Preparing and Supporting Cooperating Teachers for Enhanced Mentorship: Insights from the Student Teaching Experience
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v67i3.3361Keywords:
Mentor-Mentee Relationships, Cooperating Teachers, Student Teachers, Mentoring, Student Teaching, Agricultural EducationAbstract
Nearly half of U.S. teachers leave the profession within their first five years, making teacher retention a persistent concern. High-quality mentorship during the student teaching internship plays a critical role in supporting new teachers, with cooperating teachers serving as key mentors for student teachers. Despite the importance of this relationship, limited research examines the mentoring dynamics between CTs and STs. This mixed-methods study investigates cooperating teacher and student teacher perspectives on mentor–mentee experiences related to 17 identified best practices for mentoring behaviors during student teaching. Findings indicate that student teachers often hold different understandings or needs regarding these best practices than those demonstrated by their cooperating teachers. The identified disparities between cooperating teachers’ perceived mentoring practices and student teachers’ observed experiences suggest a need for further research to better prepare and support cooperating teachers in their essential mentoring roles.
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