How Can Schools Support Beginning Teachers? A Call for Timely Induction and Mentoring for Effective Teaching

What Type of Feedback do Student Teachers Expect from their School Mentors during Practicum Experience? The Case of Spanish EFL Student Teachers

“…Thus, the quality of the feedback provided is very positively valued by student teachers, which confirms that their expectations have been met. The evidence from this study is consistent with other research findings on mentor feedback Hudson, 2012).…”

“…In this respect, Mai & Baldauf (2010) point out that many student teachers leave the teaching profession because they experience feelings of isolation (Farrell, 2007) and a lack of support from their school mentors (Valencia et al, 2009) during their practicum placements. It can be said that at times teacher candidates perceive that they are given little professional support and guidance in certain areas Hudson, 2012). Such insufficient mentoring makes them face the challenge of 'sink or swim' (Smith & Ingersoll, 2004, p. 682) 'with noone to throw them a rescue float' (Pekkanli, 2011, p. 603).…”

Mentoring beginning teachers and goal setting

“…However, compared with other professions, there is clearly inadequate support for beginning teachers (Cooper & Stewart, 2009;Hobson, Ashby, Malderez, & Tomlinson, 2009). Thus, it is advocated vehemently that many difficulties experienced by beginning teachers can be addressed by providing well-structured support by experienced teachers in their roles as mentors (Carter, 2015;Hudson, 2012;Marable & Raimondi, 2007). Some researchers have indicated that well-structured mentoring can be an "intervention for retention" (Sharplin, O'Neill, & Chapman, 2011, p. 136).…”

“…For example, Session 2 outlines the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) where participants analyse the standards in relation to the career stage. As another example, the first part of Session 4 (Establishing and addressing the needs of beginning teachers) commences with knowledge transfer to participants around beginning teachers' achievements and challenges (see Hudson, 2012). It was planned so that paired participants would focus on one discussion point (e.g., planning the curriculum, differentiated learning, classroom management, building relationships, or working with parents) and discuss how, why and when this discussion point could be an achievement and a challenge for a beginning teacher.…”

Mentoring as the Core Element of New Teacher Induction in the USA: Policies and Practices

“…Numerous surveys (Veenman, 1985;Charnock & Kiley, 1995;Hudson, 2012) demonstrate that the vast majority of teachers remember their first in-service years as a stressful period of trial and error while teaching and learning how to teach. It is fairly doubtful that having a fieldwork experience limited to 10 to 16 weeks of student teaching, a newly qualified teacher should immediately become a professional and perform at the level of a veteran teacher.…”