The Scottish approach to mentoring in early phase teacher education: an overview and critique

Kennedy, A. (2022) The Scottish approach to mentoring in early phase teacher education: an overview and critique. In: Eady, S., Essex, J., Livingston, K. and McColl, M. (eds.) Mentoring Teachers in Scotland: A Practical Guide. Routledge, pp. 19-30. ISBN 9780367405997 (doi: 10.4324/9780429356957-3)

Abstract

This chapter will explore the rationale for mentoring within Scotland, tracing the development of mentoring in early phase teacher education (initial teacher education and the induction year). It sets the mentoring approach within the wider policy context, which has conceived of learning to teach as an intellectually engaging and socially practiced activity, that is, all initial teacher education in Scotland is currently university-based and delivered in partnership with local schools. The chapter then analyses the introduction of the renowned ‘Teacher Induction Scheme’, looking at the ‘problems’ this scheme was designed to solve and the faith that was then put in the mentoring model to achieve these aims. The ‘Scottish approach’ is considered in relation to literature and practice in other countries, identifying strengths and possible areas for its development. More recently, findings from the Scotland-wide ‘Measuring Quality in Initial Teacher Education’ project are drawn on, and specifically findings from a survey of school-based teacher mentors, highlighting both affordances and constraints of the approach(es) currently in place. The discussion concludes by raising a number of challenges, and making some suggestions about how Scotland might move to the next stage of its development regarding early phase mentoring.

• Item Type: Book Sections
• Status: Published
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Kennedy, Professor Aileen
• Authors: Kennedy, A.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Education
• Journal Name: Mentoring Teachers in Scotland
• Publisher: Routledge
• ISBN: 9780367405997