Self-Disclosure in Mentoring Preservice Teachers in Field Experiences

• In Event: 63.050 - Perspectives on Mentoring in Teacher Education

Abstract

This study explored topics, purposes and impacts of mentors’ self-disclosure in mentoring preservice teachers. The results of the study from the interviews with six preservice teachers showed the mentors’ disclosure involved topics of personal characteristics, personal experiences, educational experiences, family and marriage, likes/dislikes, and habits. Sharing this information contributed to preservice teachers’ understanding of their mentors’ identity and facilitated their own teacher identity development. The results from the interviews with both mentors and preservice teachers showed that the purpose of self-disclosure was to learn about one another and to form a trusting relationship; additionally, self-disclosure in mentoring increases their sharing information with each other, and creating more opportunities to learn to teach.

Authors

• Shaoan Zhang, University of Nevada - Las Vegas

• Abdullah Khamis Alshukri, University of Nevada - Las Vegas

• Ana Paola Zenteno, University of Nevada - Las Vegas

• Khaled Ismail Alnajjar, University of Nevada - Las Vegas

• Ching Hsu-Kim, University of Nevada - Las Vegas