Mentoring can play a key role in the development of teachers and is particularly important when change is involved. This might include those in the early years of their career, taking on a leadership role for the first time, or becoming the principal of a school. 

When mentoring is done well, it allows both mentors and mentees to flourish and achieve their professional and personal goals.

So, what are some helpful things to keep in mind to either be a great mentor, or to ensure your school has a great mentoring culture?

The Role of the Mentor

Trust should be at the heart of mentorship and requires mentors to possess empathy and good communication skills. They should be collaborative, use non-controlling language and be aware of their mentees’ perspectives.

It is important for mentors to provide a balance of feedback and support, according to their mentee’s needs.

Effective mentors schedule time for discussion, preferably at the end of the school day when teachers are less distracted by other school needs.

School Context

Mentoring relationships work best when they occur within a supportive community. There are several ways schools can assist mentors in their roles and help to reduce teacher turnover, including:

  • creating a formal structure for mentoring with clear role descriptions
  • support for the process provided by leadership
  • matching mentors and mentees from similar fields
  • releasing mentors from some teaching time to work one on one with their mentee.

Mentors as Leaders

Schools can demonstrate the value they place on mentorship by viewing it as a leadership role, or at least a step towards leadership. When mentors think about and pass on their teaching practice they gain greater awareness of their expertise, which can help build confidence in their leadership abilities.

Classroom Practice

The mentor can play an integral role in connecting theory to classroom practice.

The following approaches assist mentees with developing their knowledge, understanding and skills in classroom practice:

  • purposeful and frequent meetings to recognise improvement
  • mentees’ observations of effective teaching
  • problem solving through reflective practice
  • guiding mentee reflection through questioning
  • sharing (not prescribing) strategies according to the mentee’s needs.

Emotional Support

Clear and frequent communication that incorporates active listening is key for creating a nurturing and supportive mentoring partnership.

Mentors can consider learning counselling techniques and find ways to help their mentees to connect with others in the school community. This can partly enhance social relatedness and a sense of belonging at the school, and ultimately help to provide greater job satisfaction.

Is Mentoring for Me?

If you’re considering becoming a mentor in your school, here is what some current mentors had to say about their experience so far:

“I’ve loved being a mentor… it’s been really rewarding for myself as well. It’s great to practice bringing in new staff to our kindergarten, but also to sharpen my tools as a mentor. I’ve loved to really connect with my mentee on a personal level and talk to her about what inspires me as a teacher. I’ve found through that we inspire each other.” – Kat, Kindergarten Teacher, Shearwater School, Mullumbimby

“It’s had a very positive impact. It’s made me reflect a whole lot more on what I do in the classroom and where I can make improvements and drive interaction and participation even further. It’s been really good.” – Daniel, Hospitality Teacher, Bishop Druitt College

To support schools with enhancing their mentoring processes the Growing and Nurturing Educators initiative has developed a five hour self-paced learning experience Being an Effective Mentor, which is available online from 8 January 2024.