Swedish upper secondary school has the intention to include all pupils and “be a school for all”. My research focuses on understanding how upper secondary education deals and copes with the varieties of individual needs in the educational system (Ahlberg, 2001; Ahlberg, Klasson & Nordevall, 2002; Henriksson, 2004). Usually there are one or two teachers who are responsible for all students in the same class at a school. These roles of responsibility to a certain number of pupils have had several names through the years and are called mentors in these examined schools. This ongoing study will map out and describe the teacher´s role as mentor. The assignment as mentor constitutes, at least formally, the closest relation for the pupil to an actor in the school arena. The mentor is in charge of a number of pupils´ “school life”. This gives postulations to close working relations. The aim of my study is to describe the teacher´s mission as mentor and his or her communicative actions when talking about and with the pupils being in charge of. Pupils in special needs gain a particular focus. Following questions are formulated; how does the teacher describe his/her tasks and the role as mentor? How do the pupils describe their experiences of the mentors´ work? Which meanings and significations are made visible through the communicative actions of the mentor around his/her pupils of responsibility? To what extent do these communicative actions affect pupils´ participation and learning at school? The study has been conducted within a socio-cultural perspective (Dysthe,2003; Säljö, 2005; Wertsch, 1998) and an ethnographic approach has been used. The study was conducted at two upper secondary schools, at two different vocational programs where four mentors were “shadowed” during one year. The data collection comprises observations, interviews and documents. The Swedish school today is managed by objectives, which bring about an enlarged liability into the local school. The leadership to the school´s learning processes between and within all levels becomes important and the reciprocal knowledge around this topic turns out crucial. This can probably be considered as one of the keys to the pupil´s school-success, where the teacher and the group of pupils constitute a network to both the individual´s and the group´s learning (Dysthe, 1996; Putnam, 1998). The question is - how aware are the teachers in general, the leaders of school organizations local as well as on a national level and likewise teacher education about the potential in the teacher´s role as mentor? The formulation of the containment in the mandate is to a large extent left out to the mentor him-/herself, which come forth in my material. These working-relations can be exerted and taken care of in different ways. My research on this topic so far gives a hint of that it will show a way to a more complete learning including all pupils. Ahlberg, A. (2001). Lärande och delaktighet. Lund: Studentlitteratur. Ahlberg, A., Klasson, J-Å., & Nordevall, E. (2002). Reflekterande samtal för pedagogisk utveckling. Insikt 2002:2. Vetenskapliga rapporter från Högskolan för lärande och kommunikation, Högskolan i Jönköping. Dysthe, O. (red). (2003). Dialog, samspel och lärande. Lund: Studentlitteratur. Dysthe, O. (1996). Det flerstämmiga klassrummet. Lund: Studentlitteratur. Henriksson, C. (2004). Living Away from Blessings. School failure as Lived Experience. Acta Wexionensia No48/2004: Växjö Universitet. Säljö, R. (2005). Lärande & Kulturella redskap. Om lärprocesser och det kollektiva minnet. Norstedts Akademiska Förlag. Wertsch, J.V. (1998). Mind as action. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Putnam, J. W. (ed). (1998). Cooperative Learning and Strategies for Inclusion. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.

Ethnographic approach has been used. The study was conducted at two upper secondary schools, at two different vocational programs where four mentors were “shadowed” during one year. The data collection comprises observations, interviews and documents.

The question is - how aware are the teachers in general, the leaders of school organizations local as well as on a national level and likewise teacher education about the potential in the teacher´s role as mentor? The formulation of the containment in the mandate is to a large extent left out to the mentor him-/herself, which come forth in my material. These working-relations can be exerted and taken care of in different ways. My research on this topic so far gives a hint of that it will show a way to a more complete learning including all pupils.