Developing University Mentors' Use of a Bifocal Perspective: Operationalizing Educative Mentoring in Preservice Teacher Education

• In Event: Mentoring Matters: Learning From Practices and Perspectives

Abstract

The supervision of teacher candidates (TC) is complex and challenging and should be educative to support novice teacher learning. The practices of 16 university mentors (UM) were examined as they participated in professional development grounded in principles of educative mentoring. Data analysis underscores the importance of targeting the knowledge and skill that is unique to the work of UM. Analysis reveals: UM were able to use teaching practice as a site for situated inquiry and were able to strike a balance between addressing the immediate needs of the teacher candidate while staying focused on long term goals of TC development. Analysis revealed a need for more extensive professional development to provide UM with knowledge of the developmental trajectories of TC.

Authors

• Amy B. Palmeri, Vanderbilt University

• Jeanne A. Peter, Vanderbilt University