Supervisor's dilemma: Power in the student teacher/mentor teacher relationship
Abstract
Research shows that university supervisors do not significantly influence student teachers' curricular and pedagogical decisions. The mentor teacher is the most influential force in a student teacher's experience. Understanding and making explicit the role of power in the student teacher/mentor teacher relationship is key to improving one's practice as a supervisor as well as improving the student teacher's experience. This project is a case study of the types of power at play in three such relationships. Power affected the students' abilities to teach in ways that reflected their own pedagogical philosophies. When applied appropriately, power served as a positive force for building student teacher confidence. The paper concludes with recommendations for fostering positive power relationships amongst student teachers, mentor teachers, and university supervisors.
Degree
M.S.Ed.
Advisors
Johnson, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Education|Teacher education|Secondary education
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