4 Mentoring as a wider role

Mentoring can involve the support of one beginner teacher, or it can grow to take wider responsibilities for several beginner teachers in school or to a whole-school, strategic approach to mentoring.

Taking on a wider role is likely to involve working closely with one or more ITE partnerships to ensure the cohesive design of beginner teachers’ learning experiences, and a shared vision of effective mentoring practices across your school (and perhaps other schools in your network).

A wider mentoring role will also require ensuring a number of practical structural supports are provided within the school, such as: enabling additional release time for mentors to undertake their work; timetable structures to enable mentor/mentee time together in the classroom; and professional learning support and recognition for the work of mentoring (Hobson and Malderez, 2013). Establishing a collegial learning culture, with access to support for both mentors and beginner teachers outside of their mentoring relationship, is also an important aspect of the role.