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It’s easy to see why many newly qualified teachers appreciate the support that mentoring offers – but it’s far from a one-way street, as Barbara Oaff discovers.
According to research carried out by the School of Education at Nottingham University, newly qualified teachers (NQTs) benefit from mentoring in three ways. At a practical level, they develop an awareness of their school’s ethos and everyday structure. Personally, they gain a feeling of acceptance and approval. And professionally, they acquire a deeper understanding of curriculum delivery and classroom management.
But perhaps what’s more surprising is that those who mentor report similarly striking outcomes. In a survey conducted for the Teacher Training Agency (TTA) – which became the Training and Development Agency for schools (TDA) on 1 September – respondents highlighted several advantages.
They include professional pride, with one teacher saying: “There is a sense of privilege in being so closely involved with the preparation of the teachers of the future". Another talks of the potential benefits for the teaching profession, saying: "The mentoring role raises the status of teaching within the educational field." And a third teacher emphasises the advantages for every member of the school team, reporting that: "This process has now begun to improve our own practice as communicators and as educators of both young children and the student teachers." For GTC member Dr Arthur Naylor: "Mentoring is not a one-way process - insight, inspiration and encouragement flows in both directions." Nominated to the GTC by the Standing Conference of Principals, Arthur is Principal of St Mary’s College in Twickenham. He firmly believes that: "Mentoring develops, maintains and sustains the health of the profession. The vitality of today's and tomorrow's teachers depends on it."
Now the GTC aims to raise the standard and esteem of mentoring more widely across the profession. Helping the process is a new GTC network – Engage – launched this September. Using a specially developed database, new teachers will be able to make contact with one or two others and, via email, enjoy a type of peer-to-peer mentoring. In addition, those joining Engage will receive notice of relevant research and national developments, plus invitations to events.
"We hope that Engage will provide valuable additional support to mentees and mentors. This is vital if we are to ensure new and experienced teachers stay with, and thrive in the profession,” says GTC Professional Networks Manager, Elizabeth Gowing. In addition, the GTC is formulating a new set of standards that will measure and recognise mentors. These are being managed through the GTC’s Teacher Learning Academy, set up to provide public and professional recognition for teachers’ learning and development. At the outset, the new certification will be limited to mentors of the initial teacher training programme, but in time, the hope is that it will apply to all mentors. GTC project manager, Sara Morgan, is excited for two main reasons. "The first is that we can now look forward to a more streamlined and unified approach to mentoring,” she says. "And the second is that the people doing this will be able to monitor and improve their work and be recognised for it. Ultimately they will become champions of mentoring."
* Barbara Oaff is a freelance journalist.
