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Katie's story

I know how important a mentor can be. I had a really great mentor when I did my PGCE, so I wanted to be the sort of mentor that I had: useful, memorable and supportive.

I have learned a lot from being a mentor. It makes you more reflective in your own teaching practice, particularly if you have been working in the field for a long time. Spending time with my mentee has made me question my methods a lot more, for example, processes and practices that I undertake automatically. It makes me think about why this works well and how it could be done differently. Getting a different perspective is always useful.

The support that I have received has been really helpful. My Lead Mentor and I have been having regular monthly virtual meetings. The training was really useful and there was a quick response whenever I had any questions. I have had calls and contact with NITE throughout the programme and my student has always been well-informed and able to take the lead.

I would definitely recommend being a mentor. Although it is big commitment giving up your teaching time to someone else, it is so valuable as a practitioner to take a step back and be more reflective about your role.

Katie Leach - Art teacher and PGCE mentor, Gateway Sixth Form College Leicester, 2021

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