Article Details

Article Details

CISS Mentoring Conference 2017

Author: Jude McKerrecher, CISS

On 10 November 2017, Chinese Hanban teachers from across Scotland gathered with their mentor teachers in the Technology and Innovation Centre at the University of Strathclyde. This was the second annual mentor conference and the room was packed with enthusiastic educators from different educational sectors.

The sessions throughout the day were varied and designed in partnership with colleagues to provide an interesting and valuable professional learning experience. Jacqueline Morley from General Teaching Council for Scotland facilitated an excellent session about coaching and mentoring and the importance of modelling excellent learning. Through use of the coaching wheel, reflective questions and discussion, participants were able to share experiences and thoughts with each other about coaching and mentoring in their own contexts.

Gillian Johnstone, from the University of Strathclyde Staff Development Unit, gave participants the opportunity to reflect upon challenges they had encountered in the mentoring process over the past year and asked them to start thinking about how they could begin to address some of these with the support of CISS and each other.

Before lunch, we were treated to some very helpful and thought-provoking presentations from two mentor teachers and their mentees. Joe McEnaney and his mentee, Aizhi, and Ann Mackintosh and her mentee, Lili, from Falkirk and Highland Confucius Hubs respectively, shared their own learning, tips and advice for ensuring an effective and meaningful mentor partnership.

The afternoon session included insightful input from Lesley Whelan and Kathleen Kerrigan of the Scottish College for Educational Leadership about teacher leadership. Both sessions gave participants opportunities to share their concepts of teacher leadership and practical support to aid reflection upon the mentor role and how it interconnects with teacher leadership. There was also a panel discussion where participants could ask questions or share comments with mentor teachers, mentees and some of our speaker facilitators. This stimulated excellent discussion.

The day certainly allowed us valuable opportunities to reflect together and has provided feedback to allow us to move forward together with the mentoring partnership between CISS, Hanban teachers and mentor teachers across Scotland. We were very grateful to all of our speakers who were supportive, engaging and generous with their time and expertise, as well as to all of the fantastic, enthusiastic participants who contributed so helpfully throughout the entire day.

More information on Hanban Teacher mentoring, including presentations from this conference, is available from the CISS website.

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