The Werklund Mentorship Program provides mentorship opportunities for students in our Bachelor of Education Program. Students are able to participate in the Professional-to-Pre-Service Program, where alumni, partner teachers, and community members mentor final year students.
As a participant in the program, you will:
As a mentor in the program, you will:
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.
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.
Questions? Connect with us! werklund.mentorship@ucalgary.ca
To receive mentorship as a pre-service teacher is to be reminded that we are not alone in our fears, challenges, and hopes as aspiring educators. My mentor helped me to personalize and apply the various instructional strategies I was exposed to in my degree and greatly contributed to my confidence entering the profession. I am incredibly grateful to have developed a long-term professional relationship with my mentor that I will carry with me throughout my career as a teacher.
Jessica Gobran, BEd '21
Our professional journey is enhanced by meaningful relationships that leave a mark on us. Both teacher mentor and beginning teacher mentee can benefit immensely from a reciprocal relationship, helping set beginning teachers on a path for successful integration into the profession and community.
Kelly Bobke BEd, ’85