The ultimate goal of the Partners In Practice Mentoring Model is to increase the numbers of reflective early childhood practitioners in Canadian early childhood practice. Mentoring is the vehicle that the model uses to accomplish this goal. In the model, mentoring is defined as a relationship that facilitates the development of an early childhood practitioner as she matures as a professional. In the mentoring relationship, the practitioner (protégé) in transition needs to develop expertise, and the mentor has the expertise that the protégé needs. Putting these two individuals together can happen by chance or it can happen intentionally with an infrastructure that supports mentoring. Whether mentoring is incorporated into an existing program component or is a stand alone component, an infrastructure is needed to ensure, support, and encourage the mentoring relationship. Without an infrastructure, the mentor’s and protégé’s coming together in a mentoring pair is a haphazard exercise. For the student protégé, the selection of a field practice supervisor is usually a decision based on location, time or transportation rather than the field supervisor’s compatibility and ability to mentor. For the novice protégé, it may simply depend on where she connects with early childhood colleagues- accessibility to conferences, workshops, journals etc. For the experienced practitioner who wants to develop a particular area of competency, she may or may not find a colleague to mentor her in her growth. The infrastructure is necessary to connect those who wish to share their expertise with those who want or need that expertise. Where the individuals meet other people is the infrastructure.

The Partners In Practice Mentoring Model is a description of the infrastructure that is necessary to support mentoring. It is based on four Guiding Principles that express the values and beliefs inherent in the model ~

These guiding principles are not unique to the Partners In Practice Mentoring Model, they are reflected in many aspects of early childhood practice.

To execute these guiding principles, the Partners In Practice Mentoring Model recognizes the mentoring relationship as its primary component. Tools and strategies that promote reflection, relationship building and low risk dialogue are designed to support the mentoring relationship. A community based development approach that assesses community needs and resources, builds partnerships and recognizes participatory leadership is used to build an infrastructure that supports the mentoring relationship. (Figure 1).

Throughout the Partners In Practice mentoring model the values of honour, respect and modesty are promoted- honouring and respecting early childhood practice and those who provide it, and modest in its approach in providing a framework rather than a prescription for successful mentoring. The assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of implementing the model within a specific context is determined by the expertise of those who are involved in that context. Authority for decisions on how the model will be implemented lies with them. The role of the Partners In Practice Mentoring Model is to facilitate the implementation rather than dictate it.

Mentoring cannot realize its true potential if it is not an integral part of the early childhood care system. It must be seen as a thread that permeates throughout the system and enriches all aspects of early childhood. To truly have an impact on the care provided to children in early childhood practice, mentoring must be recognized for its value by all stakeholders in the system including practitioners, child care organizations, early childhood care and education programs, and funding bodies.

The Partners In Practice project has developed a mentoring model that can be applied to the mentoring relationships of early childhood practitioners at different points in their career development. It can be applied at the micro level of an early childhood centre or at the macro level of provincial / territorial early childhood practice. With its foundations clearly articulated in its guiding principles, its primary focus the mentoring relationship, and its support to that relationship provided in the tools and strategies and a community based development approach, it provides a comprehensive vehicle for implementing mentoring in early childhood practice.

Become a Part of the Partners In Practice Project:

Partners In Practice has developed this web site to involve early childhood practitioners who are interested in becoming more reflective, in being mentored and in being a mentor, in the project. To participate, as a protégé you will be assigned a mentor to mentor you through the Mentoring Pair training titled "Becoming a Reflective Practitioner", and the decision to continue in the mentoring relationship will rest between the two of you. Those of you who wish to be a PIP Internet mentor, will be mentored through the Advanced PIP Net training titled "Facilitating Reflective Thinking".

You can take the training at your own pace.

" Becoming a Reflective Practitioner", the Mentoring Pair Training course, includes sections on:

• Life History: This section guides you through the process of writing a life history. The life history captures what you determine as your significant life experiences which have had an impact on your career as an early childhood practitioner. This will give you much material for reflection.

• Temperament I & II: This section explores your temperament type (personality preferences); how your temperament and that of your mentoring partner affects the mentoring relationship; and explore ways that differences can enrich and enhance the mentoring relationship.

• Reflective Thinking : In this section you will explore your personal ability to reflect on your practice; link reflective thinking skills to your daily practice and to other’s practice; question why you do what you do and plan what you can do to make the most of it.

• Application of Ethics: In this section, you will learn to recognize decisions which have ethical components; recognize how personal values and beliefs affect ethical decisions; and develop skill in the use of an ethical decision making model.

" Facilitating Reflective Thinking", the Mentor Training Course, is for those who wish to mentor a protégé through the mentoring pairs training. It includes sections on:

• Adult Development: This section recognizes that development is a life long process. You will apply knowledge of adult development to interactions with colleagues, families and children, mentoring relationships and your own life/career stage. You will model a commitment to early childhood practice through advocacy, leadership and continuous growth activities.

• Facilitating Reflective Thinking: This section will develop the techniques which a mentor uses to facilitate and encourage the use of reflective thinking in the protégé’s use of dialogues and conferences.

A code of ethics for mentoring on the Internet has been developed. Read it through so you will know the ethical expectations for being a part of the Partners In Practice Internet project. If after reading the Code of Ethics, you want to apply, link to the application. Complete the application and submit it to Partners In Practice. Your application will be reviewed, and if accepted, you will complete the Life History and Temperament I sections of the training. Upon completion of these sections, you will be assigned a mentor to mentor you through the remaining sections and a PIP Net Trainer.

We hope you will consider participating in the Partners In Practice Internet Project by submitting your application. If you do not wish to participate, remember to return to the Partners In Practice web site periodically as new resources and events are posted.