When Coursework Becomes Community: Creating Space for Doctoral Mentorship

Abstract

Context:

Although the doctoral journey can be rewarding, it is nevertheless paved with countless challenges along the way. Feelings of isolation and imposter syndrome are common, and navigating doctoral work alongside a multitude of other responsibilities can be taxing. The literature consistently points to mentorship, whether from a supervisor or a peer cohort, as essential to a successful doctoral journey.

Purpose:

We use this paper to reflect on a particularly transformative mentorship experience that we were fortunate to be a part of in our doctoral coursework. In engaging in this reflective, collaborative, meaning-making process, we aim to inform our own and others’ approach to mentorship within K–12 education, doctoral education, and teacher education spaces moving forward.

Research Design:

Using reflective conversation as a tool, we engaged in a collaborative dialogue to unpack and make meaning of this shared experience. As a foundation, we look to duoethnographic methods to guide our meaning-making from these dialoguing sessions.

Conclusions:

We found that building a community grounded in vulnerability, care, and respect; fostering an atmosphere of productive accountability; and supporting the growth of leadership inside and outside the academy surfaced as key strengths of this experience. In sharing our reflections, we aim to inform our own and others’ work going forward as it pertains to the curation of supportive and transformative mentorship experiences for students, scholars, and education leaders, while recognizing the immense and often invisible burden placed on those responsible for curating these spaces.