Experience of mentors and beginner primary school teachers in applying the principles of shared leadership during the school adaptation period: The case of Lithuania

Abstract

The article analyses the concept of mentorship in primary education, discusses the shared leadership experiences of mentors and beginners, which were acquired when young teachers interacted with mentors during school adaptation. After completing their studies, educators acquire professional knowledge, which they can apply in their pedagogical activities, but when they start working at school, in practical activities they often face situations they have never encountered during their studies. Primary school teachers have to do not only pedagogical work during lessons, but also solve conflicts between pupils, communicate with the pupils’ parents, and perform certain administrative tasks related to filling in documents. A mentor with both pedagogical experience and leadership qualities can help a beginner with these issues. The study used semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed according to the coding categories, which are considered to be the mentor’s main functions, i.e. mentoring to help the pre-service teacher to acquire practical skills (career function) that are directed towards professional development, mentoring to help with personal development (psychosocial function) and counselling and emotional support (counselling and emotional support function). 10 participants took part in the study, including 4 mentors and 6 novice teachers.