Helping Novices Learn to Teach

TLDR

Teacher induction is increasingly valued, yet little is known about what experienced mentor teachers actually do, how they think, and what novices learn from them. This article examines how an exemplary support teacher defines and enacts his role with beginning teachers, proposing a vision of educative mentoring and outlining conditions for sustaining it. Based on 10 hours of interviews and 20 hours of classroom observations, the study details specific principles and strategies that shape the mentor’s practice and how he developed this work. The close study presents a model of educative mentoring and identifies key conditions necessary to sustain such thoughtful practice.

Abstract

There is growing interest in the problem of teacher induction and widespread support for the idea of assigning experienced teachers to work with beginning teachers. Still, we know relatively little about what thoughtful mentor teachers do, how they think about their work, and what novices learn from their interactions with them. This article describes how one exemplary support teacher defines and enacts his role with beginning teachers. On the basis of 10 hours of interview data and 20 hours of observational data, the article illustrates specific principles and strategies that shape Pete Frazer’s mentoring practice and discusses how he learned to do this kind of work. As a close study of thoughtful practice, the article offers a vision of “educative” mentoring and some ideas about the conditions needed to sustain it.