Three ways mentors support trainee teachers
“I was very lucky to have the support of a mentor at the start of my teaching career. She was someone I learnt from and she was with me every step of the way. For me, having a mentor was vital,” reflects Lyn Campbell. Now a deputy headteacher, Lyn started her career as a teaching assistant before training to teach – a step she took with the encouragement of her mentor.
Mentors are practising teachers who offer invaluable support and guidance to trainees, drawing on their current teaching practice and experience. As a lead mentor on our Teacher Training programme, responsible for supporting other mentors, Lyn is well placed to explain how mentors can help trainee teachers to thrive in the classroom.
Supporting you to understand your role
The weekly sessions between mentors and trainees are more than just check-ins: they’re an opportunity to build a relationship and gain confidence in the role. “No one expects a trainee teacher or a newly qualified teacher to just go into a classroom and teach,” Lyn says. “You aren’t expected to step into the classroom on day one and know what to do and you won’t be figuring this out by yourself. You’ll be supported throughout the training programme; you’ll never be on your own.”
“Supporting trainees to understand the vital role they take on as a teacher is one of the most important aspects of mentoring,” Lyn says. On our Teacher Training programme, mentoring meetings are a structured opportunity for trainees to discuss their progress, seek advice, and reflect on their experiences from the week. Lyn highlights how important it is to “protect that time each week” and “make it a core part of training”.
Mentors are trained to build strong relationships with trainees, helping to support their learning and wellbeing. The training they receive ensures that all new teachers benefit from the same great support that Lyn received.
Providing insight based on expertise and training
All mentors on the programme are experienced teachers who take part in carefully designed training. Mentors can “understand what the trainees are experiencing” and have the training to share this experience effectively. Lyn describes the most successful mentoring she’s been part of as “mentoring where the mentor really understands what their mentee is going through.”
Mentors have a wealth of expertise and can offer tailored advice from their own experience in the classroom. The combination of high-quality mentor training and this first-hand knowledge means they can provide trainees with practical, evidence-informed teaching strategies that are immediately applicable. “We’re all still practising teachers, so we know what the trainees are experiencing,” Lyn explains. “Mentors can provide praise, feedback and honesty, all of which is borne from a place of understanding.”
Helping build confidence in the classroom
“New trainees will benefit from research-based mentoring. There’s so much underpinning it,” Lyn says. “There’s a real focus on the ‘why’ behind using certain techniques and strategies.”
Each week, trainees concentrate on a particular area such as lesson planning and this will be the focus of their self-study material, clinics and their mentor meeting. Mentors are trained to use strategies such as instructional coaching, a method that allows trainees to practice strategies to build their confidence before using the strategy with pupils. “Trainees have a chance to learn and practise a technique, receiving crucial coaching and feedback from their mentor before moving onto the next technique”, Lyn explains.
A career in teaching is rewarding and, with the right support, every teacher can make a significant impact on the lives of their pupils. Our Teacher Training programme ensures that trainees are never alone on this journey.
