Understanding Mentoring Relationships Between Beginning-Year Teachers and Mentors: A Categorization Framework

• In Event: Shifting Policy Contexts for Induction: Implications for Research and Practice

Abstract

This paper presents the findings from a phenomenological, qualitative study focused on formal mentoring relationships between beginning year teachers (BYTs) and their mentors. Through in-depth, iterative analysis of interview and observation data utilizing a ground theory method (Charmaz, 2006), we describe a developing theoretical framework for categorizing mentoring relationships. The framework suggests that mentoring relationships are characterized by particular kinds of help seeking and help giving behaviors and could be described by three large categories: (1) relationships focused primarily on emotional and institutional supports, (2) relationships focused primarily on educative supports, and (3) tenuous relationships.

Authors

• Julianna E. Kershen, Harvard University

• Teresa K. DeBacker, University of Oklahoma