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PYP Exhibition (G5): Mentors

PYP Mentors

Who can be a mentor?
The learning community encourages and actively supports the well-being of students and teachers throughout the process of the exhibition. Mentors are drawn from all members of the learning community. Homeroom teachers, specialists, administration, guidance, learning support, language teachers, etc… anyone with a passion for helping students learn can be a mentor.
What is the tie commitment?
The mentoring period usually lasts one month. Mentors will work with their assigned group first meeting once a week for at least four meetings.
Who will I work with?
Potential mentors will be asked to fill out a survey to express what areas they are interested in. Mentors will then be matched with a group.
What do mentors do?
The role as a mentor is not to research or provide answers to students but to empower them to think deeply and ask questions, Mentors will be a sounding board for the students to articulate their thinking and practice their presentations. By asking probing questions and asking for more detail, mentors will  support and guide students in their inquiry process while empowering them to take ownership of their learning. 

MENTOR MEETINGS

To encourage student ownership of their work, students will initiate the first contact with you via Teams introducing themselves, their topic, and suggesting possible times for the first meeting.

Meeting 1
At this stage students are doing individual research. Students have a central idea and are working towards having three lines of inquiry – the first two focusing on problems (causes and impact) and the last one focus on solutions. At this stage, This first meeting should focus on an informal conversation asking guiding students:

  • Tell me about your passion and interest
  • Tell me about your topic
    • What have you learned so far?
    • What challenges have you encountered?

Ongoing Meetings (Minimum of 3)
At the beginning of each meeting, clarify your role as a guide and a sounding board, not as an answer-giver.

  • Encourage students to update their progress at each meeting.
  • Students should practice articulating their Lines of Inquiry, and the mentor listens for any gaps or missing information by posing questions and asking for more detail.
  • Provide feedback to affirm the progress.
  • Help plan for next steps.
  • Avoid providing resources to the students, unless it is very specific and relevant information that they can't find on their own.
  • Avoid discussing the art for impact project.

This should repeat for each of the three mentor meetings so the students can add more details each time they meet with you to become more articulated and ready for their Exhibition presentations.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Understanding the issue & Lines of Inquiry

Always encourage students to articulate their central idea and lines of inquiry, and help them see the different perspectives and the real-world connections. You may want to share your own thinking, experiences, and related knowledge without leading their conclusions.

Questions you might ask:

  • What is the big idea you are exploring?
  • What connections can you make?”
  • How does this issue impact different people or places?”

Gathering Information

You are not helping students research and/or gather resources unless they are stuck and you can help with very specific information. Mentors are guiding students to organize their findings to support their lines of inquiry, You can have a talk with students about the information they have gathered so far, and encourage students to gather information from a variety of sources using the MISO research method. 

MISO:

  • Media: Books, articles, documentaries, websites, podcasts.
  • Interviews: Experts, community members, people with firsthand experience.
  • Surveys: Gathering data and opinions from peers or the wider community.
  • Observations: Fieldwork, experiments, direct experiences.

Questions you might ask:

  • Where can you find reliable information?
  • How do you know what's credible and what isn't credible?
  • What evidence do you have to support your ideas?
  • Have you considered multiple viewpoints?

Questioning & Reflection

Ask open-ended questions to help students reflect on their learning journey. Encourage them to challenge assumptions and explore different perspectives. Support self-assessment by prompting students to evaluate their progress and challenges.

Questions you may ask:

  • What do you still wonder about?
  • Has your thinking changed since you started?
  • What’s your next step?

Presentation & Communication Coaching

Guide students in effective communication strategies, such as tone, pacing, and body language. Encourage authentic expression through a variety of presentation formats. Provide constructive feedback and support practice for verbal presentations.

Questions you may ask:

  • How can you make your message clear and engaging?
  • What strategies will help your audience understand?
  • How do you feel about speaking in front of others?

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