Mentoring novice teachers

ABSTRACT The support received by novice teachers in their first-year impacts staff retention and overall teaching quality. Thus, a smooth transition into the profession has long-term, positive benefits for novice teachers and their students. However, despite the fundamental importance of early professional development of novice teachers, support is often non-existent or insufficient – due to a lack of research-based evidence to justify funding and guide more efficacious processes for novice teacher induction. This idiographic study describes an ‘internal-external model’, whereby a former teacher is brought back to mentor three novices through their first year and their professional accreditation. Findings are discussed according to mentor qualities (communication, nurturing, non-hierarchical/equal) and mentor practices (independence, supportive executive, collaborative coach and resources/support). The study provides support for the external hybrid mentor model. Internal mentors (i.e. colleagues) often face time constraints, role ambiguity and potential conflicts of interests, all of which external (paid) mentors can overcome.