This study investigates teachers’ views about the implementation of mentoring programmes in Greek primary schools. Three groups of teachers participated in in-depth individual interviews which were designed to explore their views of mentoring with respect to the five areas of support which have been defined by Stewart (2004) as ‘quality mentoring’ (i.e., personal, classroom, professional, evaluative and reflective support).

It is widely accepted that the teaching profession is one of the most difficult and multi-tasked professions; beginning teachers need time to become proficient teachers (see Portner, 2008; Ingersoll & Smith, 2004; Stanulis & Floden, 2009) and their first years of teaching experience are significant in having most gains in the development of the professional skills (Rivkin, Hanushek & Kain, 2005).

            Official attempts in different countries to support novice or beginning teachers have been made through mentoring programmes. Mentoring occurs when a senior person (the mentor in terms of age and experience) provides information, advice and emotional support to a junior person (i.e., the mentee) in a relationship lasting over an extended period of time (Mullen, 2005). Mentoring has been increasingly recognized as an important aspect of the professional preparation of teachers in school-based teacher preparation programmes in many countries in order to supervise student teachers during their school teaching practice (McIntyre, Hagger & Wilkin, 1993; Wilkin, 1992). It has also become an important component in teacher induction programmes in the U.S. since 1980s and in Australia, in order to support beginning teachers during the early stages of their careers (Serpell, 2000; Wonjonwski, Bellamy & Cooke, 2003).

            Mentoring novice teachers can promote social change in the teaching profession (Perez-Gonzalez, 2011). Moreover, research has shown that mentoring can be an in-depth program of support for the professional development of new teachers (Owens et al., 2008; Long, 2009; Stewart, 2004). Stewart (2004) defined ‘quality mentoring’ based on five areas of support (i.e., personal, classroom, professional, evaluative and reflective support), and her research provides definition to the kind of support that mentees desire and need (in Goldsmith Roberts, 2011).

            According to the literature review (Chi-Kin Lee & Feng, 2007; Stansbury and Zimmerman, 2000), the vast majority of the mentoring programs focus, simultaneously, on two basic pillars: a) the instruction-related support and b) the provision of psychological help (Chi-Kin Lee & Feng, 2007).

            Furthermore, it must be noted that how mentoring is viewed bears important implications for how mentoring is to be practised and experienced. Therefore, the views of all participants in the mentoring process are important and should be taken in full consideration when designing mentoring programmes.

             The research questions are shaped as follows:

·        What are the benefits of mentoring according to the views of three groups of teachers, i.e. the experienced, the novice and the prospective teacher?

·        What are the difficulties of the mentoring process according to the views of the three groups of teachers?

·        What perceptions do the three groups of teachers have about mentoring in regard to personal, classroom, professional, evaluative and reflective support?

·        What are the possible reasons threatening the success of the implementation of mentoring in the Greek primary school?

Chi-Kin Lee, J. & Feng, S. (2007). Mentoring support and the professional development of beginning teachers: a Chinese perspective. Mentoring & Tutoring, 15 (3), 243–262. Corbin, J. & Strauss, A. (2007). Basics of qualitative research: techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. London: Sage Publications. Ingersoll, R.M., & Smith, T.M. (2004). Do teacher induction and mentoring matter? NAASP Bulletin, 88(638), 28–40. Long, J. (2009). Assisting beginning teachers and school communities to grow through extended and collaborative mentoring experiences. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning 17(4), 317-327. McIntyre, D., Hagger, H. & Wilkin, M. (Eds) (1993). Mentoring: perspectives on school-based teacher education. London: Kogan Page. Mullen, C.A. (2005). The mentorship primer. New York: Peter Lang. Owens, S., Kos, J., & McKenzie, P. (2008). Staff in Australia’s schools. Teacher workforce data and planning processes in Australia. Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment & Workplace Relations. Canberra: Australian Government. Perez-Gonzalez, E. (2011). A phenomenological examination of teacher mentoring programs from the perspective of novice teachers. PhD Thesis, Walden University, Minessota, U.S.A. Portner, H. (2008). Mentoring new teachers (3rd ed.). New York: Corwin. Rivkin, S.G., Hanushek, E.A., & Kain, J.F. (2005). Teachers, schools and academic achievement.Econometrica, 73(2), 417–458. Serpell, Z. (2000). Beginning teacher induction: a review of the literature. Washington, DC: American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. Stansbury, K. & Zimmerman, J. (2000). Lifelines to the classroom: Designing support for beginning teachers. (Report No. RJ96006903). San Francisco, CA: WestEd. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED447104. Stanulis, R.N., & Floden, R.E. (2009). Intensive mentoring as a way to help beginning teachers develop balanced instruction. Journal of Teacher Education, 60(2), 112–122. Stewart, S. M. (2004). Identifying quality mentoring: Five areas of support essential to candidates and novices in field experiences. Ed.D. thesis. University of Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A. Wilkin, M. (Ed.). (1992). Mentoring in schools. London: Kogan Page.