Unhelpful school mentor?

I think a number of schools wind down a bit in July. I would have thought this might have been better.

bubbles
I would imagine because they've got someone starring training in September who doesn't have enough school experience so need a a bit more and the run up to exams in the spring term is even busier than the summer term.

There's almost always something going on past October half term. Unfortunately, going and doing work experience in a busy environment has those challenges.

One wonders why the school suggested this particular time to come into the school? Sounds like a big mistake! For all concerned.

OP, I think you need to make your peace with your mentor. Take in some cakes or nice coffee on your next visit. I'm sure that even if she doesn't appreciate them, other people in the department will. Make a list of your questions e.g. key texts, the school day, how the coffee rota works and email them in beforehand. Then your mentor can reply when it suits them. Make copious notes, especially if you find out your own answers, or if more questions crop up. At least the mentor will think that they only need to explain something once.

It's decades now since I trained and I did the PGCE. I was sent to an essentially one woman department for my 2nd teaching practice. I didn't like her, and as time went on, I didn't respect her either. She didn't really know the subject (A level students asked me about something she had taught in choir, which was completely wrong). I moaned to my tutor and his advice was head down, keep going. My course also insisted on me doing a 2nd subject. The Maths department in that school was just brilliant. There were 6 or 7 different people in there and always someone to chat to or help. Inevitably, I felt more valued there and chose to spend some of my free time working with bottom set year 11. If something came up I wasn't sure about, I was never made to feel stupid by asking an experienced teacher to help me - their line was that it was more stupid not to ask and it wasn't my main subject. The report I received from them was brilliant and in stark contrast to my main subject where my strengths as a teacher were 2 words: "string player". I survived, qualified and have worked in both tough and amazing schools.

This part of term is really difficult. I am currently procrastinating from marking year 10 exams. I have 3 school concerts still to sort out plus an overseas tour I'm on (but thankfully not in charge). I have reports to write this week for 126 students. If someone chucked a very raw trainee into the mix now, they would get very short shrift and the trainee would not necessarily see the best of me.

One trainee who I started the PGCE came back from the Oct 1/2 term to be told from now on they would be teaching every lesson on their time table starting that afternoon and that barring the next few days when he could hand in lesson plan just before the lesson started, all lesson plans had to be emailed 48 hours in advance (fair enough) , but any suggested would hopefully be made 24 hours before the lesson there was no guarantee of this he may be told on the day. They hadn’t even done a starter or let alone planned a full lesson! When they said that they felt they weren’t quite ready for this and also had issues ourself of teaching that meant they would need a few days grace before even contemplating the undertaking their mentor said “he didn’t give a fuck and it was t his problem”. The trainee left the course next day, not physics but another shortage subject!

(Former) physics teacher here.

You mention that physics trainees being exploited? I was told by my mentor to 'fuck off and plan it' when I asked for some simple advice planning my first ever lesson. Lessons were over an hour and a half long, so not an unreasonable request as my previous experience had been 35 minute lessons... especially considering this was a gtp and I was not supernumerary - I was a sole teacher from day 1.

Somehow I survived that year (and so did the kids). But I was a babysitter/zookeeper that year. I didn't figure out how to teach until my nqt year...

Some mentors really want to help and learn from the experience. Others have it forced on them. The experience of teacher training is almost entirely dependent on your mentor, which is crazy. It doesn't depend on how good the uni, how hard you work (though these are factors), but your quality of training comes down to your mentor. No wonder such inconsistency has lead to the mad system we have of teacher training and the rate of attrition of teachers at present.

I'm a subject mentor (ans have also previously been the professional mentor) I get no extra time for this added responsibility so I am guilty of not being able to sit down to answer basic questions and may of at times come across as rude given I'm trying to get across the building between lessons so the yr9 group waiting for me don't start a riot!

As a PP pointed out for simple questions like where a particular room is you not only have other staff to ask, you could also ask a passing student. Lunch is another aspect that you will see in September not really a break.

Whilst I understand that the environment may seem rude and unfriendly atm (I am a career changer as well) given schools are a completely different beast, a couple of weeks into your training in September I'm sure this short experience will be understandable

”I do think that even in shortage subject ITT courses do need to make sure they are still being rigorous in how they recruit trainees.”
Thiswe had a couple in our course who were totally unsuitable. I (perhaps much to some people on this thread surprise. ) was considered a strong candidate and I had 3 offers but the ethos required to be a teacher (there’s nothing wrong with it per se) were totally incompatible with mine! The problem is despite researching carefully and having done loads of observation days and even worked in schools in a totally different capacity I wouldn’t have know this unless Is given it ago. ZI realised within days I’d made a mistake for a start I can’t “fake it till you make it” we live and learn.

@LolaSmiles

FWIW I think noble would probably be an excellent mentor! But equally, I have heard of people on my course who've had to deal with genuinely unprofessional/unfair behaviour from their mentors or other members of staff. In shortage subjects especially, I do also think some schools sometimes exploit trainees (I've heard of this happening to a few physics specialists).

I do think the recruitment/retention crisis is relevant- a lot of people I know (including myself) have ended up with really inexperienced mentors, or working with inexperienced class teachers, for example. Some mentors may well be under pressure to support a trainee when they don't really feel able to- I lucked out in that although one of my mentors was a first time mentor, she was really supportive, and I was also able to work with some really experienced teachers on that placement including the head of science who gave me some great support!

I also think that the general lack of funding causes stresses in schools, and these do get passed on to everyone in the department. It's obviously not nice being a trainee in a school where people are stressed out all around you.

I don't know what the solution is- apart from perhaps changes to the way ITT courses and schools are funded! I also think that even in shortage subjects ITT courses do need to make sure they're still being really rigorous in how they recruit trainees.

Schools at this time of year are even more hectic and pressurised than at other times. Everyone I know, across several schools, is saying this year is the worst it's ever been. In addition, none of us know what else is going on in the mentor's life to add to that. That said, there is no need for people to be deliberately rude, but that criticism works both ways.

With regard to the lunches:
The days of sitting in a staff room for almost an hour to eat lunch and chat are, for most people, long gone. As far as criticism of your lunch, the mentor could just be a member of the "food police" that seem to pop up anywhere, or, if you had something that could affect the pupils, like a heavy garlic smell or nuts in a nut-free environment, then the criticism might be justified.

In September, things will be better so don't carry these grudges over. Everyone is rested, you are unlikely to be the only new person, and even most of the other people will have new classes etc. You now know that you need a map of the school, so go and ask at the office for one. Also see if there is a staff handbook and a department handbook that you can read over the summer holidays so you are more aware of how systems work and where to find out what you need to know so you don't have to ask only your mentor.

Jayblue
You make a range of really valid points here.
noble is also making a range of entirely valid points and it doesn't mean they would be awful to work with or they dislike trainees or they are the reason for a recruitment and retention crisis.
Forgetthecareerchange has some good things to be aware of in school direct. And they're probably things to consider with regards to ensuring you're getting the right amount of mentor meetings.

I'm in the final week of my PGCE, so hopefully I can offer a bit of insight.

I think most mentors do the absolute best that they can, when it's one of many priorities they have to deal with and it may well not have been their choice to bring a student into the department. It almost definitely wasn't the mentor's choice to have you in for 4 days this term. I do also think (from what I've heard from others) there are mentors and teachers in school who can be unfair to trainees- just as there are also trainees who take the piss or have unrealistic expectations.

I do think OP, that in September when you start teaching classes, you will realise just how busy lunchtimes can be- it's not really a break for the teachers. Your mentor may have duty, be running a club, be running detentions, be preparing for the afternoon (or catching up on other work/admin), be in a meeting or dealing with all sorts of things that you aren't aware of. Also, you don't know what's happened during her day- there were a few days during the spring term where I chose to eat lunch alone because I just needed a bit of time to decompress on my own, rather than chatting to others.

If you're on schools direct, you'll have to deal with your mentor for the rest of the year, and unlike in a uni run PGCE, there's no real outside body who has a high concern for your welfare. Therefore, I think you have to make your peace with the fact your mentor is just "like that" and find a way to work with it.

There will hopefully be someone friendly in the department or school- maybe someone with a bit more time on their hands, who it may be better to go to with some of your questions. For example, as a science trainee, I had a few very helpful technicians who were my go tos for things like "where do I find this room?" and "how does the printer work?" type questions! There was also a lovely NQT in my department who'd just been through the same uni system as me, and she was great at helping me get my head around some of the uni requirements on the course- (I didn't ask, but she kindly offered).

I do think the mentor/mentee relationship can be quite tricky to get right from both sides- whilst they are there to support you, they're also there to challenge you, and ultimately they are the one who can say that you're not up to scratch and need to be put on "cause for concern" or whatever your ITT program calls it. So I do think whilst it can be a friendly relationship, you aren't usually friends.

I do think the first few days you spend in school are always a bit weird- it does get easier! When you're back in school next year, you may find there are other ITT students in school- making friends and being social with them might also help you feel less isolated too!

Oh but I will tell you that I took a very similar route into teaching, and it is PHENOMENALLY tough. You need a hide like a rhino. Luckily I have one.

No, you haven’t.

Anyway, this is rather pointless. Good luck in September.

No, I am asking you.

I don’t get you, OP. This is derailing but please tell me: what makes you think I try to antagonise people?

Again, if you object every time someone speaks to you directly, you are going to struggle. What I am trying to say - not trolling you - is what others are saying: your expectations of her are unrealistic. Try to be more patient and give people a chance?

No, you asked: unhelpful mentor? I am pointing out that she is probably just busy, not being deliberately unhelpful.

Now I think it might be personal.

followthefairytalexx

Your aggression is weird. You asked the question, so yes, you have been criticised in the answer, and now you don’t want to accept it? Strange brew.