Teaching is hard. Being new to teaching is really really hard. We have limited time, resources, and support. But on top of that, new teachers are learning everything they thought they knew all over again from the beginning!

Support not only helps to relieve some of the anxieties and questions, but it gives new teachers the guidance that only an experienced teacher knows to give. New teacher mentors understand the pressures of teaching, the pitfalls and the skills needed to be successful in the classroom.

Not all district-supported mentoring programs support teachers

There are mentors out there. But some of the district-supported programs just don’t cut it. Induction programs may lack the comprehensive support and time needed to fully guide a new teacher through the ups and downs of a challenging first year teaching. The induction program may simply ask for compliance with state plans. Or new teacher mentors may be there to answer problems and suggest solutions. Maybe it’s a simple onboarding process to show you how to sign on to the gradebook application?

Challenges contribute to significant teacher turnover

We need new teachers to stay in the profession. It’s no secret that many areas are struggling with a decline in teacher retention and the challenges that new teachers face are causing even more of our beginning teachers to leave. Research suggests that teachers within their first 5 years are leaving at a rate of 41%. It costs districts, it disrupts students learning and it burdens teachers. Those who are left take on additional work to fill the void and those who leave have to abandon a career they wanted.

Your new teacher mentor is your sounding board

A good new teacher mentor doesn’t just observe, evaluate, give feedback, tell you a solution to your problem. A good mentor is a person who will listen to the challenges you’re facing with understanding. It is a space where can feel confident in saying what you cannot say to your students and hear “that’s normal to feel like that.” This type of mentor is focused on your building your skills, confidence and your overall success in the classroom.

Whether we are a new or an experienced teacher, a mentor is an extremely valuable part of our system of support. Even after 15 years in teaching, I talk to my mentoring colleague daily. I rely on her for everything from advice on the wording of an email to how to handle a challenging student to shouting about things that upset me. The relationship we build with a mentoring colleague is always worth the time, vulnerability and energy.