Monthly archives: October 2014

Mentor: Guiding the Journey of Adult Learners. Laurent A. Daloz, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 2012 (second edition)

Since its original publication in 1986, this book has been highly recognized as a definitive work in the field of adult education. It’s publication sparked the renewal of research, interest and inquiry bringing mentorship into practice within modern educational institutions. The writing is founded in development theory, exploring how individuals can work more effectively to improve the quality of another’s educational experience. The book offers insightful vignettes and conversations between teachers and learners, offering mentorship as a shared journey of deepening understanding of self and other.

The Reflective Educator’s Guide to Mentoring: Strengthening Practice through Knowledge, Story and Metaphor. Diane Yendol-Hoppey and Nancy Fitchman Dana

This guide offers a refreshing approach to mentorship practice, offered through the stories of seven effective mentor teachers represented by different metaphors such as “mentor as story-weaver” and “mentor as tailor”.  These vignettes inform through real life examples, providing rich and detailed contexts for working with beginning teachers  rather than describing a list of do and don’t for mentors. The guide is grounded in the principles of reflective practice, constructivist learning and investigating teacher practice through inquiry. The book includes an excellent chapter on what it takes to be an effective mentor and reflecting on your mentoring practice. Each chapter is followed by useful exercises for discussion and exploration. This is an excellent book to use in a mentor’s learning team or book club.

Mentoring Matters: A Practical Guide to Learning-Focused Relationships. Laura Lipton and Bruce Wellman. Mira Via, CT, USA.

This mentoring guide has been used effectively to support mentoring skills and development in many programs throughout British Columbia. It is an excellent resource for introducing and working with the skills of a learning-focused relationship. It has an informative section on defining the mentor’s role through consulting, collaborating, and coaching, and provides in depth scaffolds for development of learning –focused verbal tools to create emotional safety and produce complex thinking. This guide is cognitively focused and articulates the developmental differences between beginning and ‘expert’ teachers.