3.2 Confessions of a doctoral supervisor: valuing interdependence  (Page 9/12)

Overall, the WITs find the support from the group invaluable. The suggestions from both their major professor and peers inform their subsequent work efforts. In this manner, the WITs believe that the cohort significantly improves their chances of success in the doctoral program and as graduates as well. As one WIT put it,“I can’t imagine doing a doctoral degree without this kind of help, or writing for publication alone, or seeking placement or promotion afterwards without the support of my mentor and the group. Unfortunately, some students have no choice.”

Mentoring Creed—Rule #2 (Meeting Preparation)

A revealed, the WITs bring their preselected writings to the cohort meetings for assistance from their peers and mentor, who have prepared by reading the material and providing detailed written comments. Prior to the meeting, the WIT manager (a peer who is a student) creates the student-based agenda, both soliciting volunteers to subject their work for review and obtaining feedback from me as to who would be good to have“up at bat”and with what material; the manager then electronically distributes the agenda and all pertinent documents in advance. This enables the group to prepare for a meaningful discussion of the scheduled papers and questions raised. The WITs support this active involvement with such comments as the“process we use to communicate and work keeps me on my toes.”Members are also conscious of the accountability associated with participation:“I know people are expecting me to be there and with helpful suggestions. I can’t let them down.”By applying their energies to a peer’s drafts, WITs know that the helping hand will be reciprocal.

Mentoring Creed—Rule #6 (Fostering Safety)

Recognizing the importance of a“safe environment”for doctoral students to experiment with ideas and research structures, I have asked the members about their level of comfort within the cohort. Overall, the students have described their experiences as“safe”and“nonthreatening.”Most newcomers are initially intimidated but they adjust.

Clearly, interdependence within mentoring cohort groups should not strictly conjure a rosy picture. For instance, WITs can become irritated with the depth of probing generated relative to their drafts and the abundance of changes suggested in the areas of writing and research, especially by those in an earlier stage in their program or those with whom they do not have a close friendship. This example underscores the importance of patience, power-sharing, and generosity in situations requiring interdependence.

Safety, comfort, and momentary discomforts—some attributed to ego conflicts—are all part of the interdependence at play within the WIT cohort. Regardless, the focus remains on members helping one another to avoid poor performance and strengthen opportunities for success. Overall, members believe that a successful group environment consists of individuals who hold one another accountable for being productive, for producing quality work, and for being socially connected. As one WIT aptly stated,“I know I am not alone; there are others who feel the way I do about the task at hand. They are with me, and I am with them.”