The Mentor‐Protege Relationship as a Factor in Preservice Teacher Education: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

This review of the literature investigates the various factors within the mentor‐protege relationship that foster the development of competence and teacher self‐efficacy belief in the preservice teacher. It is organized into the following sections: a historical view of mentoring, Vygotsky's mediated learning as a factor in the development of the mentor‐protege relationship and protege teacher efficacy belief, teacher self‐efficacy beliefs, roles and characteristics of mentors in education, and empathy as it relates to relationship building.

Key words:

• Preservice teacher education
• mentor‐protege relationships
• Vygotsky's mediated learning
• mentor characteristics
• teacher self‐efficacy belief
• relationship building