Mentoring strategy: Observation

Mentors engage in observation of mentees for the purpose of providing feedback and stimulating reflection on how they are working towards their goals. These observations should be approached as shared learning experiences and aimed at enhancing the mentee’s self-belief in their competency and ultimate efficacy as a teacher[1].

Observations are planned and used to evaluate the impact of the mentee’s teaching practice on children’s learning[2], and to facilitate the mentee’s own understanding of their teaching, rather than any external purpose. After the observation, it is important to offer some immediate, positive, and brief feedback in relation to the predetermined focus for the observation[3], so that the mentee is not left wondering how it went and what the general tone of their feedback will be. The major points of learning can then be drawn out through a more sustained reflective discussion when there is time to do so. This discussion will invite the contributions and perspective of both mentor and mentee. The aim is for the mentor to use careful questioning to guide the mentee to identify for themselves principal points of learning in relation to their existing successes and possibilities for improvement[4].

Important considerations for the use of observation in a mentoring relationship relate to the use of the observation as a source of data about teaching and learning, and its use for exploring perspectives, rather than determining the quality of practice.

The observation as data

Observation of a mentee by a mentor is a form of data about practice. When drawing interpretations from the data you have collected, it is important to be cognisant of the quality of the data you are using, its strengths (what it can reliably tell you), and its limitations (which may lead to inaccurate understandings). What has been observed might be complemented with the use of data already collected (such as assessment data), which may more completely and reliably answer the questions you have about teaching and learning. Using data from an observation can often prompt the further collection of data, to clarify understandings or more deeply explore possibilities[5].

When interpreting the meaning of the various data collected about your mentee’s teaching, both mentor and mentee will bring existing theories and assumptions to bear on the data. This may give rise to different perspectives about what the data tells you. This is very valuable, because it can help you to be more critical in your understandings. It is always good practice to try to extend the number of theories and interpretations you can form of the data, as it is all too easy to find information that confirms your initial ideas and look no further. Often unexamined assumptions can get in the way of possibilities for learning and development[6].

Exploring perspectives

The co-construction of new knowledge through a mentoring relationship involves each person examining their core values and beliefs, and their previous ways of knowing[7]. To explore different perspectives on what has been observed, mentors can start by sharing their own interpretation (‘this is what I see’) and request the mentee to share theirs too (‘is this what you see too?’)[8]. Exchanging perspectives can be a regular practice and will benefit learning with a more rounded analysis and a broader set of understandings and options for action[9].

Exchanging perspectives can help mentees to reframe the meaning of an event or experience, and understand that the same situation can be seen in different ways. This is useful particularly when a mentee has got stuck in a particular way of perceiving a situation which is detrimental rather than productive for their learning[10]. Mentors might try to spot, clarify, and then reframe assumptions for the mentee[11]. Both understanding of the content of an experience and understanding of the context of an experience can be reframed.

• Reframing content involves changing the meaning given to an experience. For example, your mentee may have inferred that a difficult art experience with children means that they are ‘useless’ at teaching art.
• Reframing context can be useful when mentees have made negative evaluations of their skills in an area (for example, being too detailed and not attending to clues in the children’s behaviour) that, while problematic for this context, may be strengths in another context.

Sometimes the mentor may recognise problems of practice or areas for improvement that the mentee is yet to identify. Mentors need to build skills in finding ‘entry points’ for discussion of these aspects[12].

Endnotes

---

[1] Mcllatton-Cardow, A. (2022). Collaborative professional learning through observing practice. In Eady, S., Essex, J., Livingston, K., & McColl, M. (Eds.) Mentoring teachers in Scotland: A practical guide (pp. 130-145). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429356957-13

[2] McCosh, T. A., & Clarke, L. R. (2025). Mentoring in Aotearoa New Zealand early childhood education. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 50(1) 37–49.

[3] Mcllatton-Cardow (2022)

[4] Mcllatton-Cardow (2022)

[5] Earl, L. M., & Timperley, H. (2008). Professional learning conversations: Challenges in using evidence for improvement. Springer.

[6] Zachary, L. J. (2012). The mentor’s guide: Facilitating effective learning relationships. Jossey-Bass.

[7] Robertson, J. (2009). Coaching leadership learning through partnership, School Leadership and Management, 29 (1), 39-49. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632430802646388

[8] Backlander, G. (2019). Doing complexity leadership theory: How agile coaches at Spotify practise enabling leadership. Creativity and Innovation Management, 28, 42–60.

[9] McGuire, W., & Essex, J. (2022). Supporting sustained teacher development through reflection.  In Eady, S., Essex, J., Livingston, K., & McColl, M. (Eds.) Mentoring teachers in Scotland: A practical guide (pp. 72-84). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429356957-11

[10] University of Auckland (2014). A guide to mentoring. Author.

[11] UoA (2014).

[12] Carroll-Lind, J., Smorti, S., Ord, K., & Robinson, L. (2016). Building pedagogical leadership knowledge in early childhood education. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 41 (4), 28-35.