ABSTRACT
This chapter shows the key function that the mentor’ serves in enabling the transition from student to beginning teacher. A vital factor in controlling the quality of mentorship and the student experience was the selection of suitable mentors and schools. The initial selection process offers one means of sustaining the quality of mentorship. Once the mentorship schemes were operating in schools the main participants were the mentor, the student and the college link tutor. Headteachers and mentors realized that it was an important role that would have possible effects on the mentor’s own professional development, the contribution that the mentor would be able to make to the normal operation of the school and their attractiveness to other schools when new appointments were being sought. In addition to the Student Handbook, which in all cases contained general administrative matters, the aims, content and a course programme, and assessment issues, there was a variety of other documents to support mentors and students.
