Document Type
Research Report
Original Publication Date
2026
Date of Submission
March 2026
Abstract
The quality of pre-service teacher mentoring depends not only on program structures but on the dispositions mentors bring to the relationship. This practice brief presents a framework of three mentor dispositions (collaborative, supportive, and flexible/open) that support positive experiences for pre-service teachers during field placements. The framework was developed through a systematic review of Teacher Residency Program (TRP) literature and informed by interviews with pre-service teachers in a local TRP. For each disposition, the brief identifies specific mentor actions and illustrates them through the voices of pre-service teachers describing their experiences as mentees. The brief concludes with recommendations for applying the framework in mentor professional development, including approaches to assessing mentor dispositions, mentor coaching, peer support groups, and engaging mentees as active participants in the mentoring relationship. While grounded in the TRP context, the framework is intended to be broadly applicable across teacher preparation models that include clinical or practicum experiences.
Is Part Of
VCU ICRE Publications
Recommended Citation
Bontrager, B. & Senechal, J. (2026). Mentoring Dispositions to Support Pre-Service Teacher Development. Richmond, VA: Institute for Collaborative Research and Evaluation.