RR 91-6 Helping novices learn to teach: Lessons from an experienced support teacher.
Abstract
There is growing interest in the problem of teacher induction and widespread support for the idea of assigning experienced teachers to work with beginning teaches. Still, we know relatively little about what thoughtful mentor teachers do, how they think about their work, and what novices learn from their interactions with them. This paper describes how one exemplary support teacher defines and enacts his role with beginning teachers. Based on 10 hours of interview data and 10 hours of observational data, the paper illustrates specific principles and strategies that shape Pete Frazer's practice and considers how he learned to do this kind of work. As a close study of extraordinary practice, the paper offers a vision of what beginning teacher support could be like and some ideas about the conditions needed to sustain it.