PAR Mentors, you have been identified as one of the best benefits to the new Probationary Faculty process (PAR). Congratulations on a job well done. Probationary Faculty enjoyed the collegiality, having a person to talk things through with, the constructive feedback on observations, and the general support they had as they began their careers with GCC.
As a mentor, you are the person your mentee can come to when they want to discuss difficult issues without fear of judgment or ridicule. To best help your mentee:
- Provide support and knowledge to guide decision-making as you help your mentee to answer their own questions.
- Be sure to have two-way conversations with active listening and thoughtful questioning as opposed to just telling them how something should be done. You will have much more meaningful conversations this way.
- At any point in time, either of you should be able to ask “What were you thinking when you did that?” as a means of learning more about the motivations and thoughts of each other.
Mentors, encourage your mentee to develop new knowledge and an eagerness for lifelong learning. Ways you can help your mentee:
- Join them for a professional development activity.
- Support their exploration of new teaching techniques and methodologies.
- Inspire your mentees to try new things.
- Help them to make the most out of your Observation (which should be scheduled by now for the Fall semester).
Probationary Faculty/Mentees, take advantage of all that your Mentor has to offer. Have fun while teaching and coaching your students, and always remember why you got into teaching. And everyone, have a great semester!