CASE STUDY
Coach in
the Corner
Frustrated by the lack of feedback from her TA, Elle reaches out to her UC, Mariko, and they decide to meet up at Tim Hornton's to discuss what to do.
Friday
Week 2
Elle slammed the door, dropped her teaching bag, and burst into tears. Her TA barely paid attention to her.
After twenty minutes of angry cleaning, she felt calm enough to text her UC. Mariko had always encouraged her students to reach out when they needed support.
"If I'm doing a terrible job, just tell me," she said to her empty apartment. "Don't just keep it to yourself!"
"We're not here to judge him. We're simply identifying what's missing and figure out how to make it happen.
Saturday
Week 2
At Tim Horton's, Mariko stirred honey into her tea while Elle vented.
"I don't know if i'm doing a good job or not," Elle said. "Adrian never gives me feedback. If i need to improve, i just want him to tell me how."
Mariko gently redirected her.
Elle admitted she had already stared drafted an email to Adrian outlining the support she needed.
Together they reviewed it, making edits and redefining the tone.
"Take a deep breath," Mariko encouraged. "Step back from the frustration and look at the situation clearly."
By the time the tea was gone and the coffee had gone cold, the email was ready to send.
"We're not here to judge him. We're simply identifying what's missing and figure out how to make it happen.
Elle admitted she had already stared drafted an email to Adrian outlining the support she needed.
Together they reviewed it, making edits and redefining the tone.
"Take a deep breath," Mariko encouraged. "Step back from the frustration and look at the situation clearly."
By the time the tea was gone and the coffee had gone cold, the email was ready to send.
"You're such a strong student teacher that I didn't think you needed the same kind of support I've given to my previous students. I didn't realize you were feeling insecure about your teaching."
Adrian didn't acknowledge the email.
All weekend, Elle had checked her inbox, growing more anxious with every hour that passed. Maybe she had overstepped.
Now the students had gone home and Adrian was packing up to leave. He hadn't mentioned the email once.
Ellie considered asking Mariko to intervene.
He passed her the pages as he walked to the door. "Here's some feedback, if you have questions, we can talk about them tomorrow."
Monday
Week 3
Monday
Week 3
Adrian didn't acknowledge the email.
All weekend, Elle had checked her inbox, growing more anxious with every hour that passed. Maybe she had overstepped.
Now the students had gone home, and Adrian was packing up to leave. He hadn't mentioned the email once.
Ellie considered asking Mariko to intervene.
He passed her the pages as he walked to the door. "Here's some feedback, if you have questions, we can talk about them tomorrow."
You're such a strong student teacher that I didn't think you needed the same kind of support I've given to my previous students. I didn't realize you were feeling insecure about your teaching.
1
How did Mariko's approach help create a safe space for Elle to express her frustrations? How might the conversation have unfolded differently if Elle did not trust Mariko?
Why was it important for Mariko to challenge Elle's assumptions about Adrian rather than simply agree with her? How did Mariko balance empathy with professional expectations?
2
How did Mariko use dialogue rather than directive advice to support Elle's decision-making?
3
4
How might this experience prepare Elle for future professional conversations with colleagues, administrators, or parents?
5
Which Mentorship Dimensions (Dynamic, Perspective, Role, Focus, Approach, Debrief) are most evident in this case? Explain. Where do you see Mariko moving along a dimension rather than remaining fixed at one end?
6
This case ended positively because communication occurred. What does this case teach us about the relationship between trust, dialogue, feedback, and professional growth in mentorship?