The Power of Reflective Mentoring: Preparation of Preservice STEM Teachers through Informal Experiential Learning

This qualitative case study investigates how informal experiential learning in a summer STEM program fosters the development of preservice secondary STEM teachers (PSSTs) through mentoring experiences. Four Hispanic PSSTs who served as mentors in an authentic STEM research-based program for secondary students in the Rio Grande Valley participated in this study. The theoretical frameworks draw upon Freire's (1970) pedagogy of love and Lave and Wenger's (1991) situated learning. Data were collected from PSSTs' written reflections after participation in the four-week program and triangulated with daily journals, laboratory notebooks, and student work samples. Reflections were analyzed using Harland and Wondra's (2011) framework for levels of reflection, followed by inductive thematic analysis. All four PSSTs demonstrated critical reflection (Level 4), evidencing fundamental shifts in their beliefs about teaching and learning. Three key themes emerged: (1) transformative teaching and learning in STEM involve acts of love, empathy, and passion; (2) PSSTs experienced a paradigm shift in their perceptions of teaching and learning in STEM, moving from traditional lecture-based approaches to student-centered facilitation; and (3) students and mentors co-constructed scientific knowledge through collaborative learning experiences. The mentoring experience facilitated PSSTs' development of a professional identity that embraces teaching as an act of love, challenges traditional hierarchical educational structures, and recognizes students' capabilities beyond preconceived expectations. This study offers a transformative mentoring model that transcends traditional teacher education boundaries, cultivating critically conscious STEM educators committed to equity and social justice through reflective practice and authentic experiential learning opportunities.