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Mentors as educational leaders and change agents

Kate Thornton (School of Educational Policy and Implementation, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand)

International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education

ISSN: 2046-6854

Article publication date: 25 February 2014

3557

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the educational leadership capacity of mentors working with new teachers and to identify factors that support and hinder the development of this leadership capacity.

Design/methodology/approach

The author conducted a qualitative case study of mentors with connections to the New Teacher Center in California. Data were collected through an online survey of mentors, focus group interviews with mentors, and interviews with programme leaders.

Findings

Mentors in the study view themselves as educational leaders and were able to identify enablers and barriers to the development of their leadership capacity. Enablers include: their selection and experience as mentors, mentor preparation and ongoing professional support, and the support and encouragement of skilled programme leaders and of some principals and districts. The main barrier to mentors having a positive impact is the culture of the schools and districts in which they work.

Research limitations/implications

Findings from this small-scale study of mentors with connections to the NTC cannot be transferred to other contexts, however, the factors supporting and hindering the development of educational leadership capacity may be of interest and relevance to other mentoring programmes.

Originality/value

There is a lack of empirical research that considers the benefits of mentoring for the mentors and in particular the educational leadership capacity that mentors develop in their roles.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This study was carried out while the author was on a CognitionFulbright Study award in the USA in 2012.

Citation

Thornton, K. (2014), "Mentors as educational leaders and change agents", International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, Vol. 3 No. 1, pp. 18-31. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-07-2013-0038

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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