Helping novices learn to teach: Lessons from an exemplary support teacher

Abstract

There is growing interest in the problem of teacher induction and widespread support for the idea of assigning experienced teachers to work with beginning teachers. Still, we know relatively little about what thoughtful mentor teachers do, how they think about their work, and what novices learn from their interactions with them. This article describes how one exemplary support teacher defines and enacts his role with beginning teachers. On the basis of 10 hours of interview data and 20 hours of observational data, the article illustrates specific principles and strategies that shape Pete Frazer's mentoring practice and discusses how he learned to do this kind of work. As a close study of thoughtful practice, the article offers a vision of "educative" mentoring and some ideas about the conditions needed to sustain it.