How We Do It: Mentoring, or Support for Those Participating in Teaching Practice and For Novice Teachers in the Field of Music – a systematic literature review

Abstract

Mentoring to support overcoming the challenges of starting a career in the field of music is a relatively under-researched area, especially in Hungary. Our study aims to present domestic literature and the work of mentors. The primary goal of this research is to explore international literature, for which we conducted a systematic literature review. Our search in the JSTOR database, following PRISMA guidelines, yielded 30 studies, of which nine were selected for content analysis after two rounds of filtering, forming the research part of this paper. The studies we reviewed emphasize collaboration and the development of a collaborative attitude within the mentoring process. Collaboration can be implemented across multiple areas, which can serve as best practices to be adapted into Hungarian music education. In these studies, mentoring plays a crucial role in reducing career dropout rates, alleviating impostor syndrome, and fostering lifelong learning and a collaborative mindset. The findings of the reviewed studies support the work of educational institutions, particularly mentor teachers supervising practical training, and provide best practices and support for teacher candidates and novice teachers in their professional and personal development.