Formal mentorship and instructional practices: a Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) study of US teachers

Abstract

PurposeWithin schools across the USA, mentees supported by mentors experience a number of potential benefits, including high job satisfaction, less attrition and more opportunities for professional/emotional guidance. However, these benefits are less understood in the context of formal mentorship specifically, as well as to what extent these supports apply to instructional practices. This study aims to address the minimally researched area of how being mentored might impact the instructional practices of teachers at all stages of their career.Design/methodology/approachBased on data recently published for the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) in 2018, this study examines the relationship of teachers with formally assigned mentors, the number of total years of teaching experience and instructional practices. US teachers who responded to the target survey questions (n = 1,934) were submitted to several one-way analyses of variance to determine (1) the potential relationships between the presence of a formal mentor and instructional practices and (2) how different groups of teachers with varying numbers of total years of teaching experience impacted these relationships.FindingsThe results found that the presence of a formal mentor predicted higher classroom management practices, clarity of instruction practices and cognitive activation activities for the combined sample (p < 0.05), and for teachers with 15 years or more of teaching experience, the presence of a formal mentor predicted higher classroom management and clarity of instruction practices (p < 0.05).Originality/valueThe results provide evidence for the use of formally assigned mentors beyond new teacher induction, but the nature of the formal mentorships in this study is unclear. Future research should further investigate descriptive cases of more inclusive formal mentorship programs.

Türkiye’de Öğretmenlerin Yapılandırmacı Öğretim Uygulamaları: TALIS 2018 Örneği

“…Bu yönüyle sınıf yönetimi, öğrencilerin sınıf etkinliklerinde uygun şekilde davranmaları için düzenli ve destekleyici bir ortam oluşturmaya yardımcı olmakla kalmamakta, aynı zamanda öğrencilerin bilişsel ve duygusal katılımını sağlamak için de temel bir görevi üstlenmektedir (Simonsen vd., 2008). Daha erişilebilir bir ortam yaratmak ve tekrarlanan yönergelerle uğraşmak zorunda kalmadan daha az zaman harcamak, etkili sınıf yönetimine sahip sınıflarda öğrencilerin daha iyi öğrenmesine katkıda bulunan potansiyel faktörlerden bazılarıdır (Hightower vd., 2021). Bununla birlikte, etkili öğrenme ortamlarında, öğretmenler tarafından verilen öğretim kararlarının yanı sıra yerleşik rutinler ve prosedürler öğretim zamanlarının çoğunu sınıf yönetimine harcamak zorunda kalmamalarını; onu daha çok sınıfta etkili öğrenme ve öğretimi oluşturmaya ayırmalarını sağlamaktadır (Wiens vd., 2022).…”

Supporting novice mathematics teachers: The impact of an e-mentoring and video-based professional development program on teachers’ noticing skills

“…The support provided for teachers in novice years is critical for the quality of immediate professional experience and their long-term professional learning. There are various models of induction programs for teachers in early years of teaching to support teachers' professional growth and a majority of the programs involve mentorship practices (Hightower et al, 2021). Mentoring practices in general and e-mentoring practices in particular are extremely limited and appear to be mostly carried out in the fields of education management, inspection and planning (Ekinci, 2010;Ozdemir, 2015).…”