The document outlines a mentee guide prototype created to help recent graduates at a preschool learn from their more experienced peers by providing exercises and activities to identify past mentors, set expectations for meeting with a new mentor, assess needs, and plan initial meetings in order to make the most of the mentoring relationship.

1. Mentee Guide Prototype
Problem Statement: GS a director at a private, church run, preschool is looking for a way to ensure that recent
graduates can effectively learn from their peers and better manage their own professional development because
recent grads seem to be stuck in classroom learning mode where they need a teacher to explicitly teach them
things, give them homework assignment and grade them for feedback - which makes managing them too time
consuming.
Idea Addressed: Create a workbook to teach how to learn from others with more experience

2. Why have a mentor?
Introduction
A few paragraphs that talk about the importance of learning from mentors with specific examples from
education and teaching.
Past Mentors
An exercise designed to have recent grads identify and write about mentors they’ve had in the past.
Example: Think back on various stages of your life and remember those individuals who had a unique and important impact
on your life. One question you can ask yourself to help you focus is: “If I hadn’t met ___________________, how would I have
learned ____________?” Some “types” of people to think about are: teachers, coaches, counselors, friends, relatives, supervisors,
and co-workers.
Complete the table below to get a better idea of how your personal development has been enhanced by mentors, whether or not
the relationship was officially recognized as mentoring.
Mentor’s Name How Mentor Helped Me What Characteristics My Mentor
Possessed that Helped Me Grow

3. Getting Ready to meet with your mentor
Your Expectations
The first step toward a successful relationship with your mentor is developing an understanding of what
you expect from your mentoring relationship…..
An exercise to help the mentee refine and effectively communicate his/her expectations:
Example things to include:
The reasons I want to be mentored are to:
_Receive encouragement and support
_Increase my confidence when dealing with professionals
_ Challenge myself to achieve new goals and explore alternatives
_ Gain a realistic perspective of the field
_ Get advice on how to balance work and other responsibilities, and set priorities
_ Gain knowledge of “dos and don’ts”
_ Learn how to operate in a network of talented peers
_ Other _______________________________________________________________
I hope that my mentor and I will:
_ Tour my mentor’s workplace
_ Meet over coffee, lunch, or dinner
_ Go to educational events such as lectures, conferences, or other events together
_ Go to local, regional, and national professional meetings together
_ Other _______________________________________________________________
I hope that my mentor and I will discuss:
_ Professional development subjects that will benefit my future career
_ Career options and job search preparation
_ The realities of the workplace
_ My mentor’s work
_ Technical and related field issues
_ How to network
_ How to balance work and family life
_ Personal goals and life circumstances
_Other _______________________________________________________________
The things I feel are off limits in my mentoring relationship include:
_Disclosing our conversations to others
_Using non-public places for meetings
_Sharing intimate aspects of our lives
_Meeting behind closed doors
_Other _______________________________________________________________
The amount of time I can spend with my mentor is likely to be, on average:
1 2 3 4 hours each week/every other week/per month (circle one)

4. Better Listening
Exercise to help mentee focus on being a good listener and conversation participant when meeting with a
mentor.
Think of someone you know who doesn’t seem to listen to you. What does this person do to let you know h/she isn’t listening?
2 How do you feel when talking to this person?
3 Think of a person who listens to you well. What do they do?
4 How do you feel when talking to this person?
5 Think of a time when you didn’t listen effectively. What happened?
6 Think of a time when you did listen effectively. What happened?
What do you need?
Needs Assessment Questionnaire for Beginning Teachers
Becoming an effective teacher is a life-long process. At different points in our careers we will have some needs that are more
critical than others. This form is to be used by the mentee and discussed with the mentor for purposes of identifying
differentiated professional learning opportunities that would most benefit the mentee.
Part A: Please choose the response for each item that most closely indicates your level of need for assistance in the area
described.
Possible Responses: A. Little or no need for assistance in this area
B. Some need for assistance in this area
C. High need for assistance in this area
1. _____ Finding out what is expected of me as a teacher
2. _____ Communicating with the principal
3. _____ Communicating with other teachers
4. _____ Communicating with parents
5. _____ Organizing and managing my classroom
6. _____ Maintaining student discipline
7. _____ Obtaining instructional resources and materials
8. _____ Planning for instruction
9. _____ Managing my time and work
10. _____ Diagnosing student needs
11. _____ Evaluating student progress
12. _____ Motivating students
13. _____ Assisting students with special needs
14. _____ Dealing with individual differences among students
15. _____ Understanding the curriculum
16. _____ Completing administrative paperwork
17. _____ Using a variety of teaching methods
18. _____ Facilitating group discussions
19. _____ Grouping for effective instruction
20. _____ Administering standardized achievement tests
21. _____ Understanding the teacher evaluation process
22. _____ Understanding my legal rights and responsibilities
23. _____ Dealing with stress
Part B: List any professional needs you have that are not addressed
by the preceding items.
Adapted from How to Help Beginning Teachers Succeed (Gordon and Maxey 2000)

5. First Meeting Checklist
Example:
Use this checklist to plan initial meetings with your mentors in light of what you hope to achieve over
the long term.
___ Arrange your first meeting with a prospective mentor.
___ Explain your goals for meetings and ask how confidentiality should be handled.
___ Discuss with your mentor what you both perceive as the boundaries of the mentoring relationship.
___ Review the current experience and qualifications. Record these on a mentoring action
plan worksheet.
___ Discuss and record your immediate and long-term goals. Explore useful professional development
experiences in view of these goals. Discuss options and target dates.
___ Discuss and record any issues that may affect the mentoring relationship such as time, financial
constraints, lack of confidence, or newness to the role, etc.
___ Arrange a meeting schedule with your mentor (try to meet at least once a quarter). Record topics
discussed and feedback given at each meeting. Request that meeting records be kept confidential.
___ Discuss with your mentor the following activities that can form part of your mentoring relationship:
■ Getting advice on strategies for improving skill development.
■ Organizing observation(s) of your networking skills with constructive feedback.
■ Organizing a session of work shadowing of a fellow professional.
■ Getting advice on issues or concerns with colleagues or clients.
■ Receiving feedback from other sources
___ Create a mentoring action plan that reflects different professional development needs at different
stages of your career.
___ Encourage your mentor to reflect regularly with you on your goals, achievements, and areas for
improvement. Consider compose a brief reflection essay (e.g., 1/2 page) prior to each meeting.
___ Amend your mentoring action plan as needed by focusing on your developing needs.
Adapted from:
___ Discuss with your mentor what you both perceive as the boundaries of the mentoring relationship.
___ Review the current experience and qualifications. Record these on a mentoring action
plan worksheet.
___ Discuss and record your immediate and long-term goals. Explore useful professional development
experiences in view of these goals. Discuss options and target dates.
___ Discuss and record any issues that may affect the mentoring relationship such as time, financial
constraints, lack of confidence, or newness to the role, etc.
___ Arrange a meeting schedule with your mentor (try to meet at least once a quarter). Record topics
discussed and feedback given at each meeting. Request that meeting records be kept confidential.
___ Discuss with your mentor the following activities that can form part of your mentoring relationship:
■ Getting advice on strategies for improving skill development.
■ Organizing observation(s) of your networking skills with constructive feedback.
■ Organizing a session of work shadowing of a fellow professional.
■ Getting advice on issues or concerns with colleagues or clients.
■ Receiving feedback from other sources
___ Create a mentoring action plan that reflects different professional development needs at different
stages of your career.
___ Encourage your mentor to reflect regularly with you on your goals, achievements
___ Amend your mentoring action plan as needed by focusing on your developing needs.
Adapted from: Mentoring towards excellence: Section 4: Handbook and guidelines for mentors and mentees. Association of
Colleges and the Further Education National Training Organization, Learning and Skills Council: Coventry, England.

6. Mentee’s Strategies for an Effective Mentoring Conversation
Activities Mentor’s Job Mentee’s Job
Come prepared Learn whatever you can about
your mentee before your initial
meeting.
Learn whatever you can about
your mentor before your initial
meeting.
Talk about the big picture Recount your own mentoring
experiences to your mentee.
Explain what worked and what
didn’t.
Listen and ask questions.
Discuss the mentee’s needs Ask questions and listen. Explain where you are and
where you would like to
be…and how mentoring might
help.
Seek mutual agreement on
goals and expectations
Explain what you can and what
you cannot do.
“This is what I hope to achieve
through this mentoring
relationship.”
Seek agreement on
responsibilities
“I will do______.” “And I agree to do_____.”
Set a timetable “Let’s work on this for one
month. Then we’ll review
progress and determine if we
should continue.”
Same
Agree on meeting times and
who will set them
Provide days and times that
work for the mentee.
“I will take responsibility for
finding dates and times that
also fit into your schedule.”
Insist on confidentiality “Nothing we discuss will go
outside this room unless we
both agree otherwise.”
Same
Agree to be candid “If this relationship isn’t
producing the results you
expect, or if you disagree with
my advice, say so. Neither of
us has time to waste.”
“I will tell you if this
relationship isn’t working for
me. I won’t waste your time.”
Source: (Coaching and Mentoring , 2004)