Five reflective approaches: how preservice teachers’ reflection on mentoring experiences shapes their professional learning

Mentor teachers (MTs) and their support of reflection are widely recognised as crucial for pre-service teachers’ (PSTs’) learning to teach; however, the impact of reflection on professional learning is often assumed rather than empirically demonstrated. This study explores how PSTs (n = 249) engage in professional learning through reflection on mentoring experiences during their practicum. The data consisted of reflective journals with open prompts, completed within a university course emphasising a safe learning environment, enabling authentic insights. A hybrid thematic analysis, integrating data-driven and theory-driven coding, was applied to ensure both participant voice and alignment with existing literature. The analysis revealed five distinct reflective approaches adopted by PSTs and demonstrated that these played a key role in the extent to which the potential of mentoring experiences was transformed into professional learning. Mentoring strategies like feedback, modelling, advice, co-teaching, and co-planning showed varied potential for learning, with feedback having the strongest connection. Contrary to prevailing assumptions of low reflective capacity, many PSTs engaged in high-level reflection linked to professional learning. MTs and teacher educators should encourage PSTs to adopt an inquisitive approach, which proved to be essential for transforming mentoring experiences into professional learning.