Pre-Service Teachers’ Transformative Learning Though Peer Mentoring: A Community of Practice Approach

• 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 study investigates how peer mentoring with multilingual peers fosters intercultural development among preservice teachers in a rural teacher education program. Using reflection logs and surveys, data were analyzed through both inductive and deductive coding. Findings show that participants generally developed positive attitudes toward their peers’ cultures, though their levels of engagement varied. Within these mentoring communities, preservice teachers navigated identity formation by reflecting on power dynamics, cultural connections, and pedagogical adaptability. The study addresses a gap in rural teacher preparation by examining peer mentoring as a form of experiential learning. It offers insights into how teacher education programs can embed reflective, intercultural experiences to better prepare culturally responsive educators in settings with limited diversity.

Author

• Xuexue Yang, SUNY - College at Oneonta