Mentoring and coaching educators in the Singapore education system

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the practice of mentoring and coaching in the Singapore education system, to show the difference in philosophy in which these two concepts have been applied and to discuss the issues and challenges involved in their implementation.Design/methodology/approachThis paper reviews the mentoring and coaching systems in Singapore through literature review and a critical analysis of the mentoring and coaching philosophies and schemes for the different levels of educators.FindingsThis paper shows that mentoring and coaching are implemented in many areas of the professional development of educators in Singapore. These include mentoring for trainee teachers, beginning teachers, training school leaders and beginning school leaders; and coaching in the performance management system of all teachers and school leaders. However, there are inherent tensions in having an appraisal connotation in some mentoring and coaching platforms in Singapore and in encouraging critical reflective learning and innovation in mentoring and coaching.Research limitations/implicationsAs this paper is based on literature review and analysis, it recommends empirical research around mentoring and coaching in Singapore. In particular, it recommends research in examining the impact of particular mentoring and coaching schemes within different contexts and the experiences of the participants in such schemes. It also recommends research to address the questions of whether there will be enough coaches and mentors to meet the emerging demand for mentoring and coaching in schools, as they struggle with their multiple roles in school; and whether the mentoring and coaching system in Singapore is too formalized to encourage innovation.Practical implicationsThis paper encourages practitioners to reflect on the inherent tensions in having an appraisal connotation in some mentoring and coaching platforms in Singapore and to embrace critical reflective learning and innovation in mentoring and coaching.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the few papers (and the most current) that review the mentoring and coaching systems in Singapore. It forms a basis for future empirical research in this area.