3 Conversation Practices

How to select the right kind of conversation to have about teaching and learning

For mentors, different kinds of dialogue with teacher candidates can provide unique opportunities for learning and growth. In broad strokes, there are three types of mentoring conversations, each used for different purposes—calibrating, consulting, and collaborating. Each is defined by who identifies problems of practice, leads the analysis of teaching outcomes, and suggests next steps. These conversations usually happen before and after observing a teacher candidate. During the observation, the mentor generates or collects data from students that can be used for the post teaching discussion. These can be literal notes about what was said, student work products, exit slips, or other forms of documentation.

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