Date of Award
2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Department
Leadership and Innovation
First Advisor
Marty Martinez, Ed.D.
Second Advisor
Laura Aguada-Hallberg, Ed.D.
First Committee Member
Rose Owens-West, Ph.D.
Abstract
Research has consistently demonstrated the positive impact of mentoring on beginning teachers. However, it has also been revealed that teachers serving students in highly-diverse, high-needs, urban, low-income schools often receive inadequate, inconsistent, and low-quality support. In fact, studies indicate that the overall quality of support provided to beginning teachers is closely linked to the income level of the student population they serve (Alkins et al., 2006; Mizrav & Lachlan-Hache, 2019). A lack of meaningful mentor support can negatively affect the learning outcomes of marginalized students of color.
The purpose of this basic qualitative study, guided by a phenomenological approach, was to explore the perceptions, experiences, and needs of mentor teachers in supporting beginning teachers’ development of equitable teaching practices in high-needs, urban, low-income school settings. The study investigated the experiences of six mentors from different districts and the teacher induction programs that support beginning teachers in these contexts. The researcher collected data through in-depth, semi-structured individual interviews, analyzed the data alongside researcher notes using the study’s conceptual framework. This study also employed In Vivo coding and a constant comparative method to identify and interpret themes emerging across multiple data sources.
The findings offer insight into mentors’ perceptions, experiences, and professional needs related to equity-focused support. Several themes emerged, highlighting the challenges mentors and beginning teachers face in developing and implementing equitable teaching practices. The results underscore the need for institutions and practitioners to provide intentional, equity-oriented mentor training and to adopt strategies that better support equitable instruction, particularly in high-needs, urban, low-income settings. While the study revealed gaps in mentors’ understanding and application of equity-focused mentorship, it also illuminated the complexity of this work and the need for further research on its impact on the overall development of beginning teachers.
Pages
134
Recommended Citation
Ollison, Guy Lamont. (2025). Mentors’ Experiences Supporting Beginning Teachers of Students in High-Needs, Urban Schools. University of the Pacific, Dissertation. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/4299
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons
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