Build a Board of Mentors

Dr. William Crawley Dean, College of Education and Professional Studies, University of West Florida, Florida

While the process of becoming a teacher is a life changing and rewarding experience, it also comes with countless challenges. Fortunately, beginning teachers can tap into the expertise of veterans for support. An important strategy a new teacher should consider is building a Board of Mentors (BOM).

“Mentoring has often been understood as a relationship between an older, more experienced mentor and a younger, less experienced protégé for the purpose of helping the protégé’s career” (Crawley & Crawley, 2021). However, while a select mentor-teacher may have much to teach a protégé, one mentor may not be able to meet all the needs of a fledgling teacher. To overcome such gaps in experience or information, new teachers should prioritize the development of a BOM, a group of several mentors who can provide a diverse set of experiences and insights.

When building a personal BOM, you should consider the following priorities:

• Trust – Identify mentors who value a constructive mentormentee relationship built on confidence. They should recognize your need to express worries, angsts, and fears without expressing judgment.

• Listening – Seek mentors who are sincerely interested in hearing about your personal journey, including your passions and fears. Their support is essential to your success.

• Empathy – Look for individuals who through their own experiences have unique insights into many of the professional and personal issues you will encounter in your first years of teaching.

• Challenge – Seek out mentors who push and stretch their mentees to consider new perspectives and strategies.

• Respect – Place a priority on a healthy mentor-mentee relationship, especially one grounded in a sense of reciprocal esteem for each other.

It takes time to become a good teacher, and while a new teacher will surely feel exhilarated in working with eager learners and supportive colleagues, there is also much to learn – both about the classroom and oneself. A knowledgeable and diverse BOM will provide you with the support you need to enter this noble profession ready to share your love of learning and make a real difference in the lives of children.

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Congratulations on starting a highly rewarding and meaningful career. Take the time to enjoy being done with school, but it can’t hurt to start thinking about your own development as an educator. Going back to school may very well be in your future, but finding the right programs and the right college takes a bit of research. Ask around. Your teaching colleagues probably have some great insight into the next steps.

Crawley, W., and Crawley, A. (2021). Intergenerational Reciprocal Mentoring: Dynamics and Impact. The Chronicle of Mentoring and Coaching. 5(14), 340-346. Retrieved from https://www. mentor-cmc.com/cmc/cmc2021/