Peer Mentoring, Does It Really Have The Advantages The

Education Experts Claim?

Week one of the NEST (Nurturing Excellence in Student Teachers) is complete. Having been
mentored last year by our final year peers we have now become the mentors for the current
third year students. The NEST, peer mentoring programme, ran as part of the BSc. Hons. In
Education (Design Graphics and Construction) course in GMIT is extremely beneficial for the
development of us students, helping us to transform from students into young, exciting
teachers. NEST involves the year four students mentoring the year three students in a very
carefully planned manner in the weeks leading up to school placement.
Peter J. Collier describes peer mentoring as a relationship between a more experienced
student and a less experienced student to help them improve academically. The mentor
provides advice, support and knowledge to the mentee. Peter J. Collier mentions three
advantages of the peer mentoring approach – cost, availability of a relatively larger number
of potential mentors and increased likelihood of mentees following mentors’ advice due to
sharing a common perspective.
Peer mentoring in Higher Education: a review of the current literature and
recommendations for implementation of mentoring schemes by Poppy A. Husband &
Pamela A. Jacobs shares some of the advantages of mentoring schemes and is a very
interesting read.
Upon reflection of my learning from the peer mentors last year, the advantages of peer
mentoring were extremely evident. The mentors shared their knowledge and experience
with us, guided us towards a set-out goal and most importantly shared the mistakes they
may have made while on school placement. The peer mentors reassured us and ensured we
were well prepared for school placement, armed with a fine bank of resources to promote
active learning in the classroom. I would agree with the education experts who say peer
mentoring has many advantages.