The purpose of this research study was to investigate student teachers who self-selected mentors during student teachings and the ways they perceived support and professional advice compared to student teachers who did not self-select mentors. The study looked at the nature of the mentoring relationship with student teachers and their self-selected mentor. This mixed-methods research collected data using a five-point Likert scale and open-ended questions. Questionnaires were given to students during their 16-week student teaching placement. The common themes to emerge were that a self-selected mentor’s greatest influences included: offering advice, teaching strategies, encouragement and being a role model. The nature of the self-selected mentoring relationships were reported as positive and had a lasting impact on the student teachers.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this research study was to investigate student teachers who self-selected mentors during student teachings and the ways they perceived support and professional advice compared to student teachers who did not self-select mentors. The study looked at the nature of the mentoring relationship with student teachers and their self-selected mentor. This mixed-methods research collected data using a five-point Likert scale and open-ended questions. Questionnaires were given to students during their 16-week student teaching placement. The common themes to emerge were that a self-selected mentor’s greatest influences included: offering advice, teaching strategies, encouragement and being a role model. The nature of the self-selected mentoring relationships were reported as positive and had a lasting impact on the student teachers.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Ludwig, Linda"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Education Specialist","degree_level":"Education Specialist","degree_discipline":"Education, Leadership and Public Service","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Derek Anderson"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2017,"date_issued":"2017-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2017-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:23:47Z","subjects":["Will you be my mentor?","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership","Teacher Education and Professional Development"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/134","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Derek Anderson"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Ludwig, Linda"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2017-04-06T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Education, Leadership and Public Service"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Education Specialist"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Education Specialist"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Will you be my mentor?","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership","Teacher Education and Professional Development"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/134"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this research study was to investigate student teachers who self-selected mentors during student teachings and the ways they perceived support and professional advice compared to student teachers who did not self-select mentors. The study looked at the nature of the mentoring relationship with student teachers and their self-selected mentor. This mixed-methods research collected data using a five-point Likert scale and open-ended questions. Questionnaires were given to students during their 16-week student teaching placement. The common themes to emerge were that a self-selected mentor’s greatest influences included: offering advice, teaching strategies, encouragement and being a role model. The nature of the self-selected mentoring relationships were reported as positive and had a lasting impact on the student teachers.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Will you be my mentor? Self-selecting a mentor during student teaching."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Derek Anderson"],"dc:creator":["Ludwig, Linda"],"dc:date.available":["2017-04-06T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this research study was to investigate student teachers who self-selected mentors during student teachings and the ways they perceived support and professional advice compared to student teachers who did not self-select mentors. The study looked at the nature of the mentoring relationship with student teachers and their self-selected mentor. This mixed-methods research collected data using a five-point Likert scale and open-ended questions. Questionnaires were given to students during their 16-week student teaching placement. The common themes to emerge were that a self-selected mentor’s greatest influences included: offering advice, teaching strategies, encouragement and being a role model. The nature of the self-selected mentoring relationships were reported as positive and had a lasting impact on the student teachers.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/134"],"dc:subject":["Will you be my mentor?","Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership","Teacher Education and Professional Development"],"dc:title":["Will you be my mentor? Self-selecting a mentor during student teaching."],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Education, Leadership and Public Service"],"thesis:degree_level":["Education Specialist"],"thesis:degree_name":["Education Specialist"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:23:47Z"}