Challenges for Mentors in Working with Secondary School Pre-service Teachers

Abstract

A key global trend in initial teacher education is the ‘practice turn’ where jurisdictions are increasingly mandating that teacher education providers include more ‘practicum’ time in teacher education programmes. In New Zealand, the Teaching Council’s recent revision of accreditation requirements has extended the minimum number of days that pre-service teachers (PSTs) must spend in practice settings (in: Teaching Council, ITE programmeme approval, monitoring and review requirements, TCANZ, Wellington, 2019). The more time spent on practicum, the more important mentors in schools become. This study reports on the challenges mentors faced in working with PSTs in secondary school where less is known about mentor practice than is known about how primary school mentors work with their PSTs. Unless addressed, these challenges may prove impediments to meeting two of the new Requirements for providers of initial teacher education, that PSTs spend more time in schools on practicum, and that all mentors of PSTs be formally trained for their role.