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THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MENTORING BEHAVIOUR AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AMONG
TEACHERS
ABSTRACT
The study
examined the nature of mentoring relationship and professional development
amongst newly qualified teachers and experienced teachers in Lagos State public
secondary schools. Descriptive survey design was employed in order to assess
the opinions of the respondents. The sample consisted of 120 teachers randomly
selected from Lagos State Public Secondary Schools. Five null hypotheses were
generated and tested in this study using the Pearson product moment
correlational statistics and the t-test statistical tools at 0.05 level of
significance. The results show that a significant difference exists in the
mentoring behaviour between the mentor and the mentee in the school, and
between experienced teachers and the newly employed teachers. Also a
significant positive relationship exists between mentoring behaviour and
professional development amongst teachers and between teachers’ skills and
qualities required for successful mentoring programme in secondary schools in
Lagos State. However, no significant gender difference exists in the
professional development of teachers in Lagos State secondary schools due to
mentoring programme put in place. Based on the conclusions of this study, it
was recommended that experienced
teachers and the newly appointed teachers should work hand-in-hand in order to
ensure that cooperation exists amongst them and mentoring should be implemented
in schools at all levels.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Mentoring
can be traced to the Greek mythology based on the story of “Mentor in Homer’s
Odyssey”. The world ‘Mentor’ is now synonymous with the word ‘trusted adviser,
friend, teacher, counselor and wise person’. On the other side of the divide,
words like student, protégé, learner, and mentee are used to describe the one
who is directed or mentored. There are always two sides of the coin. And there
is mentor-mentee kind of relationship in mentorship. According to Cutterbuck
(2000), mentoring presently has appeared to be a serious subject-matter in the
academic circles which involved research and experimentation. Cutterbuck is of
the opinion that mentoring is currently receiving implementation and being used
across educational systems anywhere. This is because mentoring cut across all
spheres of the educational sector: ranging from the peer mentoring in school,
to aid problems with bullying, to professional development for teachers,
management and support staff.
It is
difficult to describe the word ‘mentoring’, as majority of scholars and
researchers alike, have mixed up the meaning of mentoring with coaching and
counseling as techniques of directions. There seem to be a confusion in the
actual function of mentoring. This is because the concept has developed
differently in the North America to the rest of Europe. For instance, the term
“protégé” is used to refer to a mentor relationship where the learner is
younger, less powerful and naïve; who is seemingly guided and directed by the
older, more powerful, senior and experienced individual who is also an expert
(Oti, 2009).
Mentoring is
a process which aids learning and development, and thus, enhances or improves
performance either for an individual or group of individual or business
organization (Sutton Regeneration Partnership, 1999). The main thrust of
mentoring is to ensure that individuals are supported and encouraged to manage
and control their learning in order to maximize their productivity, potential,
enhance their personal skills and performance, and also be the person they are
expected to be (Parsloe and Wray, 2000).
In Nigerian
secondary school system, there is no formal programme for mentoring, rather,
the informal type of mentoring exists. This is a situation where senior member
of staff picks another individual on an informal arrangement to mentor or
direct him/her on the way forward towards development of the teaching
profession. This individual who receives mentoring is regarded as the newly
qualified teacher, or the newly employed teacher who just graduated from the
school system and does not know the nitty gritty of teaching profession
(Uzomah, 2008).
Individuals
(newly qualified teachers) who are mentored, see the mentoring system as a
welcome development. This is because, they perceive the mentoring as a vehicle
for the enhancement of their career. There also, exists cordial relationship
between the mentors and the mentees. This is seen in terms of their friendship
and espit de corp that seems to spring up between the director (the mentor) and
the directed (the mentee). Ayomide (2003), states that for the fact that there
is no formal programme on mentoring in the Nigerian secondary school system,
most people who are mentored see the mentoring as an assistance by the older
teacher, which should not be misused. In the light of this, they seem to
embrace the development and perceive it as a technique designed to enhance
their teaching profession. In most cases, the mentees respect and honours the
mentor(s) and sees them as experts and wise advisers who prevent them from
committing errors in their chosen careers (Adeleke, 2004).
The rapport
that exists between the mentor and the mentee, to a large extent, brings about
good result in the mentoring process. This is because, the cordial relationship
that occurs between the mentor and the mentee encourages the mentor to have a
good disposition in directing and teaching the mentee so that at the end of the
mentoring process, he/she (the mentee) becomes a better professional person and
this goes a long way in enhancing and improving the skills and professionalism
of the mentee, who is regarded as the newly qualified teacher employed to teach
(Adekoya, 2000).
Abel et al
(1995), pointed out a series of mentors’ roles to the beginning teachers. They
identified such roles as parent-figure, support system, guide, counselor,
scaffolder and role model. This implied that mentors are a sort of surrogate
academic parents who are in the habit of helping people to do things right and
to enhance professionalism amongst their mentees. They are role models because
they play the roles which their mentees would like to play in future time. The
mentors’ functions include supporting the young, newly employed teachers to get
things done effectively and to counsel the new staff based on their acquired
experiences due to long service in the field of teaching. According to Burgess
and Shelton (2007), the functions of the mentors include identifying starting
points for mentoring, mentoring for the aim of achieving growth and
professional development in the workplace, and also to assess the level of
development and or growth attained by the mentee.
Buell (2004)
also identified four common techniques for mentoring. According to him,
cloning, nurturing, friendship and apprenticeship are some of the main
approaches to effective mentoring. Buell stated that there should be an element
of nurturing and friendship between the mentor and the mentored. Such
friendship should be cordial and the nurturing devoid of insincerity. The one
who is nurtured should remain loyal and respectful to the one who nurtures
him/her. That is to say that both the mentor and the mentee ought to have
relationship that is total for the benefit of mentoring to be achieved by the
mentee. Kajs (2002) supports a framework for directing and mentoring novice
teachers who are fresh on the job of teaching and learning. As Kajs put it, the
framework for supporting novice teachers should include: knowledge of the
stages of teacher development, an appreciation of adult learning principles, an
appreciation of the role of professional development, skills in assessment,
interpersonal skills, and relevant classroom knowledge and skills. Kajs
believes that if the above identified framework for supporting the newly
employed teachers are put in place, mentoring programme will be successful and
the aim of developing the teaching profession of the new teacher will also be
achieved.
In another
development, Williams et al (1998), carried out an effective study on mentoring
relationships in the secondary schools, in the study, the following were
highlighted as elements of mentoring relationships: supporting, actively
teaching, guiding, provision of information, offering practical strategies,
feeding back on lessons and providing clear assessments of practice. Williams
is of the view that maintenance of relationship is of paramount importance if
mentors and mentees should achieve their set out goals. Also, Rowley (1999)
opined that the key characteristics of a ‘good mentor’ include commitment,
recognizing the role of the newly employed teacher, providing instructional
support, being effective with interpersonal skills, modeling continuous
learning, communicating hope and optimism. Rowley also stated that for one to
make a good mentor, the mentor ought to see the mentee as one who needs to be
directed and this is done by providing instructional support and by providing
effective communication which keeps hope and optimism alive. Without
communication and feedback, the relationships between the mentor and the mentee
may not be cordial and strong.
Boydell
(1994), observed that there are five major steps a mentee may pass through. The
identified five steps are doing things well, learning to improve; doing things
better and learning to integrate; doing better things and learning to
implement. This implied that the main idea in mentoring is to enable the mentee
to learn how to do things better and well.
1.2Statement
of Problem
The problem
inherent in the lack of relationship between the mentor and the mentee in the
teaching profession cannot be overemphasized. This is because, lack of
mentoring relationship between the mentor (experience teacher) and the mentee
(newly employed teacher), brings about low performance and poor productivity of
the newly employed teacher who lacks the wherewithal to carry out the teaching
job due to poor mentoring relationship.
If there is
no mentoring relationship between the mentor and the mentee, it becomes obvious
that the newly employed teacher (the mentee), suffers lack of knowledge of the
nitty gritty of the teaching job. Where the newly employed worker in the school
system, is not effectively directed and counseled by the experienced mentor
(teacher), he/she performs below expectation, and the resultant effect is low
productivity, and by extension poor academic achievement of students which has
been the main cause of low standards of education in Nigeria today.
The above
problems gave rise to the examination of thenature of mentoring relationship
and professional development among newly qualified teachers in Nigerian public
secondary schools.
1.3Purpose
of the Study
The main
objectives of this study include to
(1) find out if there is difference in the
mentoring behaviour between the mentor and the mentee in the school.
(2) investigate if there is mentoring
behaviour between experienced teachers and the newly employed teachers in Lagos
State secondary schools.
(3) asses if there is relationship between
mentoring behaviour and professional development amongst teachers in secondary
schools in Lagos State.
(4) examine if there is relationship
between teachers’ skills and qualities required for successful mentoring
programme in secondary schools in Lagos State.
(5) find out if there is gender difference
in the professional development of teachers in Lagos State secondary schools
due to mentoring programme put in place.
1.4 Research Questions
The
following research questions will be raised in this study:
(1) Will there be difference in the mentoring
behaviour between the mentor and the mentee in the school?
(2) Will there be difference in the mentoring
behaviour between experienced teachers and the newly employed teachers in Lagos
State secondary schools?
(3) Will there be any relationship between
mentoring behaviour and professional development amongst teachers in secondary
schools in Lagos State?
(4) Will there be any relationship between
teachers’ skills and qualities required for successful mentoring programme in
secondary schools in Lagos State?
(5) Will there be gender difference in the
professional development of teachers in Lagos State secondary schools due to
mentoring programme put in place?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The
following hypotheses will be formulated and tested in this study:
(1) There will be no significant difference in
the mentoring behaviour between the mentor and the mentee in the school.
(2) There will be no significant difference in
mentoring behaviour between experienced teachers and the newly employed
teachers in Lagos State secondary schools.
(3) There will be no significant relationship
between mentoring behaviour and professional development amongst teachers in
secondary schools in Lagos State.
(4) There will be no significant relationship
between teachers’ skills and qualities required for successful mentoring
programme in secondary schools in Lagos State.
(5) There will be no significant gender
difference in the professional development of teachers in Lagos State secondary
schools due to mentoring programme put in place.
1.6Significance
of the Study
This study
will be of great benefit to the following:
1. Teachers: They would benefit from
the findings and recommendations of this study because it will give them an
insight on how to carry out their jobs in the school. It will enable teachers
to be more productive in doing their daily job of teaching and learning. With
this study, many teachers would be-oriented in the art of teaching knowing
fully well that the way they teach will affect students’ academic achievement
in schools. It will also help the new teachers to understand the importance of
relationship and team work in the school.
2. Students: They would benefit from
the study because it will help them to have the understanding that their
teachers required to be an exemplary one, if his/her teaching experiences would
be of great benefit to the child or the student. With the findings and the
recommendations of this study, students would be able to identify teachers who
“cheat” and real teachers of note in the school system. With this study also,
students would be able to know that they need to be taught by trained and
experienced teachers if they would put up high performances in their academic
careers.
3. Government and School Authority:
The findings and recommendations of this study will be helpful to both the
government and school authorities in that it make them to understand the role
mentoring relationship plays in an ideal school setting. This is because if
there is good mentoring relationship among teachers, there will be teaching
effectiveness in the Nigerian school system.
1.7Scope and
Limitation of the Study
This study
covered the nature of mentoring relationship and professional development among
newly qualified teachers in Lagos State public secondary schools. This study
will be limited to some selected secondary schools in Mainland Local Government
Area of Lagos State.
1.8Definition
of Terms
The
following operational terms used in this study will be defined thus:
1. Mentoring Relationship: This is the
relationship that exists between the mentor (old teachers) and the mentee (the
newly appointed teachers).
2. Professional Development: This is
the process whereby teachers or workers in any organisation is developed
through training and retraining processes.
3. Newly Qualified Teachers: This is a
new teacher in a school organisation. He/she is a person who is newly employed
to teach either in primary or secondary school.
4. Mentor: This is a person who
mentors. In a school, he or she could be an experienced and trained teacher who
advises or counsel the newly employed teachers.
5. Mentee: This is a person who is
mentored. He or she could be a person newly employed in the primary or
secondary school, who needs the direction, counseling and guidance of an
experienced teacher.
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