Co-Constructing Mentorship: Exploring Mentor-Mentee Relationship Building in Multilingual Teacher Education

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Abstract

This paper explores the mentor-mentee relationship-building process in teaching practicums for multilingual teacher candidates. Adopting dialogic and ecological perspectives, it views relationship-building as a social discursive co-construction influenced by individual histories, sociocultural contexts, and broader environmental factors. Employing an ethnographic approach, it examines how MTCs navigate practicum experiences with mentors, negotiate cultural differences, and develop professional identities. Findings from two telling cases illustrate the pivotal role of open communication, mutual understanding, and empowering MTCs' agency in fostering authentic relationships. Mentors' willingness to bridge cultural divides and mentees’ proactive engagement significantly shaped relationship dynamics. The study offers insights into how to support effective mentorship for MTCs and implications for designing co-learning models that nurture the professional growth of future multilingual educators.

Authors

• Huili Hong, Vanderbilt University

• Shannon M. Daniel, Vanderbilt University

• Amber N. Warren, Vanderbilt University