Mentoring mentors as a tool for personal and professional empowerment in teacher education

This study examined the effects of a support course for student teachers who served as mentors of school children over one school year in the Perach Mentoring Project (PMP). One hundred student teacher mentors responded to a questionnaire that examined the student teacher mentors' role perceptions, mentoring performance and support sources. The findings indicate that participation in mentoring and in support course experiences can change attitudes and beliefs, develop personal and professional skills and cause changes in work relations. Our recommendations include greater participation of the student teacher mentors in support courses, as well as the inclusion of the PMP in teacher education curriculum. Mentoring should be included as an integral part of preservice teacher training programmes.