The University of BrightonSecondary Partnership

Mentor Subject Conference and BriefingTuesday 1st October 2019

Mentor Subject Conference and Briefing4.30-5.15pm Introduction

Tom Newlands (Postgraduate Secondary Programme Leader and PGCE RS Route Leader)

Kathy Clements (Senior SBT Supervisor / Quality Assurance Lead)

5.15-6.30pm Subject Time

Introductions / Developments

1. Highlights / Successes 2018-19

2. Handbooks / SBT Blog / SBT1

3. Online Mentor Training

4. Mentor Meetings

5. Scenarios

6. e-Portfolio

2018-19: Thank You

• Record student outcomes again 96% grade 1 or 2 (49% grade 1)

• 92% of trainees rated the overall quality of training as good/very good (2018/19 End of Course Survey)

• 83% of trainees agreed that the quality of their placement was good/very good(UoB Survey)

• 86% of trainees said feedback from mentors was good/ very good in helping them to make progress (UoB Survey)

Trainee Feedback 2019 – Students say …

‘She was a fabulous mentor that consistently gave me strong constructive feedback.’

‘My mentor … was extremely supportive throughout the placement … he constantly checked on my wellbeing to ensure I was looking after myself.’

‘My mentor was brilliant. He had incredibly high standards and expectations but was thoughtful and supportive in helping me reach them.’

‘My mentor was very good at providing me with specific targets each week and ways to meet these.’

Accessing Handbooks

TWO key handbooks:

1. Secondary Partnership in Education: Agreement and Handbook (SPiE)

2. Secondary Professional Year Professional Tutor and Mentor Handbook

Both can be accessed on the Mentor / SBT Blog:

www.brighton.ac.uk/secondaryforms

Professional Tutor and Mentor Handbook Developments

Triggers for Change:

• Addressing Trainee Workload

• Mental Health and Wellbeing Considerations

• Periodic Review

• Streamlining Processes

• Meaningful and Purposeful Expectations

SBT Tasks

Mentor Meetings

E-Portfolio

Timetable SBT1

• Initial periods of observation of experienced teachers, then assisting them in the classroom i.e. individual and small group work, team teaching -leading to increased responsibility.

• By start of November (as a guide) trainees will be taking over responsibility for some of the classes increasing to 40% of a teacher’s normal timetable based on mentor judgement.

In addition …

• 1 period a week as a TA• 1 period a week for a mentor meeting• 1 period a week for preparation for the mentor

meeting • 1 period for school Professional Studies programme

• 1 period of observation

• Completion of school-based training tasks.

• Once established, there can be further additional enrichment activities for trainees meeting grade 1 expectations.

.. our expectation for trainees appropriate to this stage of their training is that they … • Assume increasing responsibility for the attainment,

progress and outcomes of the pupils they teach (with the support of mentors, class teachers and the professional tutor);

• Demonstrate increasingly confident judgement in planning for pupil progression within individual lessons and are beginning to plan over time for this;

• Set challenging tasks, based on secure subject and curriculum knowledge, drawing on understanding of the pupils’ prior attainment which has been obtained through informed use of assessment and data;

• Develop the ability to employ engaging and effective methods that support pupils in reflecting on their learning.

Professional Development: Dialogue

“Rather than inhabiting the ‘high ground’ of professional certainty they [teaching professionals] have to work in the ‘swampy lowlands’ of everyday life, facing situations that are complicated and messy, defying easy technical situations”

Furlong (2003, p.18)

Keys to quality and how to make the most of school support6 Keys (see SPiE) Warm and welcoming induction,

including safeguarding

Ongoing and supportive informal guidance and advice

Effective regular mentor meetings

Individualised training and development opportunities

Constructive, personalised verbal and written feedback

Accurate assessment using grading descriptors

Trainee role Friendly, respectful disposition,

read documents, respond to communications

Respond positively, take notes, carefully consider, act

Be prepared, upload asap

Engage, identify opportunities, be curious, know your handbooks

Be open, analyse, seek to understand, recognise strengths

Contribute to discussions, utilise descriptors for development, upload all feedback asap

Recent Developments

1. Online Mentor Training

2. Mentor Meetings (SH)

3. E-Portfolio

1. Online Mentor Training Launch

This e-Learning course covers everything you need to know about being a UoB Partnership mentor. It covers all of the expectations and processes (i.e. non programme specific areas) to support you to fulfil the role of mentor effectively. This replaces the new mentor training we used to hold here at the university. For this year only and because there are a number of changes we need to highlight to everyone (for example, a new mentor meeting form) we require ALL mentors to undertake this training (new and experienced). It is also expected that mentors attend mentor twilight training at the university.

Online Mentor Training Continued

• The eLearning course takes only 45 minutes and you can complete it from the comfort of your armchairs! The course works best when completed on a desktop or a laptop computer (rather than iPads or other mobile devices).

• You will be directed to send us an email on the final page which confirms that you have completed the course.

• We hope you find this useful and supportive for your role as mentor and we welcome any feedback on this new and exciting development.

• The link to complete the course is here (if you have difficulty opening this link, cut and paste it into your browser directly):

https://storage.googleapis.com/onside/UofB%20School%20Mentor%20Course/index.html

Online mentor traininghttps://storage.googleapis.com/onside/UofB%20Sch

ool%20Mentor%20Course/index.html

2. The Mentor Meeting

We advise that mentor meetings are:

• Weekly

• Timetabled

• Held in an appropriate space to minimise distractions

• Structured using the mentor meeting (SH) pro forma

• Prepared for beforehand by the trainee

SH Form

The mentor meeting is structured in three parts as detailed on the SH pro forma:

A) Trainee reflection on professional learning and review of targets

B) A professional development discussion

C) Completion of Professional Action Plan targets and actions

This pro forma can be found in the trainee’s e-Portfolio and it is their responsibility to complete it.

Step 1: Preparing for the meeting

It is expected that the trainee will be working on a maximum of three professional development targets each week. In order to prepare for the meeting, on the SH form, the trainee should review their professional action plan targets, reflect on any additional learning where relevant and note where evidence of their progress can be found.

Steps 2-5: During the Meeting

The e-Portfolio should remain open throughout the mentor meeting. In order to minimise workload the trainee should complete the SH pro forma as the meeting progresses. It is a record that contributes to evidence that demonstrates the trainee’s progress towards meeting the Teachers’ Standards.

STEP 1 and 2

The trainee should keep their e-Portfolio open throughout the mentor meeting.

In order to minimise workload trainees should complete the SH proforma as the meeting progresses. It is record that is used as evidence to demonstrate your progress towards meeting the Teachers’ Standards.

STEP 3

STEP 4 and 5

After STEPS 4 and 5

Having agreed and recorded professional action plan targets and actions in steps 4 and 5, it is important that trainees show in box A of their lesson plan how these are being developed.

Their progress is then evaluated in box F of the lesson plan. These can be shared with mentors at the next meeting.

After STEPS 4 and 5 Box A

Having agreed and recorded professional action plan targets and actions in steps 4 and 5, it is important that trainees show in box A of their lesson plan how these are being developed.

Their progress is then evaluated in box F of the lesson plan. These can be shared with mentors at the next meeting.

Mentor-Trainee Scenarios

1. What might be some possible reasons behind this?

2. How might you approach this as a Partnership mentor?

Scenario A: A trainee focuses on the negatives of their practice and is always indecisive and unwilling to act upon advice.

Scenario B: A trainee focuses only on their strengths and is reluctant to explore any areas of development.

Scenario A

Possible reasons: Lacking in confidence. Stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts. Feelings of inadequacy. Fear of failure. Previous bad experience. Procrastinating to prevent perceived ‘exposure’. Driven to be perfect.

Possible approaches: Focus on past successes and how we learn. Reframe language to the positive e.g. ‘I notice that each time I make a suggestion you reply with ‘yes but’… and I wondered whether you’d noticed that and what it is about’. Encourage exploration of what trainee has control over and what is not within their sphere of responsibility. Share experiences of risk taking and the emotion that is invested in this. Communicate empathy and belief in them.

Scenario B.

Possible reasons: Reluctant to appear vulnerable or in need of support. Distrustful of how perceived ‘deficits’ will be used. Belief that mentoring involves ‘weaknesses’.

Possible approaches: Explore how mentoring relationship works in relation to feedback, targets and actions and what they would like to get out of it. Explore what their approach to professional development is and encourage them to be involved in target setting. Make sure they understand the feedback and what it would look like in practice.

3. e-Portfolio: A Professional Development Tool

1. Pen Portrait: This is a single page record of relevant previous experience and progress throughout the Secondary Professional Year.

2. Teachers’ Standards: This section is where they can see the Teachers’ Standards Parts 1 and 2.

e-Portfolio

3. School-Based Training (SBT) 1 and 2/3: This includes the following sub-sections:

SBT Details SBT Mentor Meetings (SH forms).

SBT Other Forms (SA, SB, SC, SK and SD forms)

SBT Lesson PlansSBT Professional Reflections – To be completed at

the end of SBT1 and SBT 2 (Core) and 3 (SDT)

e-Portfolio

4. Specialist Subject Development: This includes the following sub-sections:

Subject AuditCritical ReflectionsUniversity Based TrainingPersonal Portfolio 5. Career Entry Plan (CEP): This is completed towards the end of the course in preparation for the NQT year.

6. Support: This section provides details of support to assist them in using their e-Portfolio.

Questions? Feedback? Support? Contact us:educationplacements@brighton.ac.uk

Direct access to forms, guidance and handbooks:

www.brighton.ac.uk/secondaryforms

Subject Briefing Rooms

Subject Room No.

Art and DesignSally Johnson

D130

EnglishAnne Denmead

D222

GeographySharon Reilly

A501

MathematicsJames Kendrick

C122

MFLKaren Murray-Hall

D510

Religious StudiesTom Newlands

B502

ScienceSarah Poore

E235