Suggestions for Best Practice in Mentoring

Staying in touch:

Mentors often expect the student to do all the contacting, and drive the programme, but students are often reluctant to seem too demanding. To avoid this, plan for the next contact or meeting at the end of each communication. While students are responsible for arranging meetings, encouraging e-mails from the mentor can be very helpful.
There will inevitably be times when either the mentor or students has to cancel, but ensure you arrange an alternative date straight away to avoid loss of momentum. Balancing time pressures is a common difficulty so discuss issues openly and renegotiate as required. If there is genuine commitment, there is always a solution.
If you have not been in contact for a while, it can be hard to re-establish the link. However, an e-mail takes only a few seconds and is usually all that is required. For mentors, sending a quick how are you going? e-mail can be the trigger to reconnect. For students, who sometimes feel awkward if they feel responsible for the lack of contact, try sending an e-mail with an update of your progress so far this year. If no response, contact your coordinator.

To quote a mentor students dont know what they dont know. As a mentor, be careful not to make assumptions of the knowledge or experience and be patient with uncertainty.
Students can be unsure of their goals and mentors can effectively assist the student resolve this by using the goal setting exercise.
Mentors and students goals may not immediately coincide and it can be intimidating for a graduate to express their views. Try e-mailing your proposed goals for discussion, and negotiate for some common ground.
The mentors role is to support and facilitate, enabling the students to take responsibility for problem solving and arriving at opinions independently. The mentor gives all the relevant information and alternatives, and shows the big picture rather than offering one solution.