Preparing teachers to mentor beginning teachers: an Australian case study

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to present an Australian mentor preparation program designed to prepare experienced teachers to mentor beginning teachers and second, to identify and discuss mentor teachers’ personal and professional outcomes and the wider contextual implications emerging from the Mentoring Beginning Teachers (MBT) mentor preparation program. Design/methodology/approach This case study, situated within Queensland, Australia, draws on qualitative data collected via interviews and focus groups with mentor teachers who participated in a large-scale systemic mentor preparation program. The program positions mentoring as supportive, based on a process of collaborative inquiry and encouraging critically reflexive praxis with the mentor professional learning focusing on reflection, dialog and criticality. Findings Initial findings show the outcomes of the mentor preparation program include building a common language and shared understanding around the role of mentor, consolidating a collaborative inquiry approach to mentoring and providing opportunity for self-reflection and critique around mentoring approaches and practices. Some findings, such as a greater self-awareness and validation of mentors’ own teaching performance, have confirmed previous research. However, the originality of this research lies in the personal and professional impacts for mentor teachers and the wider contextual impacts that have emerged from the study. Practical implications The study highlights the impact of the mentor preparation program on the professional learning of teacher-mentors and contributes to the current lack of empirical research that identifies the personal and professional impacts for mentors and the wider contextual factors that impact effective mentoring in schools. Originality/value The originality of this research lies in the personal and professional impacts for mentor teachers and the wider contextual impacts more broadly that have emerged from the study.

Principals’ and Mentors’ Shared Responsibilities in Induction of Beginning Teachers

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Denessen, 2016), principals' and mentors' perceptions of various aspects of induction and their responsibilities are being questioned. Current literature shows an increased support for and interest in the mentoring of beginning teachers (Beutel, Crosswell et al, 2017), and in collaborative professional induction learning (van Ginkel, Verloop & Denessen, 2016) yet, we know little about principals' and

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Uddannelse til kompetente mentorer for nyuddannede lærere

“…At laere nye laerere at refl ektere kritisk over praksis Det andet perspektiv på refl eksion handler om vigtigheden i, at og hvordan de studerende laerer at få de nye laerere til at refl ektere i mentorsamtalerne. Tre studier viser til fund herom (Beutel et al, 2017;. De studerende blev uddannet i observation og feedback og i herudfra at stille refl ekterende spørgsmål til praksis.…”

“…for at modarbejde judgementoring. Dett e perspektiv, eller dele af det, fremhaeves i tre studier (Beutel et al, 2017;Lejonberg et al, 2015). Beutel et al's studie viste dog, at til trods for at mentoruddannelsen var baseret på en undersøgende kritisk refl ekterende tilgang til egen mentorpraksis, endte de studerende alligevel med forskellige forståelser af refl eksion i deres mentoringpraksis -alt fra praktisk og konkret hjaelp uden meget refl eksion til en forståelse af, at refl eksion kan åbne for en reel gensidig udviklingsmulighed for både de nye laereres og mentorens egen selvforståelse og undervisning.…”

Principals’ Acceptance of School Improvement Partners Mentoring Practice in Malaysia

“…Knowledge is one of the keys to educating and teaching others (Beutel et al, 2017). Without sufficient knowledge, one will not be able to explain something complex.…”