Matching Activity: Principles of Mentoring and Coaching Why use a matching activity?

This workshop tool is a warm up activity, designed to help participants explore a set of new and complex ideas. It is a good way of facilitating conversations between people who rarely meet, enabling them to discuss important issues together. Purpose of this matching activity

to develop a shared understanding of the Principles of Mentoring and Coaching to facilitate a discussion about the Principles as they relate to mentoring and coaching practice and to the leadership or co-ordination of mentoring and coaching

This is a simple start up activity which can be done quickly but can also support up to 20 minutes detailed and useful dicussion. The Principles for Mentoring and Coaching are presented in two parts. There is a title which is then expanded in a supplementary description. In this activity the title, or strap line, and the description are printed onto separate cards. Participants are given a set of titles and a set of descriptions. They are asked to read them carefully and clarify the interpretation of any statements that seem ambigous. There may be some discussion here as the group reaches a consensus on the meaning of any new or difficult concepts. They are then asked to match the titles to the descriptions by identifying common threads and connections between them. Groups who finish early can be asked to check their answers against the framework and/or to group the principles together in ways that are meaningful to their working context. A final stage that can prove useful is to ask participants which pairings were harder than others. If they say they were all obvious you could say that many groups find the one about experimenting and observing hard because it isnt common to talk and think about the learning environment for CPD and we wanted therefore to explore that. How do we use the matching activity? Participants who dont normally work closely together as they can offer a range of different perspectives, which can be useful. Participants from the same institution should be encouraged to think about anything they would like to add to contextualise the principles. In particualr they should be encouraged to use particular examples of activities to see whether this helps to match with the headings. Give each of the groups a set of the Principles titles and descriptions cards and ask them to read them together. Ask each group to match the titles and descriptions to capture any patterns and connections that they perceive in the statements. (A good way of doing this is by sticking the titles and descriptions on a flip chart or on the wall where everyone in the group can see them. Spray Mount: Repositionable Adhesive is a good way of making this work.) Each small group of people should be asked to explain briefly the logic behind their matching strategy and highlight any interesting discussion points. Share with the group the Principles of Mentoring and Coaching element of the National Framework document. You could distribute copies or you could make a short presentation in plenary to the group.

Principles Activity

Most groups will have arrived at the right answer this is a warm up activity that introduces the principles, not a deep engagement with them. It is possible that some may have alternative answers. You may wish to follow these up in plenary discussion as different perspectives can give insight into implicit value positions for instance. It can also be a chance to tune into the different language that people sometimes use for similar ideas. You wlil need a separate set of cards for each group. Groups of 3-4 people seem to work well and quickly so you may need 2 sets per table. 5 people or more need larger print and find it takes longer to reach shared understanding.

The right answer

There is, as has been stated, a right answer i.e. the pattern of principles and headings set out in the framework. In over 30 separate field tests colleagues get there but rarely in one quick step.
The Principles themselves have been rigorously validated against an evidence base about effective CPD and about mentoring and coaching in particluar developed from policy, from research and from practice. The right answer is represented in the National Framework for Mentoring and Coaching, which should be shared with participants at the end of the activity so that they can: check their pairings against the framework document; and discuss any differences and the possible reasons for them. Prior Knowledge Desirable some understanding of mentoring and coaching processess, definitions and core terms some understanding of the skills involved in mentoring and coaching Timings Takes 5-10 minutes to do and 5 minutes to debrief. Can be extended to 20 if there is more time available. Environment/Organisation Each group needs: a set of Principles titles cards; a set of Principles descriptions cards; and a table, flip chart or wall space. Instructions for reproducing the game Resources You will need: o o A Framework for Mentoring and Coaching (hard copy handout) Either o L7164 Labels and post it notes that are 7.5cm x 7.5cm or o C32016 Business cards or o A4 card and scissors/guillotine

Principles Activity

Instructions There are two options for printing the Principles titles and descriptions, either onto labels, business cards or card to cut up: 1. Principles titles labels and Principles descriptions labels are ready to print onto Avery Labels L7164 and stuck on to square post it notes (7.5 cm x 7.5cm) or 2. Principles descriptions business cards and Principles titles business cards 3. Principles titles cards and Principles description cards are ready to print to card and cut into pieces (you could laminate them to increase the life span of these pieces) Activities to take learning further Ask participants to try the sorting activity that encourages them to consider how the principles might be grouped into themes and issues. Ask participants to consider the implications of the Principles for their own mentoring and coaching practice or for the leadership or co-ordination of mentoring and coaching in their context.

Principles Activity