Teacher candidates' perceptions of participating in a peer mentorship practicum model

This three-year study explored the perceptions of pre-service candidates in a five-year concurrent teacher education program who participated in a peer mentorship practicum model. In this practicum model teacher candidates were placed as a dyad, with each novice first-year candidate paired with a second- or third-year candidate who acted as a peer mentor. The research addressed the perspectives of novice teacher candidates and the perspectives of mentor teacher candidates of the benefits and challenges of participating in a practicum model that combined peer mentorship between two candidates at different stages of program completion, with traditional mentorship between these candidates and their hosting associate teacher. Across all three years the quantitative and open-ended response results demonstrated that the peer mentorship model achieved the objective of fostering collaborative practice between novice and mentor candidates, and that this collaboration was perceived to provide additional support that was beneficial to both candidates in the mentorship dyad. The results of this study suggest that combining practicum peer mentorship between teacher candidates at different stages of program completion with traditional mentorship between these candidates and their hosting associate teacher holds the potential to foster field-based collaboration and provide additional support to both novice and mentor candidates. Equally important, the findings caution that the implementation of a practicum peer mentorship model requires careful attention to preparing candidates for this model by clarifying the roles of teacher candidates working as a dyad in their practicum placements.

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