The study explores novice teachers' professional development and growth during their first year of teaching. In the Estonian teacher education context the need has emerged to develop novice teachers' support structures during the induction year. Mentoring provides one means of supporting professional development, and mentoring practices have been addressed in a development project set up for the purpose of developing teacher education. The study describes sixteen novice teachers' experiences of mentoring during their induction year. The data is based on thematic interviews with the novice teachers, in which they reflect upon their professional growth and their experiences of mentoring. Results indicate that during the induction year there is a shift from a teaching-centred approach towards a learning-centred approach, which can be regarded as an expansion of the novice teachers' pedagogical awareness and indicates novice teachers' professional growth. The mentoring relationship was described in terms of socialisation into the organisation. Problem solving, feedback and support were the main ways in which the novice teacher and the mentor interacted. Whether this process truly implies collaborative and organisational learning or whether it is merely an adaptive process remains yet a question. Nevertheless, findings point to the direction that mentoring as a support structure during induction year need to be further developed and strengthened.

Background and AIms of the Study

The article describes a study on Estonian novice teachers' pedagogical awareness as an indicator of professional growth during induction year, and the role of mentoring as facilitator of the expansion of the pedagogical awareness. The study provides insight into how novice-mentor interaction supports the novice teachers' professional growth. Results help induction year mentors and planners to deepen their understanding of the role of the mentor and allows induction year planning in which mentoring can be more carefully prepared and carried through. In the Estonian teacher education context the need to develop induction year practice has surfaced. The necessity to support the teacher's professional development has grown out of difficulties and problems associated with the teaching profession. These are the fairly low prestige of the teacher profession and high average age of teachers resulting in a lack of sufficient numbers of teachers in the foreseeable future. Simultaneously, the teacher's work is undergoing a paradigmatic change introducing collegiality as a necessary element in the teaching profession. In this context, the support structures for novice teachers must be developed and methods that enable collaborative work must be strengthened. Induction year and mentoring are the most significant means of supporting novice teachers. The objective of the research is to explore the opportunities to develop these structures further.

Theoretical perspectives

Teachers' professional growth has been approached through different theoretical perspectives, among them developmental stage theory (Kagan, 1992; Furlong & Maynard, 1995), socialisation theory (Zeichner & Gore, 1990) and cognitive and personality theory (Calderhead, 1988). The study draws on ideas from these perspectives with an emphasis on mentoring as a means to socialisation and reflection as a facilitator of professional growth. Reflection refers to the meaning-making process of experiences. Reflection is an integral part of learning processes involving recognition of own approaches to teaching. Reflection helps novice teachers to recognise and structure their learning and share their understanding with peers and the mentor, introducing a collaborative aspect to the learning process (Feiman-Nemser, 2001; Wang & Odell, 2002). A constant dialogue between one's previous and current experiences is necessary in order to analyse the underpinnings of one's actions.

Method

The aim of the study was to analyse mentor-novice teacher interaction. The following questions were addressed: How does mentoring support professional development of novice teachers? What meanings do novice teachers ascribe to the mentoring as a facilitator of professional growth?

The sample consisted of 16 novice teachers who worked first year as full-time teachers (2004-05) at different school levels. Data consisted of semi-structured interviews addressing the type and adequacy of the help received from mentors. In content analysis the researcher's intention is to describe phenomena in a condensed and general form through categories (Weber, 1985). The interviews were thematically analysed with the following emerging as the main categories of novice-mentor interaction: the characteristics of the mentor and the features of the mentoring relationship; the explicit common themes discussed with mentor; and the nature of the feedback provided by the mentor.

Results

During the first months of the induction year the novice teachers' development centred on the development of professional skills, such as lesson planning, using different learning methods and assessing student learning. The novice teachers' attention was directed towards aspects related to the teaching of the subject. After the initial months novice teachers' focus shifted towards class-room management. Later on during the induction year focus shifted towards pupils and their learning supporting Furlong and Maynard's (1995) ideas. These shifts were reflected in the discussions with the mentor. The shift implies development of knowledge structures and maturing of pedagogical thinking. Teachers whose approach is focused on learning express awareness of constructivist principles and are able to select appropriate methods for achieving the learning goals. The pedagogical thinking of mature teachers is directed towards the pupils and their learning needs, whereas focus in immature thinking is limited to self and the subject/content (LaBoskey, 1993). It is the depth of reflection that distinguishes the immature and the pedagogical thinker (ibid.)

Support is needed from a person - at best the mentor- who is familiar with the context, its obstacles, opportunities and value bases and who understands the novice's way of perceiving the context. According to Furlong and Maynard (1995) the main factors influencing the professional development process of the novice teacher are personality characteristics, contextual factors and the nature of the teacher education programme. We see mentoring as the intersection of these factors. The data indicates that the mentor's role in this learning process was recognised and appreciated. The mentor was considered a guide to the organisation. Help in problem solving, feedback and support were the main modes of interaction between the novice and the mentor. The first work year can be characterised as a period of adaptation into the organisation. Whether this process truly implies collaborative learning or whether it is merely an adaptive process remains a question. The mentor's role in the novice teacher's professional development should nevertheless be further strengthened.

References

Calderhead, J. (1988). The development of knowledge structures in learning to teach. In J. Calderhead (Ed.) Teachers' Professional learning (pp. 51-64). London: Falmer.

Feiman-Nemser, S. (2001). From preparation to practice: Designing a continuum to strengthen and sustain teaching. Teachers College Record, V, 103(6), 1013-1055.

Furlong, J. & Maynard, T. (1995). Mentoring Student teachers. The Growth of Professional Knowledge. London: Routledge.

Kagan, D. M. (1992). Professional growth among preservice and beginning teachers. Review od Educational Research, 62(2), 129-169.

LaBoskey, V. K. (1994). Development of Reflective Practice: A Study of Preservice Teachers. New York: Teachers' College Press.

Wang, J. & Odell, S. J. (2002). Mentored learning to teach according to standard-based reform: A critical review. Review of Educational Research, 72(3), 481-546.

Weber, R. P. (1985). Basic Content Analysis. Newbury Park: Sage.

Zeichner, K. M. & Gore, J. M. (1990). Teacher socialization. In W. R. Houston (Ed.) Handbook of Research on Teacher Education (pp. 329-348). New Yorl: Macmillan.