Mentoring teachers and trainers in Vocational Education and Training

I'm privileged to be working at the moment with a team of international researchers on a handbook for practitioners and decision-makers involved in mentoring teachers and trainers in vocational education and training (VET). The handbook will be designed for those who seek to set up and train for new mentoring systems in VET, or to improve current mentoring practice. Definitions of mentoring will be offered (in part to distinguish it from coaching, counseling and other helping services). Other chapters will deal with:

Setting up a mentoring practice in your organisation
Mentoring practice overview (map)
Recruiting mentors. Who should be a mentor – professional profile.
Identifying mentees
Matching mentors and mentees
Referral processes

The stages of mentoring
Building rapport
Setting direction. Planning and conducting the first meeting; planning and agreeing time; confidentiality; boundaries; expectations.
Making progress
Winding up
Moving on – what happens next?

Evaluating progress
Giving and receiving feedback
Measuring progress – formal or informal?
What can go wrong?
Raising causes for concern
Ethics

A Peer Learning event: Mentoring in VET - European perspectives, will be held (venue to be announed) on 21 and 22 October, 2009. If you would like further details, please contact me at D.E.Gray@surrey.ac.uk