ABSTRACT
The research in this chapter is prompted by three developments: the emerging role of the mentor in school, the expanding recruitment of Religious Education Postgraduate Certificate of Education (RE PGCE) students from diverse backgrounds, and the government’s concern with the standards of initial teacher training (ITT). The research identifies the mentoring needs of RE PGCE students in the light of their academic background and personal, religious and philosophical motivations. It then assesses how effectively these needs are met by mentors, and identifies good practice in RE mentoring. Third, the research examines the influence on RE mentoring of the structure and expectations within the training partnership and identifies areas for improvement. The research findings suggest that, given training which links student needs with good practice in mentoring, mentors can turn a diverse intake of students into competent classroom practitioners. However, the research findings also establish that the extent to which RE mentoring needs are met can be influenced by the structure and expectations within the partnership, and recommendations for improvement are made, which should enhance the role of the mentor. The research concludes that the expanding recruitment of RE PGCE students from diverse backgrounds is justified if mentors engage in a training, as opposed to a supervisory role and become equal, proactive partners in the training process. The research was sponsored by the Farmington Institute, Oxford, who are the copyright holders of the data (see Mead, 1996).
