We all know how critical the first few years of teaching are. Without proper supports, novice teachers may become overwhelmed and eventually switch careers altogether. One proven way that school leaders can help make the teaching profession more sustainable is to develop a robust mentoring program in their schools.
Having a dedicated mentor who facilitates meetings, structured observations along with feedback sessions, and a general culture of symbiotic learning can make all the difference between a new teacher who decides to leave or stay in the field.
Although I didn’t have a formal mentor when I began my teaching journey, I continually worked with experienced colleagues to learn and collect valuable nuggets of advice. Even without the benefit of a single career mentor, I was able to synthesize the advice I received to improve my own practice. As I continued on my path as a teacher, I recognized the value of my year one learning journey.
In this biweekly column, principals and other authorities on school leadership—including researchers, education professors, district administrators, and assistant principals—offer timely and timeless advice for their peers.
When my school first introduced a formalized mentor program, I jumped at the opportunity to work directly with a novice teacher. I was accepted in my school’s first cohort of mentor teachers and worked with three other veteran teachers to develop strong mentoring skills as we each worked with our assigned mentee over the course of one year.
Too often in education, teachers are siloed in their classrooms, and when they retire or leave the school, their knowledge and expertise is lost. With that in mind, I set out to have a fully collaborative relationship with my mentee. I wanted our relationship to be one of open discussion, modeling good teaching, and uncovering different problems of practice.
While most schools offer opportunities for professional development, some are more robust than others. A mentor, however, can provide an experience for a mentee that is tailored to their growing needs as a teacher. Becoming a mentor was the second best decision I ever made (surpassed only by my decision to become a teacher).
Now in my fourth official year as a mentor, I have learned valuable tips for anyone considering launching a similar mentorship program. Here are four specific ways to strengthen your practice as a mentor:
- Host weekly 1:1 meetings between the mentor and mentee with an agenda. From the beginning of the year, you and your mentee should carve out weekly time to meet. Before each meeting, an agenda should be set by both parties. Include some points that you believe will support your mentee’s growth and learning and always make sure to ask what is on the mind of your mentee. The first 1:1 session should always be focused on goal setting. Create one to two realistic teaching goals and be sure to revisit these goals often. A midyear reflection can be used to check in about the status of the goals, as well as refine them. From the outset of your mentorship, you will work to create a trusting relationship where you can provide both positive and constructive feedback in your meetings together.
- Conduct regular informal observations with a pre- and post-observation meeting. There should be a set protocol for observations done by a mentor. Each observation should reflect back to the original teaching goals and align with the mission of the school’s pedagogy. There are many forms an observation can take. It can focus on the teacher’s instruction, classroom management, or a range of other possibilities. The format can be discussed in advance of the observation to be determined by the current goals of the teacher.
- Communicate regularly with any other teacher or supervisor the mentee may work with. Teaching should be a collaborative sport, and everyone should be in touch to ensure the mentee is working to achieve their goals. A mentor can synthesize the goals and responsibilities of the mentee across the board in order to fully support their mentee in their responsibilities.
- Use the classroom as a learning lab for the mentee. One piece of advice for those working with a student- or associate teacher is to make that clear for the students in the beginning of the year. Tell them that this teacher is learning just like they are! This idea can be controversial—you don’t want to undermine the student-teacher’s authority—but it can work well to foster a culture of learning and respect in your classroom. Model good teaching practices, particularly ones that you know the teacher is working toward. Pause within lessons to call attention to these ideas and goals and have mentees regularly taking structured notes. Be sure to reflect on these moments more formally in your weekly meetings.
Just like we scaffold learning for our students, we must do the same for our teachers. As mentors, we play an important role in the success and ultimate happiness of future teachers. Our modeling of good teaching practices and support that we provide for our mentees is crucial to their belief that they can grow as teachers and have a strong future in the field.
