The Internal Dynamics of the Mentoring Process

The Emergence of Dilemmas in the Portfolios of Religious Education Mentor Candidates

Abstract

Mentoring, while fundamentally a supportive relationship, presents numerous internal dilemmas and challenges for both mentees and mentors. This study focuses on the dilemmas appearing in the portfolios of religious education (RE) mentor candidates, aiming to explore their questions and internal conflicts regarding mentor role interpretation and decision-making processes. The theoretical background examines the development of mentor-teacher competencies, as well as the socio-psychological background of dilemmas and the role of decision-making heuristics in the mentoring context. The research employs narrative content analysis to examine anonymized texts from the portfolios of RE mentor candidates who completed their training at the Lutheran Theological University between 2022 and 2024. The results highlight the main dilemma clusters articulated by the mentor candidates (e.g., directive guidance versus reflective accompaniment, and the critical versus supportive emphases in evaluations, etc.), as well as their search for balance between professional boundaries and personal involvement. Particular attention is given to reflections on the mentor’s own role, the diversity of mentees, and mentoring methods. The study concludes that the recognition and conscious processing of dilemmas is an important part of the mentors’ own developmental process, and that sharing them within mentor communities can contribute to the formation of learning communities and enhance the effectiveness of mentor training. The findings can provide useful feedback for trainers to understand better and support of mentor students’ professional and identity development.