Mentor-Mentee Self-Disclosure and Mentoring Preservice Teachers' Learning to Teach in Field Experience

• In Event: 30.080 - Roundtable Session 10
  In Roundtable Session: 30.080-5 - Cooperating Teachers and Supervisors: Voices From the Field

Abstract

In field experience preservice teachers learn to teach through opportunities provided by their mentors. Using Butler and Cuena’s mentor role theory, this study explores mentor-mentee self-disclosure as an empirically undocumented phenomenon in field experience and examines how it relates to mentors’ roles and preservice teachers’ development. Using a multiple case study approach with interviews, observation, and focus group interviews of two high school mentor teachers and three preservice teachers, this study found relationships between self-disclosure and three aspects of mentors’ roles: instructional coach, emotional support system, and socializing agent. The study also reported preservice teachers’ opportunities to learn instructional strategies, relieved stress and developed confidence in the safe sharing environment, and improved their understanding of the profession through mentor-mentee self-disclosure.

Authors

• Khaled Ismail Alnajjar, University of Nevada - Las Vegas

• Shaoan Zhang, University of Nevada - Las Vegas