Attitude and approaches of mentor art teachers towards pre-service art teachers during student teaching experience (a sample group from Bursa)

This study aimed to examine attitudes and approaches of mentor art teachers toward pre-service art teachers, based on the views and perspectives of pre-service art teachers. The information was collected through a qualitative instrument—a questionnaire— which was developed specifically for this study. The participants were senior, pre-service art teachers majoring in art education. The questionnaire was responded by 57 participants who were being supervised and taking required Teaching Experience course during Spring 2018 at Uludag University, School of Education, in Bursa, Turkey. Based on the findings from questionnaire, mentor art teachers were ready and willing to undertake mentorship role; had a command of content knowledge in Teaching Experience course; and they also showed competence in professional communication skills.Furthermore, it is emerged that mentor art teachers have endeavored to provide guidance that pre-service art teachers needed for their professional development, sense of affiliation and collegiality. However, pre-service art teachers' expectations and needs for guidance during classroom observation and student-teaching needed more attention and should be examined more closely by the mentor art teachers. Thereupon, mentor art teachers could create further opportunities to observe in-classroom situations in a timely manner; to learn, determine and apply appropriate classroom management techniques and instructional strategies.In conclusion; for mentor art teachers, suggestions are also made on behavioral, professional, instructional and communicational basis to promote a better learning experience during Teaching Experience and also in the classroom.