Pedagogical Mentorship

Findings

This chapter will shed the light on the findings I obtained during my study concerning the mentorship process within the pedagogical practicum. This section is divided into three parts, in accordance with the research questions I posed in my study, and these parts are also divided according to the themes emerged throughout the study.

Research Question 1. What goals do the mentors and the mentees pursue during the mentorship process within the pedagogical practicum?

Goals-setting. Whereas successful mentoring practice is bound to be achieved in its gradual progression, it is important to remember that it is in the beginning of the process when mentors and mentees should arrive at an understanding of each other’s position, otherwise,

When I posed the question whether they have agreed upon their plan and priorities they are willing to concentrate on, majority of teachers were confused, saying that they held some expectations, but they have not talked about these expectations neither with the mentees nor with mentors. That came out as a surprise, though I was persistent in investigating what kind of goals and hopes they entailed when started collaboration with a mentor or a

“[…] still, there’s the highest aim of teaching profession which determines the principle goal of all the teaching and mentoring process – it is how to become a better teacher. The most important goal both for a mentor and a mentee is to be somewhat useful,” - Mentee 6.

From the excerpts above it is vividly seen that the main motive which drives the mentorship process according to the participants’ view is the knowledge exchange, or, the opportunity to be somehow useful and helpful, thereby believing in “two-way street” approach.

Theme 2: Mentorship as a one-way street (codes: no goals/“mentor should”/unawareness)

However, whereas some teachers regard mentorship as a process of mutual benefit, some teachers hold another opinion, regarding it as a one-way process. Interestingly, but mainly mentees feel that they did not have to carry any duties and goals in front of their mentors, whereas it is the mentors, who “should” or “must” undertake some