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Werklund Mentorship Programs

The Werklund Mentorship Programs provide mentorship opportunities for students in our Bachelor of Education program. No matter a BEd student's goals, there is a program to designed to offer support and provide additional connections, information, and perspectives.

Program participation is recognized by the Werklund School of Education and is part of the overall Experiential Learning programs.

Peer to Peer Mentorship

Supporting growth between undergraduate students

The Peer to Peer Program connects students from across the years so they can support each other, share resources, and meet new people!

As a participant in the program, you will...

  • Use individualized supports to help you connect, navigate, and progress as a pre-service teacher
  • Develop lasting connections to peers as part of your broader professional network
  • Develop your leadership skills and development capacity
  • Support your fellow teachers as they navigate their coursework and moving through their degree program
Register here!

2024 - 2025 Timeline

  • Program Runs: October 2024 to March 2025
  • Mentee & Mentor Applications: On-going throughout Fall 2024
  • Matches Announced: Early October
  • Check-In Survey: Early December
  • Program Wrap-Up: Late February

2025 - 2026 Timeline

  • Program Runs: October to March
  • Mentee & Mentor Applications Due: On-going throughout Fall 2025
  • First Round Matches Announced: Early October 
  • Check-In Survey: Early December
  • Program Wrap-Up: Late February

 

  • Apply a variety of facilitation strategies to encourage discussion, generate ideas, and build consensus
  • Apply a variety of leadership strategies to develop meaningful relationships with the program and its participants
  • Apply a variety of mentorship strategies to support mentees’ personal, social, and academic goals
  • Articulate how specific experiences contribute to their growth as an educator
  • Evaluate successes and setbacks as part of ongoing professional development
  • Navigate new challenges as an educator with the support and guidance of a mentor in a similar field
  • Share and receive knowledge regarding teacher education and teaching practice
  • Setting Goals
  • Reflecting on Field Experiences
  • Looking Ahead to Next Semester & Beyond
  • Tips & Resources
  • Prepping for Fields II & IV

Community-Based Student Support Network

Offering connection and peer mentorship to Community-Based Students.

The Community-Based Student Support Network will be a way to connect Community-Based students to each other, ask questions, access peer mentorship, and share experiences. Organized primarily through a D2L, Community-Based students from all different years can hear from each other, access resources, and learn about Experiential Learning opportunities available.

If you would like to join the Community-Based Student Support Network, you can register through Elevate. 

Students who have already been added to the D2L can access it here. 

Register on Elevate here!

Spring

  •  Student-to-Student Q&A Webinar(s) in April/May to support new Community-Based students as they prepare to come to campus for the first time

Summer

  • Summer Series for Community-Based students, on-campus event(s) may be announced depending on interest

Fall & Winter

  • Monthly conversations prompts will be posted to encourage and support engagement
  • Additional events may be announced!

 

  • Apply a variety of facilitation strategies to encourage discussion, generate ideas, and build consensus
  • Apply a variety of leadership strategies to develop meaningful relationships with the program and its participants
  • Apply a variety of mentorship strategies to support mentees’ personal, social, and academic goals
  • Articulate how specific experiences contribute to their growth as an educator
  • Evaluate successes and setbacks as part of ongoing professional development
  • Navigate new challenges as an educator with the support and guidance of a mentor in a similar field
  • Share and receive knowledge regarding teacher education and teaching practice
  • Getting Ready for Summer Series on Campus
  • Setting Goals
  • Prepping for and Reflecting on Field Experiences
  • Looking Ahead to Next Semester & Beyond
  • Tips & Resources

Professional to Pre-Service Mentorship

Promoting strong networks of educators between final year BEd students and Alumni & Community Members

Final year students in the Professional to Pre-Service Program, are mentored by alumni, partner teachers, and community members.

As a participant in the program, you will:

  • Examine how to navigate the next stage of your career as an educator
  • Develop lasting connections as part of your broader professional network

As a mentor in the program, you will:

  • Develop your leadership skills and staff development capacity
  • Support pre-service teachers as they navigate their coursework and moving into the profession

Asynchronous orientation information is available on Mentorlink.

Register here!

2025 - 2026 Timeline

  • Mentee and Mentor Applications: On-going throughout Fall 2025
  • First Round of Matching: End of May 2025
  • Informal Meetings & Communications: June to August 2025
  • Formal Meetings Begin: September 2025
  • Email Check-In: Early December 2025
  • Program Wrap Up: February 2026
  • Apply a variety of facilitation strategies to encourage discussion, generate ideas, and build consensus
  • Apply a variety of leadership strategies to develop meaningful relationships with the program and its participants
  • Apply a variety of mentorship strategies to support mentees’ personal, social, and academic goals
  • Articulate how specific experiences contribute to their growth as an educator
  • Develop stronger connections to the professional community and specific organizations
  • Evaluate successes and setbacks as part of ongoing professional development
  • Navigate new challenges as an educator with the support and guidance of a mentor in a similar field

It is important to note the difference between our Mentorship program and our Partner Teacher program. Partner Teachers are a formal and structured relationship between In-Service and Pre-Service Teachers. Partner Teachers bring the Pre-Service Teachers into their classrooms and introduce them to professional life as a teacher. Mentors are a more informal relationship that is an optional part of a student's degree experience. Mentorship does not involve grading or reporting, and is only approximately one meeting per month. These meetings take place virtually for now, but could take place in person in the future.

  • Setting Goals
  • Preparing for Field III
  • Your Favourite Tips & Tricks
  • Resilience, Self-Care, and Overcoming Challenges
  • Reflecting on Field Experiences
  • Graduation, TQS, Employment, Job Interviews, Applications
  • Preparing for Field IV

Graduate to Undergraduate Mentorship

Identifying research interests and opportunities between undergraduate and graduate Werklund students

The Werklund Graduate to Undergraduate Mentorship Program connects EDUC 400 and 500 level BEd students with students in Werklund graduate programs.

As Mentee in the program, you will:

  •  gain a resource who will share their experience and help to expand your knowledge and skills, and give you valuable insight. 
  • connect with an advocate who will encourage you to set and achieve goals, and can share more about graduate program options and possibilities.

As a Mentor in the program, you will:

  • have the opportunity to advise, influence and support students on their university and career journey.
  • find that your own career, too, can be enhanced by the time and effort you put into a mentoring relationship as you hone your coaching skills and become familiar with the new generation entering the profession.

 Asynchronous orientation information is available on Mentorlink.

Register here!

2024 - 2025 Timeline

  • Mentee and Mentor Applications: On-going through Fall 2024
  • Initial Matches Made: October 2024
  • Formal Meetings Begin: October 2024
  • Check-In Email: Early December 2024
  • Program Wrap Up: February 2025

2025 - 2026 Timeline

  • Mentee and Mentor Applications: On-going throughout Fall 2025
  • Formal Meetings Begin: September 2025
  • Email Check-In: Early December 2025
  • Program Wrap Up: February 2026
  • Apply a variety of facilitation strategies to encourage discussion, generate ideas, and build consensus
  • Apply a variety of leadership strategies to develop meaningful relationships with the program and its participants
  • Apply a variety of mentorship strategies to support mentees’ personal, social, and academic goals
  • Articulate how specific experiences contribute to their growth as an educator
  • Develop stronger connections to the professional community and specific organizations
  • Evaluate successes and setbacks as part of ongoing professional development
  • Navigate new challenges as an educator with the support and guidance of a mentor in a similar field
  • Setting Goals
  • Selecting Opportunities
  • Choosing a Focus
  • Successes and Challenges
  • The Future & Impact of Your Work

What's Involved

Create Mentorlink Account

Choose one of more of the program(s) that interest you. Create an account on Mentorlink, the platform used to support our Mentorship programs.

Create an account!

Register for Program(s)

Once on Mentorlink, use the programs list to access your specific program of interest and click the green "Join Program" button.

Answer a few questions about what interests you, and what you hope to gain from the program.

Mentorlink Programs List

Get Matched

The Experiential Learning team will use the information you provided during registration to match you with someone else in the program that shares similar interests and subject areas.

Stay Connected

When matched, you'll receive information on next steps. Pairings and groups can determine how and when to connect - usually once per month. 

Good communication is key to a successful mentorship.

Experiential Learning Check-In & Reflection Opportunities

All participants in Experiential Learning programs are welcome and encouraged to attend at least two of the check-in & reflection sessions below as part of their program. Reflection is an incredibly important part of experiential learning. It encourages students to consider their experience so far and to adjusted as needed as they go forward through the rest of their program, or into the next step of their career.

Fall Check-In & Reflection Sessions

More information for Fall 2025 coming soon!

Winter Check-In & Reflection Sessions

More information for Winter 2026 coming soon!

Questions? Connect with us! werklund.mentorship@ucalgary.ca