MENTORING IN THE MANAGEMENT OF TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The article examines mentoring as a technology for managing the professional development of contemporary teachers in the context of educational modernization and increasing demands on pedagogical activity. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to ensure effective professional adaptation and continuous development of teachers under conditions of rapid socio-cultural change, increased workload, and transformation of educational practices. The central problem addressed is the contradiction between the significant potential of mentoring as a tool for professional support and the insufficient effectiveness of its implementation in real educational practice. The aim of the article is to provide a theoretical substantiation of mentoring, to define its structural components, and to determine the organizational and pedagogical conditions for its implementation in managing teachers’ professional development. The research employed a combination of theoretical and empirical methods, which enabled the systematization of scientific approaches and the generalization of practical experience in implementing mentoring practices. The results of the study demonstrate that mentoring is a process-oriented, individualized, and reflexively guided technology aimed at fostering teachers’ professional autonomy. Its invariant characteristics have been identified, and its implementation tools have been specified, including co-planning, reflective interviewing, case analysis, professional portfolios, and reflective sessions. The main organizational models of mentoring have also been outlined. It has been established that the effectiveness of mentoring depends on the balance between procedural structuring and flexibility of content, the level of mentors’ preparedness, and the development of a culture of professional dialogue. The findings confirm the potential of mentoring as an effective instrument for managing teachers’ professional development and as a foundation for the further modernization of postgraduate pedagogical education.