Abstract

Mentoring is an old idea that is being hailed as an important strategy for teacher professional development. But how is mentoring conceptualised and implemented in this context? Conceptualisations of mentoring range from the traditional view of an expert-novice relationship to more recent conceptualisations of mentoring as a developmental partnership or shared adventure. However, the way that mentoring is conceptualised impacts on all facets of the implementation of mentoring. In particular, it influences the way the roles of mentor and mentoree are understood, how participants come to engage in mentoring, and how they are prepared and supported. This paper examines different conceptualisations of mentoring and their appropriateness for the professional development of educators. It then explores the implications of adopting a partnership view of the mentoring relationship for developing and implementing mentoring as a professional development strategy. Issues addressed include the language used, the context in which the mentoring takes place, the selection process, the preparation for participation in mentoring, the support available to participants and the likely outcomes of a mentoring partnership.