ERIC Number: EJ840185
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Jul
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0742-051X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Novice Teachers' Perspectives on Mentoring: The Case of the Estonian Induction Year
Lofstrom, Erika; Eisenschmidt, Eve
Teaching and Teacher Education: An International Journal of Research and Studies, v25 n5 p681-689 Jul 2009
This study explores Estonian novice teachers' perspectives on relationships with mentors and experiences of mentoring and mentors' tasks during their first year of teaching. The induction year with mentoring as one of the support structures was introduced into Estonian teacher education a few years ago. Experiences indicate that this is a valuable support, but there are areas of mentoring that need to be developed. The data are based on thematic interviews with sixteen novice teachers in the second half of their first year of teaching, i.e. the induction year. A content analysis revealed that the novice teachers experienced support for personal development and professional knowledge development, feedback, collegiality, reciprocity of the relationship, mentor availability and mutual trust as components of the mentor-mentee relationship. The study identified undeveloped potential in mentoring related to three main areas: 1) facilitation of reflection, 2) mentor training, and 3) integration of mentoring into the school community as a whole. The last area also includes matters pertaining to socialization and school leadership. (Contains 1 table.)
Descriptors: Feedback (Response), Mentors, Collegiality, Logical Thinking, Content Analysis, Beginning Teachers, Instructional Leadership, Teacher Attitudes, Foreign Countries, Interviews, Professional Development, Trust (Psychology), Reflective Teaching, Socialization
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Estonia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A