Here, our committee member Jake Kimble offers his review of Stories of Mentoring Teacher-Research, edited by Richard Smith, Seden Eraldemir Tuyan, Mariana Serra and Erzsébet Ágnes Békés
Stories of Mentoring Teacher-Research
Published earlier this year, Stories of Mentoring Teacher-Research is a 158-page book of narratives showcasing how mentors guide teacher-researchers as they investigate their classroom challenges. In a nutshell, this concise read offers an insider’s perspective on what it’s like to be a mentor, highlighting the mentoring process. The candor and honesty portrayed in this series of vignettes makes it a welcome read, in my opinion. It is not every day that teacher resource products instruct not only in how to engage with the teaching-learning process but also do so with authenticity. In this case, readers learn about Exploratory Action Research (EAR). What makes this compilation special is that contributors illustrate how they have guided EAR practitioners through classroom challenges. At the very same time, we eavesdrop on the mentoring process.
Who would be interested in this publication? Well, for one, teacher mentors, or those who aspire to be mentors. Secondly, classroom teachers are eager to investigate their classrooms through EAR.
MenTRnet
Before commenting further, it is worth noting that this is a joint publication by the IATEFL Research Special Interest Group in association with MenTRnet. MenTRnet is an international community of mentors who help teacher-researchers investigate their classes. They have been an entity since 2021. According to their website, this community has over 250 active mentors ready to assist us in growing, developing, and gaining confidence through the process of researching our dynamic classrooms. Do yourself a favor and navigate to their website for more information. Better yet, join them.
Exploratory Action Research
You might be thinking Just what is Exploratory Action Research? Well, let’s leave it to the editors to define the term. Here is a succinct way of outlining what to expect regarding EAR:
| Exploratory Action Research (referred to often as ‘EAR’ by authors of stories in this book) was explicitly developed as a way for busy teachers in quite difficult circumstances to address the practical issues confronting them (Smith & Rebolledo, 2018). It involves exploring a situation carefully by gathering data in ways that are not too burdensome for the teacher (exploratory research), and on that basis planning an appropriate action and evaluation of that action (action research). |
Contents
Inside the pages are twenty inspiring narratives of mentors guiding teacher-researchers through the process of investigating their classrooms. One prominent feature of the contributions is the sheer variety of contributions. There are twenty vignettes, with representation covering about twenty-two regions, including mentoring in contexts ranging from Argentina to Uzbekistan. If you are like me, you may be interested in contexts unlike your own. The armchair mentors and researchers among us will appreciate this kind of vicarious learning experience.
I’ve taken a screenshot of an image on page six. This graphic provides an overview of what to expect in terms of content and organization. Each entry is only 5-6 pages and easy to digest. Furthermore, it is not a publication that must be read cover to cover. Of course, you can do that. But you can also pick and choose depending on your immediate interest.
Here’s a task for you right now. Look through these questions that were provided to mentors. Now, think about your own context. Why not reflect and journal about your own situation and imagine getting started at MenTRnet.
Themes
Some recurring themes include: the EAR process is messy and unpredictable; scaffolding the mentor process can be challenging; establishing a delicate rapport with mentees is essential for mentoring; and mentoring is transformative for both mentors and mentees.
One common issue that arose repeatedly was the lack of time, particularly among teachers. It comes as no surprise that teachers are busy, often balancing professional and personal commitments. I found myself cheering for mentees when they succeeded—and commiserating, too, when they suffered setbacks, primarily due to a lack of time. We all know what it is like to overextend ourselves and take on too many commitments. For mentors, guiding teacher-researchers through the EAR process is not exactly straightforward. It requires time, patience, and empathy. And regular doses of commitment on both sides.
Mentors went through a learning process of their own, too. As teachers, it is easy to fall into that trap of direct instruction. As a topic expert with experience and wisdom, mentors might be a bit overly enthusiastic in solving problems for mentees without even realizing they’re doing it. To grow and work independently, mentees need guidance and inspiration, not direct solutions. Think about the right question at the right time.
Professional Development
As a reader, I found myself reflecting on my context. Do I need to change my own mindset, too? When initially engaging in EAR, it is natural to deflect blame on our students, the coursebook, our schedule, personal situations, the curriculum, or even coworkers. Those are all external constraints. Consider adopting a more positive outlook by reflecting on tangible, practical solutions to classroom challenges that are achievable.
For me, professional development is all about reflection and critical inquiry. All the contributions here exemplify, in one way or another, sound questioning and reasoning through collaborative reflection. Many of the teacher-researchers also considered the connections between theory and practice. In doing so, throughout the twenty narratives, it becomes increasingly evident that classroom teachers worldwide share many commonalities, as do mentors.
Finally, let’s talk about agency. Each EAR experiment seemed to lead to increased agency for both mentors and mentees. First, several participants collected EAR data in their classrooms. Doing so gave them knowledge and confidence, or at least a springboard. As I read the narratives, that sense of change and empowerment was palpable.
Kudos, too, to the editors for structuring an easy-to-read, color publication that includes photos. Despite being more or less the same as an organized whole, each reflection portrayed mentors grappling with individual critical issues in a heartfelt manner. To be honest, I felt envious of these mentor-mentee relationships, and as a reader, I felt fortunate to observe from a distance their ups and downs as their professional development adventures unfolded.
Stories of Mentoring Teacher-Research is an inspirational text for me. And I think it will be for you, too. I invite and encourage you to visit MenTRnet. Click on the Resource tab and discover a new path forward for you on your PD journey. There, you will find a PDF of Stories of Mentoring Teacher-Research along with several other helpful resources.
References
Smith, R. & Rebolledo, P. (2018). A handbook for Exploratory Action Research. British Council.
Smith, R. & Rebolledo, P. (2022). Exploratory Action Research for enhanced teaching and learning. British Council.
Stories of Mentoring Teacher-Research is published by IATEFL (2024), with ISBN 978-1-912588-50-3. A digital copy, along with other publications from IATEFL’s Research SIG, can be found here: https://resig.weebly.com/books.html