Mentoring in the practical training of students of a pedagogical university

The relevance of the present study is determined by the necessity of providing a scientific substantiation of the role of cooperative pedagogy within the mentoring system in the course of professional training of students at pedagogical universities. Within the framework of the National Project «Education» particular significance is attached to the development of competitive teaching personnel capable of engaging in innovative activity and demonstrating effective interaction. The problem acquires special importance in the context of students’ practical training, during which conventional methods frequently either constrain professional autonomy or fail to ensure adequate methodological support. The article identifies pedagogical conditions under which cooperation between mentors and students facilitates the formation of professional skills, the development of sustainable motivation, and the stimulation of a creative approach to teaching practice. The methodological basis of the study included source analysis and synthesis, modeling of a mentoring system grounded in the principles of cooperative pedagogy, as well as testing and observation of the practical training of fourth-year students at Pushkin Leningrad State University, carried out at School No. 351 (February 1–10, 2025). As a result, a model of a mentoring system based on the principles of cooperative pedagogy was elaborated and piloted, with its effectiveness empirically confirmed. The findings demonstrate that the implementation of cooperative principles contributes to the formation of both professional and transversal competencies among student teachers. Prospects for further research involve examining the applicability of the proposed mentoring model in other educational institutions and tracing the long-term impact of cooperative pedagogy on the professional adaptation of novice teachers.