This table summarises what it means to be a really effective mentor teacher. You may find it quite easy to identify with the qualities and motivations listed in the first two columns. However, read the caveats (warnings/cautions) in the third column carefully; remain self-critical. They should give you a reason to pause for deep thought about each.

Quality

Motivation

Caveat

Current Score

Personal commitment to be involved with
another person for an extended time

I like the feeling of having others seek me out for guidance or advice.

Mentor teachers have a genuine desire to be part of other people's lives, to help them with tough decisions and to see them become the best they can be. They have to be invested in the mentoring relationship, over the long haul, to be there long enough to make a difference. 

Respect for individuals and for their abilities and their right to make their own choices in life

I find that helping others grow and learn is personally rewarding. 

Mentor teachers should not approach the mentee with the attitude that their own ways are better or that participants need to be ‘rescued’. Mentors who convey a sense of respect and equal dignity in the relationship win the trust of their mentees and the privilege of being their advisors. 

Ability to listen and to accept different points of view

I find that working with others who are different from me is energizing. 

Mentor teachers often help simply by listening, asking thoughtful questions and giving student teachers an opportunity to explore their own thoughts with a minimum of interference. When people feel accepted, they are more likely to ask for and respond to good ideas. 

Ability to empathize with another person's challenges. 

I enjoy collaborative learning, constructing something that did not exist before in our individual lives. 

Effective mentor teachers can feel with people without feeling sorry for them. Even without having had the same life and work experiences, they can empathize with their student teacher's feelings while bringing a diverse perspective to the situation.

Ability to see solutions and opportunities as well as barriers

I have specific skills and knowledge that I want to pass on to others. 

Effective mentor teachers balance a realistic respect for challenges faced by their student teachers with optimism about finding equally realistic solutions. They are able to make sense of a seeming jumble of issues and point out sensible alternatives. 

Flexibility and openness

I look for opportunities to further my own growth. 

Effective mentor teachers recognize that relationships take time to develop and that communication is a two-way street. They are willing to take time to get to know their student teachers, to learn new things that are important to their student teacher, and even to be changed by their relationship.