ABSTRACT
This chapter explores effective mentoring at the Initial phase of clinical experiences. Teacher candidates can attain the Initial phase of clinical experiences during earlier, shorter clinical experiences or at the very beginning of a longer experience. The chapter explains differences in mentoring at different levels of experience, including the following: Initial, Intermediate, Continuous, early-career, and teacher leader. It explores effective mentoring at the Initial phase of clinical experiences. Teacher candidates are likely to be somewhat tentative, as they are new to teaching, the school, the classroom, and the students. At the Initial level, teacher candidates are performing simple tasks that require little previous experience or preparation to get them started in the classroom. It is important to them to be seen as teachers because they are just beginning to develop their professional identities. The most relevant co-teaching strategies for the Initial experiences are one teach, one observe, and one teach, one assist.
