Mentoring in Teaching

Frequent and high-quality interactions with faculty in and outside of the classroom have a positive impact on student learning (McKinsey, 2013)

McKinsey’s (2013) three types of mentoring based on students’ stages of progress in their college experience:

1. Mentoring in: helping newcomers get oriented and “learn the ropes”

2. Mentoring through: helping students acquire and apply more advanced skills, gain confidence, and begin to achieve autonomy in their work

3. Mentoring onward: looking ahead to life after college, considering alternatives for jobs, careers, graduate school

These best mentorship practices are built mostly on Cramer & Prentice-Dunn (2007) Caring for the Whole Person: Guidelines for Advancing Undergraduate Mentorship. No one person may be able to intensely use every practice.

Be available - Set clear office hours and encourage students to attend. Build in a required office hour visit for individuals or pairs of students.
Be knowledgeable - Know the different issues students may face in the classroom/college and what resources are available to them.
Be educated about diversity and inclusion - Be aware of the barriers that students may face as a result of their identities and experiences.
Be empathetic - Practice active listening and communicate understanding.
Be personable - Show that you are human in class, use humor, let your personality come through in your teaching.
Be encouraging - Support students throughout your class and reach out to those struggling.
Be helpful - Provide students with early, regular, and meaningful feedback about course assignments.
Be passionate - Show your students enthusiasm about your discipline and spark interest and curiosity in their learning.
Be strategic - Build your course and syllabus in a way that lets mentorship be easy
Be invested - Announce opportunities for professional development, growth, or other learning that go beyond your classroom.
Celebrate the student - Celebrate your students accomplishments, even if it is about something from outside of your class.

This additional resource has a self-assessment: Nature’s Guide for Mentors — What makes a good mentor?