Title: The Good Teacher Mentor: Setting the standard for support and success
Author: Sidney Trubowitz and Maureen Picard Robins Forward by Seymour B. Sarason
ISBN: 0-8077-4387-9
Publisher: Teachers College Press
Address: Teachers College, Columbia University New York NY 10027
www.tcpress.com
Date of Publication: 2003
Classification: Print materials to support the achievement of QTS
Intended Audience: Mentors
Strengths:

This is an American text so the language is sometimes odd. However it has some interesting insights into the role of the mentor

The focus is the first year of teaching; the insights could apply to trainees

The book has a narrative style in which the voices of the authors describe their experiences. This approach is engaging and provides interesting practical insights

Reading the book would give a new mentor confidence about the reality of the challenges new mentors face

Checklist Rate - One to Five
Appropriate Content
1
2
3
Student Use
No
Tutor Resource
1
2
3
Visuals
N/A
Overall Style
1
2
3
One of Series
No
Photocopiable
No

 

Full EMAC Review

The Good teacher Mentor: Setting the standard for support and success - Sidney Trubowitz and Maureen Picard Robins. Forward by Seymour B. Sarason

The content of the book / resource
The book follows the experience of a mentor (Trubowitz) and a first year teacher (Robins) as they explore their perceptions of the day to day life of the classroom.

Its effectiveness in catering for its target audience
I found the book to be interesting insightful and engaging.

The value to the user
Reading the book encourages the reader to recognise that it's OK to be uncertain and recognise that mentoring is complex, it relies of very skilful use of knowledge through sensitive engagements that require high levels of interpersonal skill. It is a book that makes you say to yourself, 'it's OK to have these feelings of doubt both as a mentor and when you are being mentored'.

Its capacity to support students and / or mentors
The book is focused on the role of the mentor and his thinking as he supports the first year teacher. . However, the reflections of the first year teacher might enable trainees to gain better understanding of their own thought and feelings as they would be able to empathise with the first year teacher being mentored as she exposes the thoughts and feelings she experiences when learning about herself as a first teacher.

Its particular strengths and any weaknesses
Because it's American, the written style us sometimes odd and this gets in the way of making meaning form the text. If you can get past the jarring that these differences in language bring there are lots of valuable insights into the role of the mentor and how they need to think in relation to the stresses of the first year teacher in learning how to carry out the complex and difficult role of teacher.

Readability, presentation and cost
This is an easy read and in not theoretical. It provides some interesting insights into the thoughts and feelings of the mentor and a first year teacher. At £14.50 the book is good value for money.

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