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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Do you get no choice in mentoring a trainee teacher?

28 replies

heatwaveandblizzard · 04/02/2022 21:17

I am doing a PGCE at the moment, is it correct that mentors don't get a choice in having to mentor a student? What do staff feel when finding out they are a mentor? I feel a bit sorry if the teacher is having to do extra work for no extra money by mentoring a student.

OP posts:

Smileyaxolotl1 · 04/02/2022 21:21

They normally get a choice. In some schools it’s automatically the HOD so they wouldn’t exactly get a choice as it would be part of their job. But for other staff they are normally asked.
It wouldn’t be beneficial to have a mentor who didn’t want to do it.

UpDownRound · 04/02/2022 21:23

In primary, no not often a choice in my experience and yes it can be a lot of extra work. It's beneficial having an extra adult in the classroom though.

Pinkflipflop85 · 04/02/2022 21:24

I don't mind being a mentor.

It is all the other shit I have to do without extra pay that bothers me more.

OrangeBlossom28 · 04/02/2022 21:32

I'm a primary teacher and have a PGCE student after half term. I am pleased about it. Yes it is extra work especially you get a trainee who isn't that good however it's a privilege to mentor a trainee.
Ultimately though you don't really get a choice.

TheViewFromTheCheapSeats · 04/02/2022 21:33

In my experience sort of asked, but pre-arranged already.

I never really minded mentoring though. (Apart from one horrifically rude girl.) If someone is reasonably willing to listen and take things onboard it’s quite fulfilling, seeing them succeed and move on.

Toddlerteaplease · 04/02/2022 21:35

@Pinkflipflop85

I don't mind being a mentor.

It is all the other shit I have to do without extra pay that bothers me more.

Same with mentoring student nurses! The paperwork is terrible. After two shifts my student has gone off with anxiety and says she felt unsupported. Arghh! I can't manage the ward and all the patients, 7 admissions and manage her anxiety as well!

Imsittinginthekitchensink · 04/02/2022 21:36

I was always asked in a sort of polite-yet-done-deal kind of way. Mostly I enjoyed it, although I had one shocking one the uni refused to allow me to fail, even though I would not have left her in charge of my cat, let alone my class.

Wanttosleepproperlyplease · 04/02/2022 21:38

Depends what placement you are a mentor for. If you have a final placement student they have to do a lot of the planning/marking/generally being the teacher . First placement students have a lot more “tasks” more paperwork and need more help

Pumperthepumper · 04/02/2022 21:43

It depends on the school really. If you’ve got a student in the best thing to do is put them to task. Give them loads of time to plan their teaching responsibilities by giving them an idea of what you’d like them to do and let them crack on. I’ve had some great students but it’s rubbish for everyone if they’re just following around after you.

NurseButtercup · 04/02/2022 21:45

You don't have to manage her anxiety, but you do have an obligation to signpost her to the appropriate service for support which, will in turn support her with self-care techniques how to manage her anxiety.

DontKeepTheFaith · 04/02/2022 21:52

It’s just part and parcel of the job if it’s similar to nursing.

I don’t get any choice about my role as a nursing student mentor. Paperwork is a lot but it can be helpful if they are a good motivated 2nd or 3rd year student because they can do some of your work for you.

Sleepyteach · 04/02/2022 21:58

I have been asked to mentor, and I’ve also had students who were mentored by other staff teaching my lessons who were just allocated, obviously that’s not as much work as mentoring but they still needed support and feedback from me. TBH it’s one of my favourite parts of my job, to the point where I’m now pursuing a qualification in teacher development. I had a a shit time as a trainee so I strive to be the mentor I wanted because it made the first five years of my career really bloody difficult.

JimmyGrimble · 04/02/2022 22:02

I have always been asked. It’s mostly a pleasure to see people at the beginning of their career getting more confident and developing their skills. My latest one left today, 20 years old, confident and hardworking and raring to go. I have failed one before because they lied to me repeatedly, was a lazy arse and didn’t appear to like children.

DolphinFC · 04/02/2022 22:02

Extra work for no extra money is so common on teaching that nobody questions it.

Try asking a builder.

Pumperthepumper · 04/02/2022 22:03

@DolphinFC

Extra work for no extra money is so common on teaching that nobody questions it.

Try asking a builder.

It’s not extra work if you get a good one though, it’s an extra pair of hands.

DolphinFC · 04/02/2022 22:07

If...

DolphinFC · 04/02/2022 22:08

Also I was making more of comment about teaching in general.

EmoIsntDead · 04/02/2022 22:08

I volunteer, it's a bit extra work but it's nice to see the profession through a fresh set of eyes. A good student can really shake things up and bring new ideas to the table.

mnahmnah · 04/02/2022 22:09

I’ve mentored for 20 years. I am still asked each year if I am prepared to take a trainee and which placement or both. I can’t imagine just being told I have one!

Toddlerteaplease · 04/02/2022 22:15

@NurseButtercup she emailed me today saying that she wants more support, she already had outside support in place. Part of me wants to say that this is how it can be and you need to be able to hack it. But obviously I can't do that!

Pumperthepumper · 04/02/2022 22:16

@DolphinFC

If...

But it is what you make it. Set clear expectations, be approachable, be flexible. Of all the problems in teaching, mentoring would-be teachers is very low on the list.

Toddlerteaplease · 04/02/2022 22:17

Mentoring in nursing is non negotiable. You know you will have to do it right from being a student yourself. Its in your contract usually as well. I'm amazed that teachers get a choice of being a mentor or not!

YouWereGr8InLittleMenstruators · 04/02/2022 22:33

I find that the paperwork involved with having a student can be incredibly time consuming. It is so important that the student does their part of target setting and evaluations on time, otherwise admin can build up and get totally out of hand.
I always used to say yes to mentoring out of a sense of duty toward the profession, but I've said no recently as it has just been too much. A poor student, or a student who doesn't quite want to put the hours in (but to be fair, the hours are brutal) can make a mentor's life really hard.

Nittersing · 04/02/2022 22:42

I'm in Australia, here it's a choice and we get paid a small bonus for having a student. The time commitment is quite big and some students are very hard work. The bonus does not reflect the time I put in but I do enjoy having the ( good) students and my class generally like having them while the are with us.

Sharingplatter · 04/02/2022 22:48

I enjoy being a mentor to PGCE students. It brings me pleasure to see them develop from a nervous student into a competent, confident teacher. Yes there is a lot of work involved but it’s just another part of the job. I usually get asked if I’m happy to take a student on rather than it being forced on me.

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