Enhancing Teacher Preparation Programme to Minimize Challenges of Mentors in the In-In-Out Programme of Holy Child College of Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find out how the teacher preparation programme was responding to the challenges of mentors and mentees in playing their roles so as to employ the appropriate strategies in addressing them to enhance the programme.

Enhancing teacher preparation programme to minimize challenges faced by mentors in the out programme of Holy Child College of Education through selected intervention strategies was the aim of the study.

The specific objectives were to assess the role of mentors in the out programme and put in place relevant interventional measures to improve its effectiveness.  The research questions include; to what extent were mentors providing support and guidance needed?  And to what extent would the selected interventional measures implemented minimize the challenges of mentors.

The sample size of the study was 30.  This was made up of 18 females and 12 male mentors.  They were randomly and purposively selected respectively.  The instrument used for collecting the data for the study was questionnaire. The  intervention used were; series of lectures by out programme coordinator on the qualities of mentors, organisation of a three day training course for mentors on their attitudes towards mentees and inclusion of weekends on the study cycle meeting by link tutors.

During the pre-intervention stage, the data collected revealed the following: absenteeism of mentors, lack of regular discussion and supervision by mentors, lead mentors and lack of appropriate teaching and learning materials. Mentors did provide support and guidance needed after the intervention in the areas of lesson planning, facilitating mentees’ learning and offered suggestions.

Keywords: Mentor, Mentee, Challenge, intervention