Collaborative Mentoring Pedagogy in Initial Teacher Education: Lessons from a Scottish Context

Abstract

There is currently an increasing interest all over the world in the improvement of teacher education and the quality of teachers. Teachers are now expected to be lifelong learners in order to strengthen their professional knowledge. Mentoring as a component of collaborative partnership between schools and universities is considered a tool for improving teachers' professional practice. Essentially, collaboration in mentoring between teachers and student teachers is acknowledged as being pivotal and instrumental to personal and professional development in initial teacher education contexts. However, studies indicate that the enactment of collaborative endeavors in mentoring processes between teachers and student teachers are not without challenges. Thus, this chapter documents collaborative mentoring pedagogy as practiced and experienced in a relatively new teacher education reform context in Scotland. Drawing on what has been learned in the Scottish context, the challenges to effective collaborative mentoring pedagogy and the means for strengthening collaborative mentoring pedagogy are discussed. Lastly, a framework for developing and enhancing collaborative mentoring pedagogy in initial teacher education is suggested.

Conceptions and Expectations of Mentoring Relationships in a Teacher Education Reform Context

“…In this view, mentoring is not restricted to the apprenticeship model, requiring mentees to rely solely on the more experienced mentors' knowledge. Rather, it aligns with the critical constructivist view of mentoring based on mentor and novice seeing themselves as both teachers and learners partaking in equitable interactions (Aderibigbe, 2014;Aderibigbe et al, 2014;Kincheloe, 2005;Kafai et al, 2008;Savickas, 1997;Bandura, 1997). However, the data analysis showed a clear, emerging tension between what are possibly two alternative ways of looking at the process of learning to teach.…”

“…Drawing on the works of Freire (1970), Kincheloe rejects commodified ideas of knowledge; rather, critical constructivism arises from egalitarian structure of relationships as a basis for the creation of knowledge in context. Hence with regard to mentoring, a critical constructivist approach encourages a continuous process of collaborative investigation to better understand teaching and learning needs (Aderibigbe, 2014;Aderibigbe, Colucci-Gray & Gray, 2014;Wang & Odell, 2002). It seems consistent with Freire's philosophical assumption that the most important thing to humans lies in the acquired capability to make an input into things that affect 8 CONCEPTIONS AND EXPECTATIONS OF MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS them directly (conscientisation).…”

“…In the case of mentoring however this is not only an individual pursuit but a form of collective praxis rooted into processes of learning amongst teachers and learners. A critical constructivist mentoring process is characterised by joint effort between supporter teachers and student teachers to examine pedagogical knowledge, share ideas, or even, generate new professional knowledge (Aderibigbe, 2014;Aderibigbe et al, 2014). In our view, this can strengthen teachers' professional and career development:…”

Penguatan Pendidikan Karakter Melalui Kegiatan Alam Bebas

“…Bagaimana pembangunan karakter membantu mahasiswa belajar dan membangun nilai-nilai kritis Pendidikan karakter mengkodifikasikan pelajaran-pelajaran itu, yang memungkinkan mahasiswa membangun kompas moral mereka (S. A. Aderibigbe, 2014). Alih-alih hanya mengajarkan informasi kepada mahasiswa, ini berupaya membantu mereka tumbuh sebagai warga negara yang bermoral dan bertanggung jawab.…”

H Σχέση Με Τον/Την Μέντορα Και Η Αυτο-Αποτελεσματικότητα Των Φοιτητών/Φοιτητριών Του Τμήματος Θεολογίας Αθήνας Στην Πρακτική Άσκηση Στο Σχολείο

“…Η μεντορεία είναι ένα «σύστημα» που υπερβαίνει το μεντορικό ζεύγος και δέχεται επιδράσεις και από εξωτερικούς παράγοντες (Jones & Brown, 2011, σσ. 413-415), όπως είναι το ευρύτερο σχολικό περιβάλλον (Aderibigbe, 2014, σ. 398· Aderibigbe, Colucci-Gray, & Gray, 2016.…”