TY - JOUR
T1 - A comparative study of mentoring for new teachers
AU - Shanks, Rachel
AU - Attard Tonna, Michelle
AU - Krøjgaard, Frede
AU - Paaske, Karen Annette
AU - Robson, Dean
AU - Bjerkholt, Eva
N1 - The research conducted in Scotland was funded by the Scottish Government
PY - 2020/4/9
Y1 - 2020/4/9
N2 - Teacher shortages and retention problems occur globally. This paper explores support for Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs), in particular the role of mentoring. Reasons for mentoring NQTs include combating isolation and fostering collaboration, enhancing professional practice and retaining teachers in the profession. Three different national environments are compared, with teacher induction programmes at national and local levels providing support for NQTs. We contrast the situation in Scotland, an early adopter of a national teacher induction scheme (2002), with that of Malta where an induction programme has been in place since 2010 and Denmark where there is no national scheme, but some support may be organised at a municipal or school level. In all three countries challenges were found in the enactment of mentoring such as having time for observation and feedback but also in terms of how to mentor. Based on our findings we propose that both mentors and NQTs need time away from their teaching commitments to devote to their mentoring relationship. Furthermore, it would appear from our analysis that while a national induction scheme is important to promote the induction of NQTs, support for the transition into the teaching profession also depends on the individual school context.
AB - Teacher shortages and retention problems occur globally. This paper explores support for Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs), in particular the role of mentoring. Reasons for mentoring NQTs include combating isolation and fostering collaboration, enhancing professional practice and retaining teachers in the profession. Three different national environments are compared, with teacher induction programmes at national and local levels providing support for NQTs. We contrast the situation in Scotland, an early adopter of a national teacher induction scheme (2002), with that of Malta where an induction programme has been in place since 2010 and Denmark where there is no national scheme, but some support may be organised at a municipal or school level. In all three countries challenges were found in the enactment of mentoring such as having time for observation and feedback but also in terms of how to mentor. Based on our findings we propose that both mentors and NQTs need time away from their teaching commitments to devote to their mentoring relationship. Furthermore, it would appear from our analysis that while a national induction scheme is important to promote the induction of NQTs, support for the transition into the teaching profession also depends on the individual school context.
KW - comparative research
KW - mentoring
KW - newly qualified teachers
KW - teacher induction
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85083883985&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/19415257.2020.1744684
DO - 10.1080/19415257.2020.1744684
M3 - Article
JO - Professional Development in Education
JF - Professional Development in Education
SN - 1941-5257
ER -