Professional Development

New Teachers Need Strong Mentors. Two Pros Offer Tips

By Elizabeth Heubeck — August 23, 2023 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Teachers are most likely to quit within the first few years of entering the profession, a talent drain that hurts both individual students and entire schools. Robust mentorships in the first few years of an educator’s career can be the difference-maker between establishing a successful teaching career and having it slip away.

That’s why, as part of Education Week’s recent K-12 Essentials Forum, Start the School Year Strong: How K-12 Leaders Can Create Thriving Schools for Teachers and Staff, one session dove into the whys and hows of strong mentorships for early teachers. Joining us as panelists were Heather Puhl, one of three full-time mentors for the Caldwell County schools in North Carolina, and Lindsay Jonas, the coordinator of professional development for the Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators.

During a 45-minute dialogue, Puhl and Jones offered insights and tips for districts interested in launching or tweaking a meaningful mentorship experience for new teachers.
The two expert panelists covered the following elements for creating a supportive and successful new-teacher mentorship program:

  • Selecting mentors
  • Developing a personal relationship with mentees
  • Offering program choice
  • Providing nonevaluative feedback
  • Extending the mentor-mentee relationship beyond traditional roles
  • Celebrating successes
  • Shaping positive school culture through strong mentorship
  • Investing in mentees’ to strengthen retention rates

To watch the entire session, click on the video above.

Events

School & District Management Webinar EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?
What issues are keeping K-12 leaders up at night? Join us for EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
Teaching Students to Use Artificial Intelligence Ethically
Ready to embrace AI in your classroom? Join our master class to learn how to use AI as a tool for learning, not a replacement.
Content provided by Solution Tree
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Teaching Webinar
Empowering Students Using Computational Thinking Skills
Empower your students with computational thinking. Learn how to integrate these skills into your teaching and boost student engagement.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Professional Development Spotlight Spotlight on Professional Development
This Spotlight will help you explore innovative approaches to PD that prioritize teacher needs and foster meaningful learning experiences.
Professional Development Opinion Most Teachers Don’t Think PD Is Relevant. What Can Principals Do?
Two educators offer a blueprint for structuring professional development around teacher learning.
Jessica Calabrese & Elham Kazemi
5 min read
A team collaborates at a desk. A clock in the background represents using PD time differently.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
Professional Development Opinion It Takes a Village to Design the Best Professional Development
How to bring a community-based leadership to your professional learning this year.
Brooklyn Joseph
4 min read
A team huddle. Cooperation. Game plan.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
Professional Development Opinion I’m a Math Educator. Here’s How Teacher PD Falls Short
Yes, professional development is valuable. But improvements must be made if teachers and students are to receive its full benefits.
Shakiyya Bland
5 min read
A diverse group of teachers communicate using math symbols. Teamwork, Meeting, Expressing Opinions.
Education Week + iStock/Getty Images