Student Teachers' Perspectives of Qualities of Good Mentor Teachers

Mentoring of students during teacher training is an important component in developing competent teachers. Mentor teachers assist students in bridging the gap between theory and practice and give students an insight into the real world of the teaching profession. Thus, to be adequately prepared to commence a career in teaching, the role of the mentor teacher cannot be over-emphasized. Good mentor teachers play a vital role in the training of competent future teachers. The purpose of this article was to obtain student teachers perspectives on the qualities of good mentor teachers. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain data on what student teachers perceived as qualities they would like their mentor teachers to possess. The findings include qualities of mentor teachers that students perceive as good (for example, knowledgeable, honest, respectful) as well as those that they would not like their mentors to possess (for example, controlling). Based on the findings, the study draws conclusions and makes certain recommendations that will assist in enhancing the mentoring experiences of student teachers.