Benefits of pupils mentoring Benefits of pupils mentoring student teachersstudent teachers

Key issue addressed by the studyKey issue addressed by the study

The study looked at a school-university project The study looked at a school-university project where pupils acted as mentors for student where pupils acted as mentors for student teachersteachers

Trainee teachers and pupils gained greater Trainee teachers and pupils gained greater understanding of each others’ perspectivesunderstanding of each others’ perspectives

Outcomes for KS4 pupils mentoring Outcomes for KS4 pupils mentoring student teachersstudent teachers The pupils:The pupils:

– became more supportive in the classroombecame more supportive in the classroom– developed an understanding of teachers’ actions and the developed an understanding of teachers’ actions and the

reasons behind themreasons behind them– gained insight into the ‘behind the scenes’ work of the teachergained insight into the ‘behind the scenes’ work of the teacher– reflected on their own and their classmates ‘ attitudes and reflected on their own and their classmates ‘ attitudes and

behaviourbehaviour

Insights pupils gained about teaching Insights pupils gained about teaching through mentoringthrough mentoring

It’s hard because everything is new It’s hard because everything is new and different; learning all the names and different; learning all the names at once, all about the abilities of the at once, all about the abilities of the pupils, and it’s easy to get lost in the pupils, and it’s easy to get lost in the school at first. How much goes into school at first. How much goes into planning and the thought that planning and the thought that actually goes into lessonactually goes into lesson

Pupils can be very rude and can Pupils can be very rude and can give teachers a hard time but give teachers a hard time but teachers think a lot about their teachers think a lot about their pupils (…) they want to gain respect pupils (…) they want to gain respect but not be too fierce or too friendlybut not be too fierce or too friendly

Skills pupils gained through being a Skills pupils gained through being a mentormentor

Student teachers felt pupils became more:Student teachers felt pupils became more:– reliablereliable– approachableapproachable– skilled in active listeningskilled in active listening

Benefits for student teachersBenefits for student teachers Student teachers:Student teachers:

– saw what school and teachers looked like from the saw what school and teachers looked like from the pupils’ perspectivepupils’ perspective

– became more aware of pupils’ learning needsbecame more aware of pupils’ learning needs– became more committed to collaborating with became more committed to collaborating with

pupils and solving problems togetherpupils and solving problems together– found the balance between openness and authorityfound the balance between openness and authority

Common subjects for discussion Common subjects for discussion between student teachers included:between student teachers included: class managementclass management discipline mattersdiscipline matters the role of the form tutorthe role of the form tutor assessmentassessment teacher-pupil relationshipsteacher-pupil relationships

what makes a good teacherwhat makes a good teacher homeworkhomework bullying, sexism and racism bullying, sexism and racism

in schoolin school

Developing pupil mentorsDeveloping pupil mentors

Pupil mentors and student teachers attended a half-day Pupil mentors and student teachers attended a half-day session at Nottingham University at the start of the projectsession at Nottingham University at the start of the project

Two Year 10 pupil mentors worked with each student Two Year 10 pupil mentors worked with each student teacher throughout the 13-week teaching practiceteacher throughout the 13-week teaching practice

Who were the pupils in the study?Who were the pupils in the study?

189 Year 10 pupil mentors supported 91 student 189 Year 10 pupil mentors supported 91 student teachers over six yearsteachers over six years

How was the information gathered?How was the information gathered?

The researchers analysed teachers’ and pupils’ The researchers analysed teachers’ and pupils’ questionnaire and interview responses to assess questionnaire and interview responses to assess the impact of the programmethe impact of the programme

How might teachers use this evidence?How might teachers use this evidence?

Pupils and student teachers discussed a wide range of topics around school Pupils and student teachers discussed a wide range of topics around school improvement, such as discipline and both gained valuable insightsimprovement, such as discipline and both gained valuable insights

What opportunities are there for you to create a similar forum for open What opportunities are there for you to create a similar forum for open discussion?discussion?

You could, for example, involve pupils more in departmental review meetings, or You could, for example, involve pupils more in departmental review meetings, or set up mentoring arrangements similar to those in the studyset up mentoring arrangements similar to those in the study

How can school leaders use this How can school leaders use this evidence?evidence?

The mentoring project was carried out between an initial teacher training The mentoring project was carried out between an initial teacher training provider and schoolsprovider and schools

If you re a training school, would it be valuable setting up a similar If you re a training school, would it be valuable setting up a similar scheme for your student teachers?scheme for your student teachers?

You could start with a small scale pilotYou could start with a small scale pilot

Follow-up readingFollow-up reading Study reference: Youens, B. and Hall, C. (2006)Study reference: Youens, B. and Hall, C. (2006)

Incorporating pupil perspectives in initial teacher Incorporating pupil perspectives in initial teacher education – lessons from the Pupil Mentoring Projecteducation – lessons from the Pupil Mentoring Project in in Teacher Development, Teacher Development, Vol.10, No.2, July 2006, pp. 197 – Vol.10, No.2, July 2006, pp. 197 – 206206

You might like to read a longer summary of pupil voice, You might like to read a longer summary of pupil voice, with related teacher case study examples, on the with related teacher case study examples, on the Research of the Month website:Research of the Month website:

http://www.gtce.org.uk/PolicyAndResearch/research/ROMtopics/pupilvoice/

FeedbackFeedback

Did you find this useful?Did you find this useful? What did you like?What did you like? What didn’t you like?What didn’t you like?

Any feedback on this Research BiteAny feedback on this Research Bite

would be much appreciated. Please emailwould be much appreciated. Please email

your feedback to:your feedback to:

research.summaries@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk