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Mentoring program aims to improve the quality of learning and to meet the expectations of the pupils, administrators, and parents in an education program. First, the mentor must understand the strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats which the mentee has when establishing the objectives of the coaching. According to the Child Education Center Official Website, the daycare is an innovative, nationally-accredited early care and education organization with a pioneering focus on progressive education and outdoor learning (par. 1). On 18 November 2020, I monitored a preschooler named Thea Baker from 10:00 am to 10:30 am.
The objective of this paper is to describe the observation and analysis so that the knowledge gained can be used in asking relevant questions during the first mentorship meeting.
Observation
The monitoring of the preschool pupil was done in an enclosed setup. The class had a total of 11 children spaced at least two meters apart. During the class, the educator ensured that all the toddlers had their masks. In addition, the toys, seats, tables, and other surfaces were thoroughly sanitized to lower the risk of Covid-19 transmission. The pupils were allowed to explore their talents by selecting the arts and crafts tools or toys that they needed to use. With just eleven toddlers, the teacher had an opportunity to go round while observing and encouraging the learners in what they were doing. At other times, he responded to their individual questions and cautioned them against leaving their areas to play close to each other.
I was keen to observe the interaction that the teacher had with Thea. The girl was concentrating on her beadwork, which she enjoys. The task helped in improving hand and coordination and attention, but she stopped after some minutes. She then started looking at her familys photo, which the educator had requested from her mother and pinned on the wall. The images of her parents and siblings triggered her mind to start tracing her name. The teacher helped her with a simple family tree and asked that she ask her guardians to help her trace all her names.
Thea is a disciplined girl with a great sense of purpose, even at her tender age. Upon deciding that she would complete her task at home, the teacher allowed the children to play together for ten minutes. However, due to the Covid-19 restrictions, dancing to some nursery melodies was selected as the most appropriate form of play. The teacher asked, Which song would you like to play? Thea raised her hand and suggested, We want the finger family, and the rest of the children shouted in agreement. Thea enjoyed swinging her body rhythmically to the tunes and exchanging jokes with other students.
Analysis of my Observation
The educator is flexible and organized in his approach to engaging all the pupils in a meaningful way. Within the thirty-minute observation period, the teacher divided the time for individual work and group play to enable the children to develop independence and appreciate each other. The instructor was able to attend to the needs of all students, even though some were engaged in tasks that were different from that of Thea. In her Youtube video, Ernie shows that when dealing with preschoolers, having a small group to enhance oral skills is important. It was also apparent that the teacher adhered to all the school rules and protocols to enhance the safety of children. This is evident in the distances, keeping a maximum of eleven children, sanitizing the class, and wearing masks. Another attribute that was portrayed is being energetic. During the dance session, the instructor joined the pupils and started playing and singing along with them. However, the educator demonstrated impatience when Thea was trying to trace her name and decided that she would complete the task at home.
Plan for Imaginary Meeting
Establishing rapport is significant when meeting a mentee for the first time as it creates an environment of trust and freedom. When meeting with the teacher formally for the first time, I will ensure that I am well-groomed. After exchanging greetings and a formal introduction, I will also allow the person to describe himself. In addition, I will use humor whenever I find an opportunity during this first session.
Following the introduction, I will clearly state the objective of the adult mentorship and ask the teacher to state his expectations, which I will write down. Next, I will give the consent form so that he can sign an agreement that he is ready and willing to be mentored. To establish trust at this stage, I will assure the teacher of confidentiality. Everything that he shares during the mentorship program will remain a secret unless the secrets have the potential to cause harm to himself or others. Attentive listening is another approach that I will use to enhance trust. Instead of assuming that I am the expert, I will always be ready to learn and expect to be amazed.
From my observation, there are three questions that I would love to ask the teacher. The first is whether the children can follow the Covid-19 protection guidelines at all times, or there are challenges that he experiences trying to ensure that they are in order. The second inquiry will concern Thea, whom I observed when she was beading. My query will be if there is an expert to nurture her talents besides him. I will also ask if parents or other visitors are allowed to come to the daycare any time or there are restrictions. After he responds to this question, I will spend a few minutes complimenting him on the strengths that I observed. I will also thank him for honoring the invitation to be mentored and ask him to give a compliment or complain about the first meeting. Finally, we will agree on the next time to continue then say thank you before ending the meeting.
Reflection
While practicing this mentoring meeting, I noticed that I would have a challenge setting reasonable objectives. To achieve a goal, the active participation of the mentee is essential, yet, he was concerned that he always has a tight schedule. The other issue is that he was uneasy thinking that it is an evaluation, which means that building trust may take longer. Gardiner and Weisling also found that mentors struggle to navigate multiple complex relationships with administrators, teachers, and students (340). Being an effective and non-biased observer requires the ability to remain neutral. However, having worked with preschool children before, I think that I may be pontificate. I will try to remain open, knowing that we both have something to learn from each other.
There are many things that I learned which will impact my life as a mentor. First, it is important to maintain professionalism and establish boundaries early in the relationship (Rhodes 74). This ensures that there are mutual respect and understanding with the mentee. I realized that some of my personal beliefs might be considered offensive. Therefore, I must learn to be open and listen to the perspective of others. Finally, it is always important to decide on interesting topics in advance. This enhances objectivity and proper utilization of time during the meeting.
Works Cited
Child Educational Center Official Website. Fulfilling the Promise of Childhood. Child Educational Center, 2020, Web.
Ernie. Small Group Oral Language Sample for Early Childhood Education. YouTube, 2010, Web.
Gardiner, Wendy, and Nina Weisling. Challenges and Complexities of Developing Mentors Practice: Insights from New Mentors. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, vol. 7, no. 4, 2018, pp. 329-342.
Rhodes, Jean. Older and Wiser. Harvard University Press, 2020.
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