Preservice Teacher Mentoring as Development for Teacher Instructional Leadership
Date
2013-12-23
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Abstract
Most of the scholarly literature concerning teacher preparation focuses on preservice teachers, which overlooks the role and perceptions of cooperating teachers. This study examined the preservice teacher mentoring experience as professional development for the cooperating teacher, specifically as a form of engaging in teacher instructional leadership. A qualitative research approach was used to examine which aspects of professional growth cooperating teachers feel are influenced through their cooperating teacher activities.
The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the professional development benefits of serving as a cooperating teacher from the perspective of cooperating teachers. It specifically investigated cooperating teachers’ views of teacher instructional leadership and how leadership skills are facilitated through the mentorship of preservice teachers.
This study contributes to a small body of literature regarding cooperating teachers and their professional development. Results suggest that serving as cooperating teachers can have a profound impact on teachers’ professional growth and instructional leadership capacity. Three main categories developed as areas in which positive growth occurred for cooperating teachers. They are: 1) Personal characteristics, 2) Pedagogical skills, and 3) Knowledge. Five major themes emerged from the data collected for this study. These themes describe the ways in which the cooperating teachers felt that their professional development was affected by serving as cooperating teachers throughout all of the knowledge, skills, and attributes (KSAs) as described by Alberta Education (1997). They are: 1) Reflection, 2) Articulation of teaching practices, 3) Collaboration and shared problem solving, 4) New ideas/strategies, 5) Meaningful conversations. Implications of the study and recommendations for practice are offered within the discussion.
Keywords and concepts:
Cooperating teacher, mentoring, preservice teacher, teacher instructional leadership, professional development, partner teacher, student teacher
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Keywords
Education--Secondary, Education--Teacher Training
Citation
Law, J. K. (2013). Preservice Teacher Mentoring as Development for Teacher Instructional Leadership (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/27420