Guided through the storm: novice teachers’ experiences of mentoring

Abstract

Mentoring is an important part of early career teaching, as novice teachers often face workload pressure, emotional demands, and difficulties in adjusting to school life. However, limited research has examined how mentoring is actually experienced by novice teachers in daily school contexts, particularly within Program Pembangunan Guru Baharu (PPGB) 2.0 in Malaysia. This qualitative study aimed to explore how novice teachers experience PPGB 2.0 in schools in Miri District, Sarawak. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 novice teachers, and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings identified two main themes: external support and intrinsic support. External support consisted of affective mentor support and school community support. While intrinsic support consisted of: i) self-restorative practices; ii) regulated emotional release; iii) spirituality; and iv) perseverance. The findings show that novice teachers experienced PPGB 2.0 not only as a formal induction structure, but also as relational and personal support that contributed to professional adjustment during the early stage of teaching. The study is context-specific and offers a more grounded understanding of how mentoring is experienced in everyday school life, with useful implications for strengthening induction practices, particularly in mentor preparation and supportive school environments.