Marion: One issue we might want to talk about is that of space. As you know, I have some territorial issues. I need to remember that everyone does. Everyone has a desire for his or her own space.

Richard: The issue of space is important. As a student teacher, I was very mindful of the fact that I was going into a new space (the classroom) that you were sharing with me. So, I waited for you to put me at ease either with words or actions. I felt welcomed, not so much by what you said as by what you did—for example, clearing off a bit of space for me on your desk.

Marion: I could not agree with you more about the space issue. The problem for me was being conscious of it. I hadn’t really thought about trying to make space for you. You helped me by sitting in a chair on the other side of my desk. Gradually, I realized that you needed a work space. My rather large desk was an obvious choice. Now, I set up a table on the other side of my desk for the student teacher.

Richard: It is difficult to feel comfortable when one feels like an interloper. Many of my fellow student teachers mentioned feeling caught in a power dynamic when it came to doing something new for students or posting things on the bulletin boards.

Marion: The power issue, which is related to the space issue, fascinates me. I think I do a fairly good job of handing over or sharing power with a student teacher, but the student teacher’s approach matters. You offered a new perspective, another teaching dimension even during the first semester when you were primarily observing. You noticed what students were doing while I was teaching and told me about them, which broadened my perspective in the classroom.

You also asked nonthreatening questions, but still nudged me to think about my own practice: “What do you do if . . .” or “What do you do when . . ..” I had to think about what, in fact, I do. The sense of camaraderie we developed through your observations, comments, and questions encouraged a smooth transition in sharing classes and authority. I think that, if student and mentor teachers develop a relationship prior to actually “turning over the keys,” the transition is more likely to be painless. If the two can cultivate a sense of collegiality, the process becomes a team effort.

Richard: To establish collegiality, certain conversations should take place early in the relationship. For example, both mentor and mentee should make clear what they expect from one another and be explicit about their boundaries. Often, student teachers spend too much time dwelling on whether they are doing what is expected, when they simply can talk about it with their mentors and get back to their lesson plans.

Another topic of conversation concerns feedback. Student teacher and mentor should work out how and when feedback will be provided. Will it be delivered in casual conversations, after school, or in writing, and how often?

Both teachers should expect these discussions to be ongoing and decisions revisited to fit changing needs. It’s important to adjust styles as the relationship is refined and redefined.

Marion: Feedback is critical for both teachers, but is a very delicate thing. Deciding early in the relationship on a particular time and day for reflecting and giving feedback goes a long way in setting up a positive atmosphere for receiving the feedback. If the mentee prefers more immediate feedback after teaching a lesson, the mentee not only should ask for it, but let the mentor teacher know prior to the lesson. That way, the mentor can take notes and offer specific feedback.

Mentors and mentees also will want to decide the amount and frequency of feedback needed. Perhaps in the beginning, feedback should be given more often. The most helpful feedback is that which focuses on previously identified areas: lesson design; sensitivity to gender, race, and disabilities; discussion and questioning techniques; time management; or classroom management.

About the Authors
Richard Mora is a Ph.D. candidate in the Sociology and Social Policy program at Harvard University. He received a Master of Arts in Education with Certification from the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

Marion Evashevski has taught for 30 years, the last 18 at Community High School in Ann Arbor. For more than 10 years, she has served as a mentor teacher for the Master of Arts with Certification Program at the School of Education, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

Adapted from the Record Online Extra article “An Open and Honest Conversation about the Mentor-Mentee Relationship,” available at www.kdp.org/pdf/publications/Mora.pdf.

© 2006 Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education