Supporting the Future: Mentoring Pre-Service Teachers in Urban Middle Schools

This article focuses on the role of cooperating teachers (CTs)/mentors in supporting pre-service teachers in urban middle schools. This article examines stories of ten middle school teachers at Baldwin Middle School, located in a mid-Atlantic urban center, who served as CTs in the Spring of 2016. After comparing the mentors' experiences, four major themes emerged that focus on preparing urban and middle-level pre-service teachers: culturally responsive pedagogy, classroom management, flexibility, and resources. This article describes the qualities of mentorship that are unique to urban middle schools, and how CTs can prepare future educators to effectively teach in this environment.