Okul Öncesi Öğretmen Eğitiminde Mentörlük Uygulamasının İncelenmesi

Abstract

In this study, it is aimed to examine the mentoring practice in early childhood teacher education through the experiences of teacher candidates. The mentoring process was designed based on the framework of Communities of Practice and was implemented over the course of one academic semester. In line with this aim, the study aims to examine, through the perspectives of pre-service early childhood teachers, how their classroom practices changed during the mentoring process, which elements of the mentoring they found effective, and what contributions it made to their professional development. The study was carried out using the phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research approaches. The mentoring process was conducted with six pre-service early childhood teachers over the course of one semester at a state university in Ankara. The data of the study were collected through reflective meetings and semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed using the thematic analysis method. The findings revealed that mentoring provided multilayered support for various aspects of the candidates' classroom practices, regarding classroom management, organization of the learning environment, effective communication with children, planning, and assessment processes. The teacher candidates stated that they found the feedback and collaborative learning environment offered by the mentoring practice to be effective. Furthermore, mentoring contributed to their professional development in terms of motivation, commitment to the profession, self-confidence, emotional well-being, and becoming researcher teachers. Overall, the mentoring process was found to make significant contributions to the improvement of teacher candidates’ classroom practices and their professional growth.