Keiler, L.S., Diotti, R., Hudon, K. & Ransom, J. (2020)

The role of feedback in teacher mentoring: How coaches, peers, and students affect teacher change. Mentoring and Tutoring: Partnership in Learning,

28(2), 126-155, DOI: 10.1080/13611267.2020.1749345

Abstract

Our study contributes to understanding teacher mentoring by exploring impacts of feedback from multiple mentoring sources as teachers with varying levels of experience learned to implement student-centered instruction. Mentees in our study learned to implement a student-centered model, sup- ported by mentoring from students and teachers experienced in the model. We employed qualitative methods to collect and analyze data from two summer schools, with 22 STEM teachers and 47 student-instructors from 15 non- selective, public high schools. Findings include: (a) teachers had positive attitudes towards feedback, (b) feedback from multiple sources changed practice, (c) effective feedback required structure, (d) experienced teachers benefitted most from feedback, and (e) student feedback was most valuable. These findings provide strategies to shape future mentoring, informing teachers, administrators, professional development coaches, and teacher educators about critical factors in the use of feedback to improve teaching through mentoring.