Abstract:
Abstract
Classroom based mentors have become key players in launching student teachers into the teaching profession. Mentors are recognized for their practical knowledge of the teaching profession which compliments the theoretical knowledge that student will have acquired from college. This study investigated the effectiveness of classroom-based mentorship of primary school student teachers on TP. Three main questions which are: how do heads , mentors and student teacher understand classroom based mentorship of student teachers on TP; what contribute to the effectiveness of classroom based mentorship of student teachers on TP and what is the effectiveness of classroom based mentorship of student teachers on TP in the primary school system needed to be answered to help provide a true reflection of the effectiveness of classroom based mentorship of primary school student teachers in Zimbabwe. The study used the qualitative research methodology and the case study research design. Ten primary schools in Murewa District were conveniently selected to participate in this research. From the ten schools, a total of fifty respondents comprised of ten heads, twenty mentors and twenty student teachers were selected to respond to this research`s interview questions. The researcher was the sole data gathering tool. The study revealed that the respondents had theoretical understanding of what is meant by classroom-based mentorship of student teachers on TP. It also revealed that the respondents had knowledge of what contributes to the effectiveness of classroom-based mentorship of student teachers on TP as well as of what is meant by the effectiveness of classroom-based mentorship of student teachers on TP in the primary school system. But, despite the respondents having all the above understanding and knowledge, the study revealed that several challenges were compromising the effectiveness of classroom-based mentorship of student teachers on TP. Chief among the challenges were lack of mentor training which led to mentors to fail to adequately perform their roles; shortage of teaching and learning resources needed by mentors and mentees on TP and the issue of selection of mentors which seems not to follow any criteria. The study ended by recommending that all challenges affecting the effectiveness of classroom-based mentorship of student teachers on TP should be solved. It had also recommended that since the study was conducted at district level, it needs to be conducted at a higher level like a provincial level using a different research design.
