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Educative mentoring: a way forward

Frances Langdon (School of Learning Development and Professional Practice, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand)
Lorrae Ward (Cyperus Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand)

International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education

ISSN: 2046-6854

Article publication date: 7 December 2015

2080

Abstract

Purpose

In recent years mentoring has been promoted as an essential, yet complex, new teacher induction dynamic. Mentors generally develop their knowledge of this role in isolation and in situ, and despite extensive research in the field few studies investigate how mentors learn. Therefore it is important to continue to examine the complex aspects of learning to mentor. The purpose of this paper is to focus on understanding the knowledge, attitudes and skills required by mentors to simultaneously focus on their own learning, new teachers’ learning and student learning.

Design/methodology/approach

In this New Zealand study the authors examined a pilot programme aimed at shifting mentoring practices to an educative model. Through a two-year professional development intervention, 22 participant mentors inquired into, analysed and documented their practice. Data were gathered through learning conversations, action research documentation and reflections. They were analysed using qualitative methodology.

Findings

Evident was a shift in mentoring practice from a focus on the transmission of knowledge-for-practice to inquiry into knowledge-of-practice. Change was observed after sustained and serious engagement with evidence about mentoring practices. However the shifts did not come easy, nor were they assured.

Research limitations/implications

This study is not without limitations. Transferability is potentially problematic. The pilot study was well resourced, therefore expecting the implementation and outcomes to transfer to other contexts without similar resourcing maybe unrealistic.

Practical implications

The findings contributed to the development of a mentoring curriculum and national guidelines for mentoring new teachers.

Originality/value

While the findings emerged from a situated context, the theoretical and practice issues reported are matters for international attention, particularly the matter of transitioning from a well-practiced, efficient teacher mentor to an adaptive educative mentor.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the New Zealand Teachers Council for funding the national pilot study and colleagues Annaline Flint and Alexis Ryde who contributed to the project.

Citation

Langdon, F. and Ward, L. (2015), "Educative mentoring: a way forward", International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, Vol. 4 No. 4, pp. 240-254. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-03-2015-0006

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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