Responsibilities of the Field Placement Mentor

Responsibilities of the Field Placement Mentor

We know from research that reflective practitioners provide better care and education. Effective reflection demands more than identifying what went well. It requires us to hold up our practice against the light of our view of the child and teaching; to engage in “friendly critical” dialogue with ourselves and our colleagues in order to identify other possibilities and provocations, better questions, deeper themes. We can learn from our experience, but if it is not scrutinized, questionable practices may simply become the status quo. We invite Field Placement Mentors to explore not just the “how” but also the “why” with our students. This kind of mentoring and professional dialogue is impetus for growth and makes better teachers of us all.

A Field Placement Mentor plays an exceptionally significant role in the mentoring of a student. While the student is learning to master the demanding and complex process of teaching, no one spends more time with, nor is as close to her or him as the Field Placement Mentor. At a minimum, the Field Placement Mentor will:

1. Support the philosophy of the Early Childhood Education Program verbally as well as modelling the required student learning outcomes.
2. Encourage open communication so that the student is able to freely discuss feelings, concerns/problems related to the Field Placement experience.
3. Raise concerns/problems to the attention of the Site Supervisor and the Field Placement Specialist in a timely manner.
4. Ensure that the student is not left in charge of a group of children while the Field Placement Mentor or other staff are out of the room.
5. Schedule times to meet regularly with the student to discuss progress/performance.
6. Include the student as a responsible member of the staff team.
7. Review the student’s written work prior to the implementation of activities (observations, plans charts, etc.). Field Placement Mentors are to indicate approval of plans by initialling/signing the documents.
8. Participate in all Field Placement meetings facilitated by Mohawk College.
9. Ensure that the student’s right to privacy is maintained.
10. Complete the Learning Outcomes Feedback Form and provide comments to enhance its usefulness as a record of the student’s learning in Field Placement. Following discussion of the midterm and final evaluation with the student, return the form to the student, as they are required to submit it to their Field Placement Specialist. The form will be signed by both the Field Placement Mentor and student, indicating acceptance of the form as valid assessment of their performance.
11. Review the Field Placement Attendance verifying Field Placement days/hours attended by the student.