At the end of the mentoring process, both you and your Mentor will share an individual, private reflection with the Partner.
The form of the reflection can be as experimental or as conventional as you wish, with the proviso that it can be preserved and submitted in a reasonably stable form. For example, you might choose to present it as a wiki, a blog, or as a video or illustrated web essay. A conventional essay is also perfectly acceptable.
The reflection should be between 750 and 1,000 words in length, or equivalent. If you are using non-conventional forms this can only be a rough guide to the amount of work you should be putting into the piece, and it will be up to you to consider how this length guide translates.
To help prepare your reflections, you can draw upon material in your logbook and use of a reflective model (e.g. Rolfe et al., 2001) is recommended. Some prompts to support analysis of learning and making links with the ALDinHE Values are provided below. Click on each tab to view the reflective thinking questions against three reflective prompts – description, analysis and implications for future practice.
Please note: these are just suggestions and are not meant to be followed prescriptively.
Reflective thinking questions to consider:
What prompted you to participate in mentoring?
What was your interpretation of the ALDinHE Values at that time?
What developmental needs did you identify? How did these relate to the Values?
What activities did you participate in? Were these linked to the Values?
What specific moments in the process were significant? How did you feel about these?
Reflective thinking questions to consider:
What were the strengths and limitations of the mentoring process in relation to your learning?
What have you learned about your LD practice as a result of the mentoring?
What have you learned about how to develop your practice?
How has your appreciation of the Values developed?
How will this learning impact on your future practice?
Reflective thinking questions to consider:
How will you take this learning forward?
See a completed example:
What prompted you to participate in mentoring? | To gain professional development and start building a portfolio for professional accreditation |
What was your interpretation of the ALDinHE Values at that time? | Basic understanding only; didn’t fully appreciate their importance in the LD context |
What developmental needs did you identify? How did these relate to the values? | Development of teaching strategies for engaging student groups in embedded classes and one-to-one interactions (Values 1-3) |
What activities did you participate in? Were these linked to the values? | Analysis of teaching videos, role-play, reviewing teaching materials, ‘homework’ between meetings. Post-activity value-focused reflections followed up with entries in logbook (Values 3 &4). |
What specific moments in the process were significant? How did you feel about these? | Deconstruction of observed teaching episodes; feedback provided on my LD practice; reflective discussions. Sense of curiosity and enthusiasm gained as new possibilities for delivering LD were realised. |
What were the strengths and limitations of the mentoring process in relation to your learning? | Good ‘chemistry’ and collaboration; wide range of activities to develop learning. Perhaps I could have directed these even further / fulfilled more of a partnership role; on reflection I was a little submissive / lacking in confidence. |
What have you learned about your LD practice as a result of the mentoring? | Feedback on teaching groups helped me see that some aspects were too generic and that use of more practical activities could deepen learning; one-to-one work could be more focused; interpersonal skills are strong. |
What have you learned about how to develop your practice? | How to contextualise LD to subject areas and how collaboration can facilitate this; ideas for practical activities through observing mentor; skills for one-to-one interactions through role play (e.g. identifying and defining problems, taking a more focused approach). |
How has your appreciation of the Values developed? | Mentoring raised awareness of how much of my practice was already underpinned by the Values. Consequently, I can now better articulate why I practice the way I do. Having experienced the benefits of reflective practice (Value 4) as part of the mentoring process, I truly appreciate why it is so fundamental to professional development. |
How will this learning impact on your future practice? | Now equipped to tailor LD more specifically to the needs of my students; will be more confident across all teaching contexts. I expect the Values to feature in my thinking when planning and delivering LD. |
How will you take this learning forward? | Planning LD: design learning content that’s contextualised to the subject area and incorporate more practical activities; one-to-one work: focus on one literacy per meeting; don’t try to do everything! Values: continue to embody in all areas of practice; future mentoring: embrace the notion of partnership with more confidence. |
Upload the reflection to your document library. This is shared between you, your Mentor and Partner.