A Graduate Student Guide: Making the Most of Mentoring [Paperback]

Carol A. Mullen (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1578863481 | ISBN-13: 978-1578863488 | Publication Date: January 11, 2006

Here is a doorway through which readers will sneak a peak at the academy-its exterior and interior spaces. There is much within the academic environment that can invite entry or obstruct movement. With this text, doors have been opened for novice scholars and new faculty, as well as experienced academicians and administrators. Each chapter has an aperture on vital mentoring issues (such as productive learning within groups, developing effective marketing and networking strategies, and creating successful student-centered programs) that, together, provides a broader perspective on the professoriate. Readers are guided through the process of becoming successfully mentored, largely by entering into viable relationships and learning the art of receiving and giving. The various mentoring formats described provide exposure to a wide range of options that readers can mindfully act upon; these also demonstrate the value of learning within one-to-one systems and group contexts. Finally, readers are given access to guarded secrets about graduate school, not only concerning unspoken norms but also the 'hidden curriculum' of the academy and of mentor's expectations. The mentoring concepts and practices narrated have all been tested in real-life settings. Further, the chapters' case scenarios and analyses are supported with data collected from multiple sources_documents, surveys, and interviews_including the Writers in Training (WIT), a long-standing doctoral cohort. Dozens of graduate students in education in particular, as well as faculty and administrators have contributed to this work.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Carol Mullen has done it again! A Graduate Student Guide will no doubt become an essential reference book in every graduate student's personal library. Brilliantly written, this volume speaks clearly about the many decisions required of doctoral students in navigating the often-stormy waters of mentor/mentee relationships inherent in graduate research environments. Through her history of commitment to graduate student success, Carol is now providing a far-reaching audience with her insights into the dynamic and transformational nature of mentoring relationships within the academy. I highly recommend this book to all graduate students and to all faculty members dedicated to bringing out the best in their collaborative inquiries. (Thomas G. Nelson )

With this book you are about to embark upon an exciting journey, moving through open doors onto pathways that will enhance your role as mentee and mentor in the academy and in your professional life. Dr. Mullen takes your hand and leads you gently through and around the barriers that might hinder your success. She has used a unique blend of individual case studies, coupled with her research findings on mentoring experiences, to present a comprehensive perspective of reality. Carol has fashioned a crystal door into the academy that automatically opens at the touch of the hand, making transparent the graduate experience and entry into an academic career. (Frances K. Kochan )

Mullen ... shows how to make every minute (of mentoring) count, organize or join mentoring networks and programs, and practice mentoring and reciprocity. (Reference and Research Book News )

The reader fortunate enough to come in contact with Carol Mullen's new book, A Graduate Student Guide, will soon realize that the text is so written as to function as a mentor in and of itself. Through an opening case scenario, each chapter explores some aspect of mentoring in higher education and includes lessons learned, practical, reflective exercises, and a glossary of terms for engaging the material. And like a good mentor, the warmth and support of the author radiates from the pages. Regardless of one's role in the academy or how experienced in mentoring one may or may not be, there is much to be learned in this exceedingly readable, yet well-researched guide to mentorship. In short, Dr. Mullen demystifies graduate education for both students and faculty as she explores 'the process of becoming successfully mentored and of mentoring effectively' (p. 167). This book is a 'must read' for new graduate students and for faculty dedicated to facilitating academic progress and professional development. (Sharan B. Merriam )

About the Author

Carol A. Mullen, Ph.D., is associate professor of leadership studies at the University of South Florida and editor of the refereed international journal Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning. This national award-winning researcher's specialty fields research include mentorship and graduate student inquiry, and her publications encompass eight books in addition to numerous journal articles. Dr. Mullen is recipient of the 2005 Florida Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (FASCD) Excellence Award. The category in which she was recognized is Excellence in Instructional Supervision.

Product Details

• Paperback: 163 pages
• Publisher: R&L Education (January 11, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578863481
• ISBN-13: 978-1578863488
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,314,040 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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