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Mentoring As Critically Engaged Praxis: A Comprehensive Exploration

Seth Hayes

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Published in Mentoring As Critically Engaged Praxis: Storying The Lives And Contributions Of Black Women Administrators (Contemporary Perspectives On The Lives Of Teachers)

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Mentoring, a practice that has existed for centuries, has evolved into a multifaceted and indispensable tool for personal and professional growth. Critically engaged praxis, a term coined by scholars Patricia Maguire and Jo Boaler, provides a valuable framework for examining mentoring relationships and their impact on both mentors and mentees. This article explores the concept of mentoring as critically engaged praxis, highlighting its key principles, benefits, and implications for mentoring practice.

Principles of Critically Engaged Praxis

Critically engaged praxis is a form of practice that is characterized by its commitment to critical reflection, social justice, and transformative action. It is a process of continual inquiry, where practitioners actively question and challenge existing norms and power structures. Within the context of mentoring, critically engaged praxis involves:

Mentoring as Critically Engaged Praxis: Storying the Lives and Contributions of Black Women Administrators (Contemporary Perspectives on the Lives of Teachers)

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Critical reflection: Mentors and mentees engage in ongoing reflection on their roles, biases, and assumptions. They examine the power dynamics within their relationship and seek to create a more equitable and inclusive environment.
Social justice: Mentoring serves as a vehicle for addressing social inequalities and promoting social justice. Mentors and mentees work together to challenge systemic barriers and create opportunities for all.
Transformative action: Mentors and mentees are committed to taking action to create positive change in their communities. They engage in activities that promote social justice, equity, and empowerment.

Benefits of Critically Engaged Mentoring

Mentoring relationships that embrace critically engaged praxis offer numerous benefits for both mentors and mentees. These include:

Enhanced critical thinking skills: Mentors and mentees develop their ability to critically analyze and evaluate information. They learn to question assumptions and challenge traditional perspectives.
Increased self-awareness: Through critical reflection, mentors and mentees gain a deeper understanding of their own beliefs, values, and motivations. This self-awareness promotes personal and professional growth.
Greater empathy and inclusivity: Critical engaged praxis encourages mentors and mentees to develop empathy for others. They become more sensitive to different perspectives and experiences, fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment.
Empowerment: Mentors and mentees are empowered to take action and create change in their communities. They develop the confidence and skills necessary to advocate for social justice and promote positive change.
Improved outcomes: Critically engaged mentoring has been shown to improve mentee outcomes in various areas, including academic achievement, career advancement, and civic engagement.

Implications for Mentoring Practice

To effectively implement mentoring as critically engaged praxis, mentors and mentees must intentionally adopt the following practices:

Foster a culture of critical reflection: Create opportunities for mentors and mentees to reflect on their experiences, assumptions, and biases. Encourage open and honest conversations about power dynamics and social inequalities.
Integrate social justice principles: Explicitly address social justice issues within the mentoring relationship. Mentors and mentees should work together to identify and address barriers faced by marginalized groups.
Encourage transformative action: Support mentors and mentees in taking action to create positive change. This may involve volunteering, advocating for policy changes, or participating in community organizing efforts.
Provide ongoing professional development: Offer mentors and mentees opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills in critical engagement. This may include workshops, seminars, or online courses.
Create supportive structures: Establish systems and resources that support mentors and mentees in their critical engagement work. This may include peer support groups, mentoring networks, or access to relevant literature and resources.

Mentoring as critically engaged praxis is a powerful approach that empowers mentors and mentees to become agents of change. By embracing principles of critical reflection, social justice, and transformative action, mentoring relationships can contribute to personal and professional growth, foster inclusive and equitable environments, and create a more just and equitable world. As mentoring continues to evolve, it is critical that practitioners adopt critically engaged praxis to maximize its potential for transformative impact.

Call to Action

If you are a mentor or mentee, we encourage you to reflect on your current practices and consider how you can incorporate principles of critically engaged praxis into your relationship. By embracing critical reflection, social justice, and transformative action, you can create a more meaningful and impactful mentoring experience for yourself and your mentee.

Additionally, we encourage organizations and institutions to support critically engaged mentoring by providing professional development opportunities, establishing supportive structures, and fostering a culture of critical engagement within their mentoring programs.

Together, let us harness the power of mentoring as critically engaged praxis to create a more just, equitable, and thriving world.

References

Maguire, P., & Boaler, J. (2014). Power and pedagogy in critical engaged praxis: A feminist perspective. In S. Peters & J. Reynolds (Eds.),Beyond the culture wars: Politics, pedagogy, and student outcomes in higher education (pp. 159-176). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Mayo, P. (2018). Critical mentoring in transformative learning: A model for engaging students in social justice issues. Journal of Transformative Education, 16(3),222-239.
Palmer, P. J. (2017). Good questions for great teaching: What does it mean to teach well? Routledge.