Assess

Just like with the pupils in our classrooms, it is vital that we are regularly assessing the progress of mentees during their programme.

Mentees can often be unsure of their own progress and how well they are performing in relation to expectations. In some cases, it might not be until the Spring Term that a formal assessment of them is made; in others, no formal assessment will be made at all. This is why regular, more informal assessment conducted by the mentor is so useful for our mentees. It allows them to know what they are doing well and, just as importantly, any areas that they might need to address in order to improve.

Your assessment of the mentee will be carried out in a variety of ways. You will most likely be observing your mentee on a formal basis most weeks if you are involved in ITT, or possibly on a termly basis within a school context. You will also be working alongside them on a daily basis, observing and learning about their professional values, behaviours and outcomes. Your training provider, Appropriate Body or school will have their own assessment criteria which will most likely be tightly linked to the provider’s curriculum and you should ensure you are familiar with this to enable you to focus on the right things, at the right time.

As we have briefly explored, each provider will have their own assessment system. These systems may use formal approaches such as instructional coaching and others. You will receive training on these various approaches and it is important you feel confident and understand what the principles are to support your practice. It is vital that the mentee receives the same support from you that has been outlined within their handbook and that has been outlined by the provider.

As with the pupils in our classes, it is as much about what you do with your assessment as it is the assessment itself. One way of ensuring that your own judgements of your mentee are accurate, is to work alongside colleagues who might observe with, or in addition to, you. This allows you to be confident that your judgement is both fair and accurate and can give you another perspective to reflect upon. Once you have made that judgement, your professional relationship might be tested by having to deliver a difficult message. It is vital that mentees receive honest feedback which allows them to have the opportunity to know where they need to improve and to have the time to meet these targets. Managing these situations can be a challenge and there is more advice around how to deliver a difficult message in the suggested reading. As pointed out above, the key to effective assessment is ensuring that you use it to impact on progress. Once you have delivered your feedback it is vital that support is put in place to allow the mentee to act on your assessment of them and make progress.