The SCoTENS Trilateral Mentoring Project

Fiona ChambersKathleen Armour

Sinead LuttrellFrank Herold

Deirdre BrennanWalter Bleakley

Internationally, the development of mentoring in schools in conjunction with university-school partnerships has become a key feature of re-designed teacher education over the last decade

(Conway et al., 2009, p.118)

School-University Partnerships

Mentoring involves primarily listening with empathy, sharing experience and learning (usually mutually), professional friendship, developing insight through reflection, being a sounding board, encouraging

(Gardiner, 1998, p.77)

Definition

To produce a Position Statement on “Effective Physical Education Teacher

Education(PETE) Mentoring”

Aim

What we found…

Qualitative approach

Three case studies

Methods

IrelandUniversity College

Cork

2 University Tutors◦ 2 female

5 Mentor teachers◦ 1 male, 4 female

Northern Ireland University of Ulster,

Jordanstown

2 University Tutors◦ 1 male, 1 female

2 Mentor teachers◦ 1 male, 1 female

EnglandUniversity of

Birmingham

2 University Tutors◦ 1 male, 1 female

3 Mentors◦ 2 male, 1 female

Synchronous◦ Open profile questionnaires◦ On-line Seminar

Asynchronous◦ On-line Discussion Forum

Data Collection

Constructivist Grounded Theory (Charmaz, 2009)

◦ Making systematic comparisons throughout inquiry

◦ Interacting with data, codes, and categories

◦ Doing analytic writing from the start i.e. memo-writing

◦ Making early links between the empirical world

◦ theoretical ideas and checking them theoretical sampling.

Data Analysis

Within the school-university partnership, the triadic relationship of Mentor-University Tutor-Pre-service PE teacher must be fostered and valued to ensure a robust and coordinated approach to pre-service teacher education.

Finding 1

The purpose of the mentor-mentee relationship is the engagement in professional sharing which should continue beyond the teaching practice experience.

Finding 2

The Mentor should provide support and guidance to the pre-service PE teacher both professionally and personally.

Finding 3

The Mentor should ensure a safe learning space for the pre-service PE teacher where he/she is free to take risks and explore praxis in a variety of contexts.

Finding 4

Mentors need to be selected on the basis of suitability i.e. disposition and expertise and must be trained to mentor pre-service teachers effectively.

Finding 5

Continuum of Factors that influence Mentor Pedagogy

Conclusion

He Wishes For The Cloths Of HeavenHad I the heavens' embroidered cloths,Enwrought with golden and silver light,

The blue and the dim and the dark clothsOf night and light and the half-light,

I would spread the cloths under your feet:But I, being poor, have only my dreams;

I have spread my dreams under your feet;Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

 (William Butler Yeats)

 

Go raibh míle maith agaibh