Understanding mentoring role as a step towards improving quality of teacher education: Kosovo experience

Abstract

This research aimed at investigating how mentor teachers perceive their role as mentors of student teachers in an education system that is undergoing transition and faces significant challenges in quality of teacher education. The study was conducted in Kosovo and involved 220 mentor teachers trained at the University of Prishtina's Faculty of Education and an analysis of the course syllabi that intended to prepare students for school placement. This research concluded that mentor teachers are aware of their roles but prioritise tasks related to classroom management rather than broader roles of teachers in the school system. Also, the course syllabi indicated a general link with anticipated teacher roles while there is a need to ensure a better coherence between the school placement and university input. The research concludes that developments in teacher professionalism in the system should be a driving force behind the preparation of mentor teachers.