Considering cross-phase peer mentoring in ITE: what can each party bring to the table?

Whilst the centrality of mentoring to successful outcomes in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in England is uncontroversial and widely discussed, there has been less research on peer mentoring. Much of the literature that exists focuses on the role peer mentoring can play in helping tertiary students or beginning teachers to adjust to their new role and legitimise concerns (Draves & Koops 2011). However, there has been a dearth of research on the efficacy of peer mentoring in developing the subject knowledge and pedagogy of ITE students. This small-scale exploratory study looks at whether peer mentoring in ITE can be mutually beneficial in developing each member’s subject knowledge and pedagogy, where dyads are training to teach different age ranges. This cross-phased pairing aims to provide a liminal space where the gap between theory and practice is negotiated, and individual goals can be addressed.