Pre-planning
During 2004, Claire and Terry, along with colleague Brian Woods, discussed how best to facilitate the transition between NCEA levels, during their weekly timetabled Beacon Practice meetings. Among the possibilities discussed was the idea of student mentoring.
The school uses mentoring extensively, within its system of tutor groups - vertical groups of 16 students headed by a staff member, who acts as the group's tutor. Within these groups, senior students have some responsibility for junior members in a peer support role.
It was decided to use Year 12 students to mentor Year 11 students and share their knowledge of technology processes and practice, NCEA and the documentation it required. At the same time, another initiative to smooth the transition between Year 10 and Year 11 was launched : a Unit Folio Guide Book which provides a detailed framework for working through a Technology unit, from context to completion.
In part, pre-planning involved deciding on the most effective structure for the mentoring groups. It was decided to assemble Year 11 students into groups of three or four and assign two Year 12 students to each group as mentors. Groups were planned to include somebody who was a fairly strong leader and somebody with a good portfolio. The Year 11s were matched up, where possible, in tutor groups with an eye to increasing the likelihood of long-term and informal mentoring. Boarders at St Margaret's were teamed up wherever possible to facilitate mentoring.
Claire then talked to the Year 12 students about their experiences the previous year, asking questions such as: "What sort of things did you want to know?" and "What were the things that caused the frustrations?" She then put together a prompt sheet to help the Year 12 mentors with their first meeting: Mentoring Meeting Prompts.
