Mentoring partnerships for success : the role of mentoring in reconstructing professional identities and in creating a sense of belonging for internationally-educated teachers from visible minority groups in greater Toronto area school communities

This study explores and analyses mentoring relationships between unemployed and underemployed internationally-educated teachers (IETs) from visible minority groups and Canadian-experienced educators, and their influence on the re-establishment of migrant teachers' professional identities and perceptions of inclusion in Greater Toronto Area (GTA) school communities. A detailed literature review summarizes previously identified issues in this area while, nine in-depth interviews conducted with mentees, mentors and mentoring pairs in this study identify prior and newly emergent themes. Primary themes that transpired include: the presence of varying forms of resistance from the dominant community towards IETs; the role of mentoring relationships in meeting IETs' needs; and the importance of consistency, trust and honesty in building collaborative relationships that foster IETs' successful integration into the teaching field. Recommendations include: the delivery of equity-oriented programming through educational bodies; the development of sustainable occupation-specific teacher mentoring programs; and the promotion of IETs to the greater community by educational stakeholders.