Role of mentoring as a pathway for professional growth in early childhood teacher education

While mentoring has seen a surge of interest in the field of professional development, there has been a scarcity of research on its role in early childhood teacher education. The aim of this study is to contribute to the development of knowledge about mentoring as a potential driver of professional learning for pre-service early childhood teachers. By adopting a theoretical perspective of Community of Practice, this article reports the findings of a qualitative study on the mentoring process experienced by student teachers. The thematic analysis of reflective meetings and interviews with the participants revealed that mentoring fostered a collaborative and supportive professional culture. Findings illuminate how mentoring can contribute to student teachers’ professional growth regarding professional motivation, sense of belonging, self-confidence, emotional well-being, and teacher as researcher identity. This study responds to the need to understand the potential for mentoring in early childhood teacher education.