Lost in Translation in the Study of Mentoring 17 Years Later

Abstract

In this article I describe and reflect on my evolving undestandings of the study of mentoring since the publication of the 2005 article in the Journal of Teacher Education. My reflective journey suggests stressing two assertions to the study of mentoring. One, that there is a need to develop a more multidimensional and integrated conception of mentoring which draws on integrated models of mentoring and focuses on mentor-mentee/s dyadic and collaborative interactions as units of analyis and interpretation. Two, that we should go deeper into how mentors’ sense-making of being ‘lost or found in translation’ as agents of change operates within complex fields of interaction, at multiple policy, personal and interpersonal levels. Thus. a curriculum for learning to mentor should also include contents related to policy learning. I elaborate on these undestandings throughout the paper.