ABSTRACT
The chapter establishes some key principles derived from the research literature around effective mentoring of beginning and early career teachers. It explores why wholly generic or general approaches, when learning to teach a subject, are not enough to develop effective history teachers, arguing that subject-specific expertise and knowledge is essential. It provides insights into the breadth of issues that history mentors need to consider when working with student teachers: how to induct new colleagues into the profession and the balance between pressure and support; offering pastoral support and helping mentees to manage their well-being and work–life balance; acting as a guide into teaching the discipline; assessing the mentee’s competencies against teacher standards. The chapter also considers the ways the role of the mentor changes over the course of a school placement or induction period, and helps to prepare the student to continue developing into their career. It explores how mentors might address issues of progression in practice, and the complexities involved in developing student teachers’ understanding of the cumulative nature of history teacher learning.
