EducatorsAbroad (EA) recognizes the crucial, but too often unacknowledged role that school-based mentors play in the professional development of educators.
To help ensure mentors are recognized for their mentoring abilities and have opportunity through which to further develop their skills, EducatorsAbroad offers two mentoring certificates that recognize mentors for their demonstrated abilities.
Relationship Between the EA Effective and Advanced Mentoring Skills Certificates
Effective
- The EA Effective Mentoring Skills Certificate is provided at no cost to mentors serving EA Practicum, Student Teaching, Teaching Assistant and QTS/ABLE participants at the discretion and professional judgement of the relevant programme supervisor working with the mentor and their mentee(s).
- This EA certificate is available to all other school-based mentors, who fulfill requirements outlined below.
Advanced
The EA Advanced Mentoring Skills Certificate is for school-based educators who seek recognition of their ability to model expert mentoring skills in their work with colleagues.
NOTE: The EA Effective Mentoring Skills Certificate is NOT a prerequisite for admission to the EA Advanced Mentoring Skills Certificate programme but may be used to achieve course and financial credits towards the achievement of the Advanced Certificate. This is negotiable with EA when you submit your application.
Both certificates are based on candidates demonstrating the following expectations of effective mentors.
Effective Mentors
- Assist candidates in developing and demonstrating expectations associated with the professional qualification they seek.
- Assure candidates understand their responsibilities and the value, nature, and purpose of using criterion based professional development processes.
- Guide candidates in locating and effectively using any/all resources through which to develop their abilities.
- Provide a detailed record of each lesson observation (written, audio, and/or video) to the candidate for use in assessing their own performance.
- Share, in line with criteria associated with the qualification, thoughtful questions to stimulate candidate self-reflection; candid judgments and recommendations; and clear, specific targets for improvement.
- Promote improved practice by acting as a critical friend in regular meetings with the candidate.
- Highlight criteria that are being met at the appropriate level for the candidate's experience and those that are not.
- Show how to collect witness statements that offer proof that the candidate demonstrates expectations for the desired qualification.
- Collaborate regularly and effectively with the assigned EducatorsAbroad colleague to assure the candidate progresses efficiently toward their goal and that feedback and assessment are coordinated.
A Version of the EA Mentoring Certificates
I am interested in
EducatorsAbroad Effective Mentoring Skills Certificate
- Mentors who serve EA participants through school-based support.
- Educators in EA partner schools who wish to be acknowledged for their mentoring abilities by fulfilling Certificate requirements.
A certificate of recognition for demonstrating expectations of effective mentors in the professional development of educators.
- Recognize the professional talents and service of effective mentors who serve EA participants and work in EA partner schools.
- Increase awareness of the value and importance of school-based mentoring.
- Improve the effectiveness of mentors in the professional development of educators.
In EA partner and other schools, worldwide.
At any time during the school year.
There is no charge for granting the EA Effective Mentoring Skills Certificate to educators who are mentoring an EA participant.
For educators not serving an EA participant, there is a charge of £50 or USD $65
To achieve the EA Effective Mentoring Skills Certificate, school-based mentors demonstrate the expectations of an effective mentor for an EA colleague who then awards the certificate which is then sent to the recipient.
For non-EA colleagues, please send payment of the fee at the time you submit your completed application, you will be contacted by an EA supervisor who will provide guidance and support through to award of the EA Effective Mentoring Skills Certificate.
EducatorsAbroad Advanced Mentoring Skills Certificate
Experienced mentors who meet the criteria for the Effective Certificate and wish to further develop their mentoring abilities. They will usually:
- Be responsible for the quality of mentoring in their own or other schools and may provide school-based training to groups of mentors or mentees.
- Seek to advance further their techniques for identifying the needs and developing the competence of individual mentees, such as student teachers, newly qualified teachers or teaching assistants, which could be used to help less experienced mentors improve their practice.
Practical case studies that are linked to the mentor's current role and completed with guidance of an assigned EducatorsAbroad supervisor.
For mentors to:
- Extend current good practice and provide a benchmark for raising expectations of other mentors.
- Work with other mentors to improve the teaching (or classroom support) of mentees in schools.
- Develop skills that could be used in other aspects of school development, such as improvement planning.
- Gain the EA Advanced Mentoring Skills Certificate that is awarded to advanced mentors in schools.
Worldwide in the school(s) in which each candidate is working.
At any time during the school year. The process is normally completed within a single school year.
To achieve the EA Advanced Mentoring Skills Certificate, school-based mentors demonstrate the expectations of an expert mentor for an EA colleague who then awards the certificate which is then sent to the recipient.
Upon receipt of a completed application and payment of the fee, candidates are contacted by an EA supervisor who provides guidance and support through to award of the EA Advanced Mentoring Skills Certificate.
