Finding Their Footing: A Multi-Case Analysis of Preservice Teachers Navigating Mentor Teacher Relationships

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 9:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Ethical Mentorship and Transformative Learning: Supporting Preservice Teachers’ Growth Through Relational Practice

Abstract

This paper explores how three Secondary English Language Arts preservice teachers navigated complex tensions when their mentor teachers “stepped in” during instruction. Using comparative case analysis, I examine how each preservice teacher found their footing: following in step, stepping with, or sidestepping their mentor. Findings show that these “stepping in” moments created nuanced challenges, as preservice teachers balanced maintaining good relationships with mentors and asserting their own approaches. While participants made plans to address these tensions, actually enacting them proved difficult, revealing the influence of power dynamics and dominant discourses, such as individualism and niceness. This study provides insights into supporting preservice teachers in navigating mentoring complexities and fostering more collaborative and responsive student teaching environments.

Author

• Christopher Kingsland, Towson University