Teacher mentor training: The Singapore experience

Abstract

Much has been presented in education literature on the positive role that mentors play in teacher preparation, induction, and professional development. Mentoring provides opportunities for competent and experienced teachers to assume a leadership role without relinquishing the classroom. Teacher mentors have the potential for enhancing the morale of trainee or novice teachers by responding to both their professional and personal needs. In Singapore the systematic training of teacher mentors was started in 1998 with the launching of two courses, one for mentoring teachers, and another for level and subject heads in schools. This paper presents the framework of the mentor training programme offered by the National Institute of Education (Singapore), outlining the rationale, the objectives, and content of the courses. In addition, input from school personnel that helped shape the course is included to explain how the training is tailored to meet the needs of teacher mentors in Singapore schools.