Exploring the Language of Mentoring and Coaching and Critical Friendship

This chapter considers the underpinnings of a high-quality mentoring, coaching or critical friendship relationship examined through the voices of the authors and beginning teachers. Appropriating a narrative research methodology, the chapter explores the authors’ stories of mentoring and coaching and their journey towards becoming critical friends and ‘sisters’. Through rich cross-cultural narratives the chapter reveals the ‘gifts’ that mentoring, coaching and critical friendship can bring including empowerment to action through shared understanding of the complexity of language, meanings and behaviours underpinning the role of mentor, coach or critical friend. Throughout the chapter the reader is invited to share their own story leading to a final reflection linked to language for meaning and language for action in the mentoring, coaching and critical friendship space.