Lesson 2.4: Mentoring for Independence
Lesson Objective
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to develop a plan to mentor for independence by scaffolding skills and creating opportunities for pupil autonomy.
The Goal of Great Support is to Become Redundant
This might sound strange, but our ultimate aim is to build a pupil’s skills and confidence to the point where they need us less and less. We want to avoid creating ‘prompt dependency’, where a pupil waits for adult instruction before acting. Instead, we act as mentors, guiding them towards their own capabilities.
“We are moving from the role of ‘helper’ to the role of ‘scaffolder’. A helper does the task *for* the person; a scaffolder provides just enough support for the person to do the task *themselves*.”
The “I Do, We Do, You Do” Model
Scaffolding is about gradually releasing responsibility to the pupil. A simple and effective model for this is “I Do, We Do, You Do”.
1. I Do (Modelling):
You explicitly model the skill or task while thinking aloud. For example, “First, I’m going to get my pencil case. Next, I’ll check the board to see what I need. Okay, it says I need a pencil and a ruler.”
2. We Do (Guided Practice):
You do the task together. “What’s the first thing we need to do to get ready? Let’s check the board together. Great, you spotted that we need a pencil.”
3. You Do (Independent Practice):
The pupil attempts the task independently while you observe, ready to offer a small prompt only if needed. “You know what to do to get ready. I’ll be right here if you need a reminder.”
Scaffolding a Morning Routine
[Video: A practitioner using the “I Do, We Do, You Do” model to help a pupil independently manage their morning arrival routine]
Module 2 Final Task: Planning for Autonomy
This is your final task for Module 2. It’s time to bring all your learning from this module together into your working DDP.
Look at the DDP you’ve been working on. Identify **one routine task** that the pupil currently needs significant support with (e.g., getting changed for PE, packing their bag at the end of the day).
In the ‘Strengths-Based Strategies’ section, add a new entry titled “Mentoring for Independence”. Briefly outline how you could use the **”I Do, We Do, You Do”** model to scaffold this skill over the next few weeks.
Completing this task demonstrates your ability to use the DDP as a dynamic tool for planning and fostering genuine pupil independence. Congratulations on completing the Practitioner’s Toolkit module!