How do role models nurture educators? The impact of practicum mentors' embodiment of the spirit of educators on pre-service teachers' intrinsic teaching motivation

China has implemented policies to encourage pre-service teachers' teaching commitment, yet their intrinsic teaching motivation remains insufficient. Existing studies on internship environments and motivation overlook spiritual role models and intrinsic motivation's significance. Integrating Social Learning Theory and Self-Determination Theory, this study explored how Practicum Mentors' Embodiment of the Spirit of Educators affects pre-service teachers' intrinsic teaching motivation, and the mediating roles of Teaching Self-Efficacy and Professional Identity. A questionnaire survey of 688 pre-service teachers used a self-developed Scale for Practicum Mentors' Embodiment of the Spirit of Educators and mature scales for the other three variables. Results revealed that Practicum Mentors' Embodiment of the Spirit of Educators had a significant positive impact on Pre-Service Teachers' Intrinsic Teaching Motivation; Teaching Self-Efficacy and Professional Identity played both independent and serial mediating roles. Findings extend the Social Learning Theory and Self-Determination Theory to the context of China's Spirit of Educators and inform optimizing mentor selection, pre-service teacher programs, and talent cultivation in other mentorship-based fields.