Abstract
The aim of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the opinions of the teachers on mentoring process and their experiences. To achieve this aim, the study sought information on mentoring essences, practices, roles, and training needs of mentor teachers. Experienced and beginning teachers were purposefully selected from eight English-medium secondary schools in South Africa. Data from the literature review, 16 group interviews and 24 open-ended questionnaires were triangulated and thematically analysed to gain a deeper understanding of the phenomenon. Forty-eight experienced teachers and 24 beginning teachers shared their life experiences, perspectives, and perceptions on the mentoring process. The study revealed that in South African schools, mentoring was patchy and unsystematic. Data collected revealed that a new working environment presented some social, personal, and professional challenges to beginning teachers. It was revealed that experienced teachers were willing to support their fellow beginning colleagues even though they were not trained in the mentoring process and did not receive the necessary support from the school management teams.
Highlights
The transition of beginning teachers from universities to their real-life jobs is somewhat daunting
The findings of this study reveal that beginning teachers receive personal and professional help from their fellow experienced colleagues, especially in the aspects such as gaining confidence, building a positive attitude, handling learners, time management and learner assessment
Findings reveal that mentoring is not mandatory, no time is set aside for it, proper attention and support is not received from the school management team (SMT), it is haphazard, and progress cannot be traced
Summary
The transition of beginning teachers from universities to their real-life jobs is somewhat daunting. The theory they obtained during their training is contrary to real-life experiences at schools At this stage, beginning teachers are usually met with the emotional and ecological challenges of becoming accustomed to the new work environment and new colleagues. To counter this daunting new experience, experienced teachers could be of assistance in assuring beginning teachers that their lack of experience was normal. Experienced teachers who usually serve as mentors, though not officially assigned, are essential supporters in directing beginning teachers to improve their subject expertise and methodology In their Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) report, Ingersoll et al [2] document an increase in the intake of the teaching force. There is no formal or structured mentoring model offered at the schools in South Africa
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