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What Do Student Teachers Want in Mentor Teachers?: Desired, Expected, Possible, and Emerging Roles
Abstract
Research has shown that mentor teachers play varied roles. Using a conceptual framework grounded in these roles, the researchers explored what seven student teachers said during multiple interviews about the roles they wanted for their mentor teachers. Findings showed that while some participants preferred emotional support and others wanted instructional support, none wanted socialization. The researchers identified a new category–mentor as gatekeeper–to capture the preferences of one participant and concerns of others. This category reflected a focus on the credentialing aspect of student teaching as something that students must complete before licensure. Implications for teacher education included additional support for mentor teacher–preservice teacher pairs such as conversations about desired, expected, possible, and emerging roles during the mentoring process.
... Mentorystės procesų veiksmingumas didele dalimi gali priklausyti nuo to, kaip mentorius suvokia proteguojamo asmens lūkesčius ir atitinkamai konstruoja savo kaip mentoriaus vaidmenis. Būsimiesiems mokytojams svarbu jausti emocinę paramą, sulaukti pagalbos atliekant mokytojo veiklą, bei gauti patvirtinimą, kad jie tampa mokytojais -tikėtis, kad mentorius padės profesinei integracijai (Davis & Fantozzi, 2016). Mentoriaus profesinis augimas dažnai analizuojamas mentoriaus identiteto formavimosi kontekste (Nyanjom, 2020; Badia & Clarke, 2022; White & Berry, 2022). ...
... Į mentorystės santykius galima žiūrėti kaip į "socializuotą mokymosi partnerystę", teikiančią abipusę naudą tiek globojamam asmeniui, tiek mentoriui (Schunk & Mullen, 2013, p. 364). Būsimiesiems mokytojams svarbu jausti emocinę paramą, sulaukti pagalbos atliekant mokytojo veiklą, bei gauti patvirtinimą, kad jie tampa mokytojais -tikėtis, kad mentorius padės profesinei integracijai (Davis & Fantozzi, 2016). Tyrimo dalyviai pripažįsta, kad mentoriaus vaidmuo apima ir studento socializacijos elementus -kaip jis turėtų elgtis savo darbo kolektyve, kaip žiūrėti į savo darbą. ...
Mentorystė švietimo įstaigoje suprantama kaip paramos modelis, kurio kontekste reikšmingą profesinę patirtį turintis pedagogas ir profesinį kelią pradedantis ar būsimasis pedagogas bendradarbiauja siekdami pradedančiojo pedagogo profesinio augimo ir profesinės integracijos. Pagrindiniai probleminiai tyrimo klausimai: Kuo praktikuojama mentorystės veikla yra reikšminga mentoriui? Kaip praktikuojama mentoriaus veikla siejasi su paties mentoriaus profesiniu augimu? Šiame straipsnyje mentorystė ikimokyklinio ugdymo įstaigoje analizuojama iš mentoriaus profesinio tobulėjimo perspektyvos, siekiant atskleisti mentorystės veiklos galimybes profesiniam augimui. Darbe pristatomi kokybinio tyrimo rezultatai – išanalizuotas mentorystės veiklos turinys, sietinas su mentoriaus profesiniu tobulėjimu; ištirta mentoriaus profesinio augimo raiška. Tyrimas atskleidė, jog mentoriaus profesinis augimas reiškiasi mentoriaus vaidmens įsisąmoninimu, veiklos tobulinimu ir mentorystės santykių kūrimu, nukreiptu į pradedančiojo ar būsimojo mokytojo profesinės tapatybės formavimąsi ir profesinę integraciją.
... However, the mentee also interacts with other teachers, administrators, and students in the teaching practice school. In other words, the mentee experiences a complex interaction network and these individuals can contribute to the professional experience of the mentee (Davis & Fantozzi, 2016). For instance, mentees observe and communicate with other teachers in the teacher lounge and learn about the relationships among colleagues such as their rituals, routines, jargon, and so on. ...
... Mentees appreciate mentor feedback since they consider it as a part of the process of effective instruction. They expect advice and recommendations from mentors on course design and presentation (Davis & Fantozzi, 2016). Mentors should encourage mentees to demonstrate their teaching skills, provide feedback about their strengths and weaknesses, and guide mentees until they can teach effectively (Maphosa et al., 2007). ...
The present study aimed to analyze the views of pre-service teachers, expressed through metaphors, about the adequacy of mentors and teaching practice schools and their recommendations for effective mentoring. A phenomenological design was adopted, and participants included 105 mentees. The current mentors and teaching practice schools had attributes that were not adequate for active mentoring. The mentor should be selected based on criteria such as professional competence, ability to perform mentoring roles, and positive interpersonal relationships. The teaching practice schools should be selected based on human relations, educational activities, the quality of education and instruction, and the physical conditions of the school.
... Šiandieną daug ir įvairiuose kontekstuose akcentuojamas pakitęs mentoriaus vaidmuo, jo elgsena, santykiai su proteguojamu asmeniu. Mokslinėje literatūroje yra nemažai darbų skirtų įvairių mentoriaus vaidmens ir elgsenos aspektams analizuoti: vaidmenų konstravimas studentomentoriaus sąveikoje (Hall et al., 2008;Davis & Fantozzi, 2016); bendradarbiavimas ir abipusis mentoriaus ir proteguojamo asmens profesinis augimas (Mackie, 2020); mentorystės santykių įtaka būsimųjų mokytojų identiteto formavimuisi (Izadinia, 2016); kolegų/bendraamžių mentorystė skirta socializacijai ir adaptacijai aukštojoje mokykloje (Tsang, 2023); akademinė mentorystė integruojant su savireguliaciniu mokymusi (Schunk & Mullen, 2013); mentoriaus savybės, būtinos sėkmingiems mentorystės santykiams (Deng & Turner, 2023; Moloney, et.al., 2023). Mentorystės literatūroje pažymimas ir neigiamas mentorystės poveikis, kuris, nors mažai tyrinėtas, gali įtakoti proteguojamo asmens profesinį augimą ir integraciją į profesinę veiklą, ir dažnai yra siejamas su mentoriaus vadovavimo patirties trūkumu ir mentorystės santykių sutrikimu (Eby, McManus, Simon & Russell, 2000;Simon & Eby, 2003;Carroll & Barnes, 2015). ...
... Mentoriaus vaidmenys yra vertinami kaip transakciniai vaidmenys, kuriuos kuria abi mentorystės santykiuose dalyvaujančios pusės. Todėl labai svarbu, kad mentorystės santykiai būtų aptariami mentoriaus teikiamos emocinės ir mokomosios pagalbos požiūriu iš studentų lūkesčių ir mentoriaus vaidmens suvokimo perspektyvos, kadangi nors ir suvokdami kokios pagalbos jiems reikia, studentai gali negebėti perteikti savo poreikių mentoriui (Davis & Fantozzi, 2016). Davis ir Fantozzi (2016) tyrė ko studentai tikisi iš mentorių pedagoginės praktikos metu ir nustatė tris studentams svarbius vaidmenis -emocinės paramos, mokymo pagalbos ir "vartų sargo" -padedant patekti į profesiją, patvirtinant juos kaip mokytojus -vaidmenys (p. ...
Šiandieną įvairiuose pedagogų rengimo kontekstuose akcentuojamas pakitęs mentoriaus vaidmuo, jo elgsena, santykiai su proteguojamu asmeniu, kuomet iš techninių profesinės veiklos gebėjimų, patirties perteikėjo mentorius tampa lygiaverčiu proteguojamo asmens partneriu, kuriančiu darnius tarpusavio santykius, padedančiu konstruoti jauno žmogaus profesinį identitetą, palaikančiu jo profesinį augimą ir profesinę integraciją. Keliami tyrimo probleminiai klausimai: kaip reiškiasi mentoriaus elgsena ir mentorystės procesas, orientuojantis į santykių vystymąsi, informavimą, veiklos palengvinimą, veiklos ir santykių reguliavimą, veiklos modeliavimą, proteguojamo asmens viziją? Mentoriaus vaidmens ir elgsenos ikimokyklinio ugdymo institucijose tyrimas grindžiamas J. Mezirovo transformuojamojo mokymosi teorija, siekiant pagrįsti mentoriaus veiklą ir studentų praktikantų mokymosi reiškinį kaip žmogiškųjų išteklių valdymo priemonę, bei D. A. Schön reflektyviosios patirties teorija, akcentuojančia veiklos refleksiją, kuria remtasi atliekant mentoriaus veiklos analizę. Straipsnyje pristatomi kokybinio tyrimo rezultatai: atskleistas mentoriaus vaidmuo, nuostatos, elgsenos raiška Klaipėdos ikimokyklinio ugdymo įstaigose, siejant su mentorystės orientacija į santykių vystymą, informavimą, veiklos palengvinimą, veiklos reguliavimą, veiklos modeliavimą, proteguojamo asmens viziją.
... Effective mentoring demands specific knowledge, skills, and capacity, but there is a lack of evidence demonstrating that mentors consistently receive training or engage in formal professional learning for the role (Davis & Fantozzi, 2016;Nielsen et al., 2017). Without targeted preparation or support, mentors often rely on personal preferences or emulate their own mentor experiences (Orland-Barak & Wang, 2021). ...
This study responds to an imperative for increased support and recognition of mentor teachers within Australian initial teacher education (ITE) programs in response to recent reviews highlighting mentor teachers’ critical role in preparing classroom-ready graduate teachers. By addressing the recurrent challenges faced by mentor teachers, such as hidden labour, this research aims to bridge the discrepancy between the crucial nature of the mentor role and the inadequate resourcing of this work. Through participatory action research (PAR), the paper reports how eight school-based coaches, as participants, instigated support mechanisms to address the recurrent challenges faced by 78 mentor teachers in one ITE–school partnership. Using qualitative methods, the research underscores the significance of dedicating time to enhance effective mentoring practices within ITE.
Purpose
This conceptual paper explores the complex, and neglected, area of mentor development in initial teacher education (ITE) in Australia. It focuses on the emotionality of mentoring, drawing on concepts of emotional labour and emotional intelligence to develop a framework of effective mentoring that helps explain the essence of a mentor’s role in supporting preservice teachers.
Design/methodology/approach
This conceptual paper draws together mentor-support practice wisdom and research literature from several relevant areas. It draws on constructive developmental theories and complex stage theory to reaffirm the intricate nature of mentor learning and development. This paper critiques the current utilitarian emphasis on mentoring as a way to improve student outcomes without first having clarity on how to improve mentoring itself.
Findings
We introduce the mentoring as emotional labour framework as a way to better understand the nature of mentoring within ITE and as a tool for developing more effective mentor supports. We present “exemplar cases”, which are amalgamations of field observations to illustrate aspects of the framework – however, we do not claim they provide evidence of the utility or accuracy of the framework.
Originality/value
Previous research and policy have tended to gloss over the skills required for effective mentoring, whereas this paper places the emotional labour of mentoring front and centre, explicitly conceptualising and describing the personal and interpersonal skills required in a way that aims to support and empower mentors to recognise existing strengths and areas of potential growth.
The teaching practice (practicum) experience is a pivotal component of teacher education programs globally, providing student teachers with opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge in real classroom settings. In Fiji, one of the many countries in the South Pacific, student teachers engage in practicum experiences, in schools, under the mentorship of associate teachers (ATs). This research paper explores the challenges encountered by student teachers during their practicum placements with a focus on the role of ATs in Suva, Fiji. The study involved 25 of the 40 final-year student teachers placed in urban schools for a duration of 14 weeks of practicum. The student teachers took the role of ethnographic field workers to produce data. The study investigates the experiences of student teachers and the dynamics of their interactions with ATs. Findings reveal a range of challenges faced by the students, including issues related to professional nurturing, and consistent, precise, and prompt feedback on their teaching skills. It further discloses the relationship between ATs and student teachers as not so dependable, and the communication barriers that hindered learning. The study also identifies factors contributing to effective practicum experiences and proposes recommendations for enhancing the support provided by ATs to students. Understanding the challenges encountered by the students during teaching practice is essential for improving teacher education programs and ensuring the professional development of future educators in Fiji.
This paper investigates the emotion labor experienced by transnational world language teachers (TWLTs), with a focus on Chinese language teacher candidates in a US dual immersion school residency program. Despite existing research on emotion labor in language teaching, the experiences of Chinese TWLTs have been underexplored. Through an analysis of mentorship and co-teaching, our findings reveal that much of the emotion labor among our participants stems from hierarchical mentorship structures influenced by Confucian ideologies. This hierarchical system constrains pedagogical autonomy, hindering TWLTs from fully embodying their transnational teacher identities. Consequently, the lack of power negotiation exacerbates the issue, leading to internalization of emotion labor and reduced teaching agency. We conclude by offering recommendations for future research on TWLTs’ emotions and advocating for a renewed emphasis on their mentoring experiences during teacher preparation programs.
The study focused on the improvement of supervisory skills among mentor teachers in K‐12 who work with student teachers in an English language teaching program of an English‐medium state university in Istanbul, Turkey. The researchers explored how the mentor teachers' supervisory skills, namely observation and giving feedback, were improved after participating in an online mentor training program. The training program was designed based on Morrison et al.'s (2013) instructional design model and implemented for seven mentors during the practicum period. The program included mentoring tasks that asked mentor teachers to organize reciprocal observation sessions with the student teachers, followed by mutual feedback discussions. The researchers investigated the influence of the tasks through thematic analysis of the mentor teachers' reflection reports. The data showed that the tasks improved mentor teachers' understanding and practice of the supervision process and increased their awareness of their own teaching practices by promoting personal and professional growth. The results suggest that an online mentor training program may have the potential to empower mentor teachers both for their supervisory roles and ongoing professional development.
Purpose
Interprofessional practice (IPP) is one way to structure collaborations to more effectively meet the complex needs of students in educational settings. This article explores the lessons learned when one research team implemented interprofessional education (IPE) experiences in partnership with a public elementary school and pre-service professionals from elementary education, special education and communication science and disorders.
Design/methodology/approach
This reflective article explores the lived experiences of researchers and partners who completed an IPE experience within one professional development school’s site. Researcher anecdotes are included to support the viewpoints shared.
Findings
It was discovered that IPE experiences are essential to facilitate meaningful collaborations for pre-service professionals to learn with and from one another; however, this requires time, preparation and is most effective when teacher mentors and university professors lead with vulnerability and model flexibility. Investment in IPE is challenging but worth the effort when learning outcomes are realized.
Originality/value
Specific details regarding the structure of this experience are shared as well as future directional goals for programs hoping to implement IPE in their professional practice programs.
This article uses a narrative analysis approach to explore the stories of student teachers' experiences developing a teaching persona during student teaching. In keeping with the narrative format, the researcher presents the participants' stories in a first-person narrative. The participants had similar experiences in the realm of developing their teaching personae: two common themes included their ideal versus actual personae and past and present influences on personae. Findings indicate that pre-service teachers carefully consider their teaching personae and draw on various sources to construct the personae that they believe will be successful.
This case study follows a teacher candidate through her semester of student teaching English in a suburban high school in the U.S. Southeast. The study is part of a line of inquiry that investigates the factors that contribute to teachers’ development of concepts to guide their instruction. In particular, this research focuses on the mediational role of settings in teachers’ development of a teaching conception and the attributions made by the teacher candidate to the sources for her understanding of how to teach. Data for the research consist of observations and interviews with focal teacher Anita and key stakeholders. These data were analyzed to identify the pedagogical tools used during student teaching and the sources to which she attributed her learning of them. Findings indicate that Anita’s initial conception of teaching was complicated by competing centers of gravity—that is, settings with conflicting notions of effective practice—that pulled her in many different directions, thus making her ability to develop a coherent approach to teaching a challenge. The study concludes with a discussion of conventional linear views of concept development and how attention to the settings of learning to teach can help explain the difficulties of learning to teach in cohesive and consistent ways.
This qualitative study investigates the ways that five secondary teachers developed and presented personae. The researcher collected and analyzed data using a theoretical frame based in social psychology, including Goffman's Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (1959), and Miles and Huberman's (1994) three-step approach to qualitative data analysis. Findings indicate that teachers drew on three major realms—the physical, psychological, and social—when constructing classroom personae. Implications include increased opportunities for teacher reflection on persona and its effects.
In this book, Janet Alsup reports and theorizes a multi-layered study of teacher identity development. The study, which followed six pre-service English education students, was designed to investigate her hypothesis that forming (or failing to form) a professional identity is central in the process of becoming an effective teacher. This work addresses the intersection of various types of discourse within the process of professional identity development, emphasizes that the intersection of the personal and professional in teacher identity formation is more complex than is acknowledged in typical methods classes, and accents the need for teacher educators to take steps to facilitate such integration. Specific suggestions for methods courses are presented that teacher educators can use as is or adapt to their own contexts. Teacher Identity Discourses: Negotiating Personal and Professional Spaces speaks eloquently to faculty, researchers, and graduate students across the field of teacher education. © 2006 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. All rights reserved.
This qualitative study examines the variance in the ways that four student teachers made meaning of the experience of being observed by their cooperating teachers and university supervisors. Using Kegan's (1994) theory of cognitive development, the study focuses on the differences in the ways the teacher candidates constructed the prospect of being observed, and the varied ways they received and interpreted feedback. The study found that for two of the participants feedback from a mentor was very important to their teaching identity; because of this observations were both significant and anxiety inducing. However the second two participants were able to remove their identities from feedback and thus felt observations were an opportunity to think about how to improve their teaching. The participants also differed in whether they expected the post observation conference to be a time to receive expert knowledge or to discuss solutions and best practice.
The field-based mentoring of student teachers is often an idiosyncratic and nuanced practice in which mentors' conceptualizations of their interactions with student teachers are generated through personal experiences with teacher education. If teacher educators and programs are to strengthen the tie between campus and field-based teacher education, in effect bridging the perceived disconnect of campus-based learning and the “realities” of the classroom, acknowledging these divergent perspectives is a first step in providing transformative learning experiences for student teachers. To that end, in this article the authors use recent empirical research into the school-based mentoring of student teachers to describe three conceptions of mentor teacher roles and responsibilities. Centered in the notion that mentoring is often a socially constructed practice, these roles include a consideration of the mentor teacher as (1) instructional coach, (2) emotional support system, and (3) socializing agent. Through a discussion of these conceptions, the hope is to further the conversation about ways to provide a common language between university and field-based teacher educators.
Deborah Britzman believes that recent theoretical discussions of the role of education in the reproduction of the social system, while illuminative, need to be grounded in descriptions of particular aspects of the educative process. The author addresses this need by drawing on her experiences as a teacher/educator to offer an analysis of the reproductive mechanisms at work in teacher education. She describes the way in which teachers' personal histories interact with common myths of our culture to maintain current teaching practices. By becoming conscious of these mechanisms, Britzman argues, student teachers can gain a critical perspective and, hence, control of the social mechanisms which otherwise tend to control them.