The mentor–tutor partnership in Turkish special education initial teacher training: an exploration of collaboration and agency

Abstract

This paper explores the perspectives of the tutors and mentors involved in Turkish special education departments` initial teacher training, and how their understanding of and degree of agency shapes the nature of the partnership in it. The data collected from four partnership settings identified three sub-themes: expertise; experience; and expectations. The collective understanding within the teacher training environments shaped the behaviour of individuals. However, rather than working in collaboration with schools, the dominant role in the partnership is either taken by the tutors, and the mentor is largely ignored, or tutors leave the dominant role to the mentors and participate in the system superficially. Exploring the collaboration in Turkish teacher training programmes seems to be an important area to improve the overall quality of teacher training. Looking at ways in which mentors and tutors exert agency offers an opportunity to strengthen levels of collaboration.