ABSTRACT
This chapter considers how mentors can best support beginning teachers at the start, middle and end of their training period. It begins by considering the wide-ranging subject knowledge development needs that beginning teachers have and also the confidence concerns that mentors may have about their own knowledge of mathematics. The chapter considers how mentors initially help beginning teachers establish and maintain positive teacher wellbeing, and contrast this with the end of the training, where mentors encourage more independence and resilience when facing ongoing challenges. It discusses potential differences between beginning teachers and their mentors in relation to subject knowledge, mathematics as a discipline and whether a mentor should only be concerned about developing their mentee in the particular context of the school they are currently working in. It is important to acknowledge that subject knowledge development is a fundamental part of all teachers’ practice, and that being aware and honest about anxieties is normal and important.
