Purpose
The study investigates how kindergarten teachers in Sweden experience their role as mentors in kindergarten. The study highlights how the mentor role is seen as a form of support for new kindergarten teachers. The aim of the study is to increase understanding of mentorship in kindergarten.
Result
The results show that mentors experience their role as a combination of personal, professional and team support. Personal support involves the mentor’s ability to help new employees develop on their own terms, while professional support involves providing specific advice and guidance. Team support involves close collaboration between kindergarten teachers, other kindergarten staff and parents. Team support emphasises the importance of collaboration to enhance professional development. The study highlights the complexity of mentorship, especially in kindergartens where several professional groups are involved.
Design
The data include self-reflective texts from 75 kindergarten teachers who all participated in a mentorship programme. The texts describe how mentors experience supporting newly qualified kindergarten teachers in their professional development.
References
Ståhle, Y., & Edman Stålbrandt, E. (2022). Exploring descriptions of mentoring as support in Swedish preschools. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 43(1), 54–68.
Online year: 2020
Issue year: 2022
Review year: 2022