As a teacher you can also mentor a class, sometimes referred to as a teacher or study coach. What does a good mentor actually do? And how do you give meaning to the mentor hour?
If you're assigned a mentor class, go for it. See it as an interesting deepening of your duties. Of course, the mentor is the linchpin in guiding the group process, but you also guide the learning process, and sometimes you also talk about private matters. Put on rose-colored glasses and make sure you know the names flawlessly.
The first week at a new school, students are unsure and confused, even the students who act very tough. They are curious about their classmates, and about their mentor. The mentor hour is therefore an excellent time to cultivate a group feeling. A nice exercise for this is the game 'A guest in your own talk show', in which all students can ask the mentor a question. At the end you have looked everyone in the eye and through the questions the students ask, they reveal something about themselves. Impertinent questions like 'how often do you do it?' counter lightly: 'I forgot to say that there are limits to what I can say about myself. Thanks for reminding me of that.'
Have students present themselves using two statements. One is true, the other is not. This exercise offers space to say something personal (My mother is in a wheelchair), but it is not necessary (I can play the piano nicely). Another way to get acquainted is with the bunch of keys. Choose the key you would like to throw away and tell why. That is guaranteed to make for a nice story. You can also have students walk blindfolded through the building. They must then rely on instructions from fellow students.
Make sure that your attention is not only focused on troubled children, because students who do not clearly ask for attention also need to be seen. Make room for personal contact by meeting all students separately. Small talk is then a great start. Also show that you really see your student. Pick up on a current issue if you see someone in the hallway. How did that test you were nervous about go? Is your father back from the hospital?
Make the students responsible for their own problems, because a mentor is not a relay point for complaints. Do they argue with a classmate or do they find the tests for a subject much too difficult? Don't be a savior and leave problems with the rightful owner. Ask what they have already done about the problem themselves. Help your students solve their own problems themselves. If you set yourself up as a savior, more and more people will come who want to be saved.
Connect with home, because parents are your most important allies. Initiate a conversation at a neutral time. This creates a basis for contact if something is wrong. Don't fall into the "better parent" trap. You may think that always-tired student should just go to bed earlier, but it's not up to you to step into that parenting role. Rather invite the parents: “Your son is tired at school. What can we do about that?'
As a teacher you are used to taking the initiative, but in the mentor class you can step out of that role. You can even outsource the group process from time to time. Sit among the students instead of at the head. Does something need to be decided? Have them call a meeting themselves and choose a chairman. Or give the group the responsibility to arrange an outing.