mechanismassisting novice teachers in facing challenges in a teaching- learning environment. Theyexpound the idea of the power of mentoring to improve teaching. In their article, theyexamined two mentoring programs in the United States. In the mentoring program,experienced teachers are expected to play major roles in the induction and socializationof beginning teachers. This concept is almost the same with the mentoring practices inmy workplace. Beginning teachers are helped through our mentoring program on howto adjust with the teaching requisites and as well as to adapt in the existingorganisational culture in our university. When I was still a new teacher, I recall theexperiences I traversed in dealing with my fellow teachers and students. It was indeed atough challenge. I even recalled the instances where I feel shy in dealing with my co-

teachers and being numbed most of the times in conversations. I feel that I have notgain enough ideas to share and I thought that it is better to listen rather than talkbecause my opinions might not be of help. Another struggle was when I had an olderstudent who seems to act as the teacher in my class. But these experiences that I hadwere reinforced by the mentoring program. With the help of my mentor, I was able toconform in those teaching- learning situations with ease and confidence. I was evenchosen to be an emcee in every school program that we have. Much to my amusement,my fellow teachers and students even nominated me as one of the candidates for modelteacher during the teachers day celebration. Though, I did not get the most covetedaward, but it was an achievement as a new teacher. I owe that honor to my mentor. As

Allen, et al ( 2006) states in their article that role modeling of mentors impact their

mentees. This is proven to be true since my mentor is known as one of the bestperforming teachers in our university. She has even reached the hall of fame this yearbeing awarded in her fifth trophy as model teacher. She has inspired me a lot to followher footsteps in the field of teaching someday.

In the course of following my mentors footsteps, it leads me to where I am now. Likeher, I become a mentor to beginning teachers. But my responsibility encompasses morethan a mentor, I have been appointed as the coordinator of the professionaldevelopment program where mentoring is a striking component as one of its focalprojects. As a coordinator, I discover the saliency of mentoring program in the academe.Even before my appointment, I already embraced the importance of mentoring program.In my experience as a mentor, I have seen and felt, and honestly I can relate thestruggles of beginning teachers. Being a neophyte is a battling experience. Stansburyand Zimmerman (2000) reveal the need to design support for beginning teachers inorder to attract them to remain in the teaching profession. In their article, they explicitlymention that most teachers quit within their first three years on the teaching job and optto other occupation that offer more financial rewards and less stress. The reason behindthis steady loss can be attributed to the challenges sensed by rookie teachers such as


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classroom management, motivation of students, dealing with the individual differencesamong students and peer pressures, assessing student work and relation with parents.In fact, Britton, et al (1999) cites the same problems as most pressing difficulties ofbeginning teachers in China, New Zealand and Swirzerland. In like manner, theacademic planning and mentoring director in our university confirms that similar reasons

also apply in my workplace among our novice teachers. In a virtual interview, heexpresses the need to help beginning teachers in dealing with these troubling instances.A well- implemented mentoring program for beginning teachers is a must. I even notedin my journal-entry when he expounds that:

The benefits of mentoring programs are not only substantial for novice teachers, but aswell as to mentors. The mentee gains a new direction or perspective while thementor feels a sense of achievement when their mentee succeeds. (Serrano, JournalEntry: Web Interview , page 12)

Relatively, Clinard and Ariav (1998) confirms the idea of our academic planning andmentoring director that mentors derive benefits from mentoring. They acknowledged astudy of 178 mentor teachers conducted by Hawk in 1986 that mentoring programsprovided positive professional growth among mentors. The mentors enumerated waysthey grew professionally which include: (1) improvement of own classroom teachingskills; (2) awareness of the importance of communication among teachers; and (3)realizing the role of experienced teachers in honing the best teaching skills amongnovice teachers. This led Hawk (1986) to advocate that practices in mentoring programmust be designed accordingly aiming to benefit not only the mentees but as well as thementors. Further elaborated in the study are some suggestions that should be includedin the practice of mentoring:

1. Mentoring should be a practice geared onwards to professionalcompetency. It should serve as a training ground for both mentors andmentees on how to give and take feedback on demonstrations, assimilateteaching techniques and design curriculum.

2. Mentoring should be a reflective practice. Mentoring programs shouldenable mentors and mentees to be reflective about their own beliefs aboutteaching, students, learning, and teaching as a career.

3. Mentoring should boost a practice of professional renewal. Mentors and

mentees should regain energy and strength in their commitment to theteaching profession.

4. Part of the practice of mentoring should be an experience ofpsychologicalbenefits. The experience of mentoring should empower experiencedteachers in enhancing their self-esteem derived from their satisfaction ofhelping less experienced colleagues. On the other hand, mentees should
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endow greater self-confidence as they are being provided with professionaland personal support.

5. An established collegial interaction between mentors and mentees increaseconfidence and maturity. Thus, mentoring should be a practice of

collaboration. In fact, working with new teachers can lead mentors toparticipate in collaborative research projects or teacher researches.

6. An ideal practice of mentoring should contribute to teacher leadership. Thetraining and experiences in mentoring such as classroom observation andcoaching skills build mentors' capacity for leadership. Mentees also developsense of leadership in demonstration skills.

In relation to the suggested mentoring practices, an experienced practitioner inmentoring program for over 12 years who is currently employed in a distinguished

university in Australia mentions that in a mentoring program, the role of a mentor issignificant not only in the classroom coaching, but most importantly, in shaping theideals of a beginning teacher. As a specialist in mentoring teachers and coachingteacher interns, I am grateful having the opportunity of discussing with her someimportant topics that would lead me in discovering best mentoring program practices.She even freely discloses some conflicting issues in mentoring program and suggestshow I would be able to handle it if I would be in the situation.

In my face-to face interview withthis experienced practitioner in mentoring program, shecites some of the best mentoring program practices. However, she reminds that a

mentoring program must be based from the needs of our organization. It must be asuitable design that is accepted within the norms of our organizational culture. Nijveldt,et al (2005) supports the same idea as they posit that well-structured mentoringprograms achieve best results when its goals are linked to corporate needs. Beingexposed in the mentoring program, she further cites that best mentoring practices mustreflect a responsible program with the following requirements: (1)a well-defined missionand established operating policy; (2) regular, consistent contact between the mentorand the mentee; and (3) paid or volunteer personnel with appropriate skills. Sheexpounds that there are a lot of best mentoring program practices, however, what isapplicable in answer to the needs of the organisation is the most appropriate. Thisstatement leads me to conduct a preliminary needs analysis in my workplace. Aside

from our academic planning and mentoring director, I also engaged in a virtual interviewvia internet with a senior mentor and a past mentee. This is to trace occurringphenomenon in the mentoring program of my workplace to find out the present needs ofthe participants and inflict improvement in the future, as well. Extracts of the saidinterviews are posted in the appendix with slight modification due to some vernacularresponses. Combining the responses of the virtual interviewees, I sense the needs of arecruitment plan for both mentors and mentees. They also mention that in theorientation for mentors and mentees, the following should be detailed properly;


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1. overview of mentoring program which includes its rationale and bases

2. description of eligibility, screening process and suitability requirements ofmentors and mentees

3. level of commitment expected such as time and availability of both parties.

4. benefits and rewards of mentors and mentees.

5. summary of program policies including reports, interviews and evaluations

As I spearhead the mentoring program in our workplace, I find the matters mentioned inthe interview as useful guidelines in the modification of mentoring practices incongruence to the needs of our organisation. Those needs will serve as information tobe included in my mentoring plan. Considering them as factors to create a successful

mentoring initiative, it would also be a means of sustaining the mentoring program. Inorder to sustain the mentoring program, Allen,et al(2006) adds that eligibility screeningfor mentors and mentees is a component. The screening should commence with anapplication process and review, face to face interview, reference checks, suitabilitycriteria and completion of pre-match training and orientation. They also suggest theneed of readiness program which is almost similar to our pre- trainings for all mentorsand mentees. These pre-trainings are conducted to avoid conflicting issues in thefuture.

During my interview, the experienced practitioner affirms that conflict is inevitable inmentoring. These conflicts vary and needs trouble-shooting. She elaborates that someof these conflicts may arise between the mentor and the mentees or it can be within myself as the administrative coordinator of the mentoring program. First conflict is whenmentor or mentee does not get along well. In this case, dialogue and discussions mustbe done before the relations deteriorate. Second conflict is when mentor/mentee is toobusy to arrange meetings. Time is essential in mentoring. She suggests that I betterrenegotiate it and set meetings at a frequency that suits both parties. The third is adispute which is almost similar to the second conflict. It is when the mentor/menteearranges meeting but then cancels it at the last minute. Relatively, our academicplanning and mentoring director divulges that this is the most common problem in ourmentoring program which can be attributed to the mentor/mentee high workload. To putthe partnership on hold while this busy period passes is a good solution. Nevertheless,this instance should not be frequent as the other partner could feel disheartened andundervalued. She also raises another case as the fourth conflict, it is when eithermentor or mentee is unhappy with my choice of their partnership, it would be myimmediate responsibility to establish rapport between them. Lastly, another conflict shereveals is when mentee/mentor has made an improper advance during a meeting. Sheadvises me to emphasize that meetings should never take place in the mentee ormentor's home in order to protect against false allegations. Mentees and mentors


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should ensure meetings take place in suitable surroundings, where some privacy isensured to facilitate privacy, but not in complete isolation from other people. I realizethat these conflicting issues are difficult, yet challenging. It can be noted however, asClinard and Ariav (1998) maintain that the easiest way to solve this problem is todissolve the relationship between the two participants. However, I contend that would

be the last recourse if the issues cannot be resolve in an amicable way. Thus, criteria inmatching the mentors and mentees must be carefully intertwined.

Stansbury and Zimmerman (2000) suggest that a matching strategy must be based onthe programs eligibility criteria. As the administrative coordinator of the mentoringprogram, I am guided by the norms of matching criteria as set by professionaldevelopment council where it reconsiders not only chemistry but also interests andother elements such as race and ethnicity, gender, age, language,availability/schedules, needs, temperament, attitude, experience, skills and expertise. Inmy term as a mentoring coordinator, I have imposed team building activities to reducethe anxiety of the first meeting of both parties. This is a face-to-face training to unleashinhibitions and establish good relationship among mentors and mentees. Our seniormentor and a past mentee recognize that face- to- face is more effective than on-lineteam building because it is more personal in contact. They even suggest that this maybe made an-going support as features of our mentoring practices. Similarly, it issuggested by the experienced practitioner during the interview that a monitoringprocess must be made operational to safe guard mentoring pairs privacy and security.She emphasizes that there must be consistent scheduled meetings with the mentoringparticipants, tracking system for on-going assessment, mentoring filing system andmost importantly, a process for managing grievances, praise, re-matching, interpersonalproblem solving, and pre-mature relationship closure. Monitoring the mentoring program

is important to ensure that the stability of mentoring pairs and the workability of thementoring practices. In fact, reflected in Hawks study in 1986 shows that the mentoringpairs last longer and more successful if monitored by ways of newsletters or mailings,meetings and casual conversations discussing relevant issues and concerns fordissemination. Also, in my recount of work experience which involves mentoring, Iembrace the idea that evaluation is a salient aspect of mentoring practices. Theevaluation is a process which will measure the outcome of the program and assess forfuture changes and improvements.

In the light of my research story, I conclude that mentoring beginning teachers is indeed

a noble task. It provides support by helping, guiding and comforting new teachers tounderstand that they are valued and that someone is there to listen and care. I canrelate that when emotional support is limited or is not being provided at all, the newteacher can feel insecure, frustrated and lack of confidence. Further, the problemposing vignette, journal entry, related literature and interview in my research storyprovide confirmation that mentoring opens the opportunities of professionaldevelopment not only to mentees, but as well as to mentors. This study offers someinsights into the issue by decoding responses of the selected individuals who are


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involved in mentoring programs. While I learn that there are varieties of best mentoringprogram practices, I also acknowledge the importance to reciprocate the mentoring planto the needs of the organisation. On the other hand, it ignites my interest knowing theconflicting issues in mentoring program to seek something more effective and beneficialfor both the mentors and the mentees. Further, the findings of this story inspires me to

explore more on the impact of the mentoring program practices not only among mentorsand mentees, but also in the organisation as a whole. As Allen, et al ( 2006) indicatesthat mentoring paves the way to ensure continued success in organisation, I ampropelled to strengthen our program practices. After all, the human resources areconsidered as the most important component in any organisation. I therefore reaffirmbased from my previous position that shaping the practices of our mentoring program isone of the best ways to build a strong crop of human resources in our organisation.Building a strong crop of human resources spells organisational success. Thus, as I amabout to return to my home country and I am also about to resume my task as anadministrative coordinator of the mentoring program for beginning teachers, I hope totraverse a path that will lead my steps to effective mentoring practices for the benefit of

the mentors and the mentees and the organisation as a whole.

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