Support & Mentorship

by Ryan Duckworth CMEA Mentorship Representative

We all need support at some point. It really is just that simple. If there is one lesson that we’ve learned through this last year of implementing a state-wide mentorship program, that’s it.

Looking Back:

As I reflect on this past year of our mentorship program, the foremost thing that comes to mind is all the wonderful people with whom I’ve interacted. To everyone who has been a part of this journey: mentees, mentors, representatives, section presidents, volunteers, and the executive board, you have my sincere thanks and appreciation. We had twelve members participate in our program this first year as mentees, twenty-one trained, volunteer mentors ready to help, and every single CMEA section was involved.

Some of our participants were willing to share their perspectives on this past year. Peggy Stevens, a mentee in the Central Section, reported, “This program… provided a resource through my mentor for support and growth that has helped me create a more successful classroom environment for each of my classes K-6 by guiding me to resources that I could use to help restructure how I structured my class. My mentor also gave me some great lesson ideas that she used that my students absolutely loved!” Cynthia Jornstat of the Southern Border Section mentored a teacher in the Bay-Area. She says her mentee “was a capable teacher with doubts. It was nice to watch her develop confidence over the months.”

Throughout the year, we facilitated several statewide mentorship interactions. We held three training sessions for our mentors in the fall, facilitated a well-attended and productive mentorship session at CASMEC, and have had numerous conversations, in person and virtually, about the program. In an end-of-year survey, 75% of our mentees reported that they found their participation in the program was highly valuable to their professional growth. 83% of mentors and mentees found that the balance of time expected for the program was “just right” for their busy schedules. In all, I’m proud of what we have accomplished together, but I know we can do even better next year!

Looking Forward:

Through a more inclusive lens of mentorship, we are making improvements to the Mentorship Program, based on our experiences and membership feedback. At our CASMEC session in February, and in subsequent conversations among the leadership team, it became clear that promoting a mentorship program focusing on educators in their first five years of teaching was too limited in scope. Yes, the research indicates that the attrition rate for young teachers is near 33% in the first five years and that having a supportive mentor teacher is one of the most effective ways to counteract this trend. But there are myriad other situations where having a support system can vastly improve both practice and outcomes.

As a result, we are shifting from a focus exclusively on mentorship of new teachers to a wide-range of resources, support, and mentorship for all CMA members. This might include teachers who are changing roles or taking on new responsibilities in their career, as well as educators transitioning from elementary to middle/ secondary school, or from K-12 schools to university teaching. Some teachers will relocate to new geographic areas throughout the state. In addition, a handful of educators will move into administrative roles in their districts and communities. Our earlycareer teachers are navigating the California Teacher Induction Program or are working on their Teacher Performance Assessments can use extra support. We all need support at some point and our CMEA Support and Mentorship program will work to be a resource to help fill this need for membership.

We also want to expand and reinforce the networks of support both across the state and within each section. This past year we prioritized matching mentors and mentees based on specialization; that is, we tried to make sure a mentee teaching middle school orchestra was matched with a mentor who had experience and expertise in teaching middle school orchestra, even if it meant they worked on opposite ends of the state. Next year, we will continue to match people based on their specializations, offering even more specializations such as university and administration, but additionally connecting mentees to their local sections to build on local resources, knowledge, and opportunities. All this while maintaining a workable schedule for everyone involved. Everyone needs support at some point. If you are at a point of your career where you feel like you need some extra support, please take advantage of this program in 2023-2024. And if you are at a point of your career where you feel you can be that source of support for another educator, we encourage you to apply as a volunteer mentor for the 2023-2024 academic year. If you have questions about or suggestions for the CMEA Support and Mentorship Program, please email mentorship@calmusiced.com.

Sidebar:

Are you… bit.ly/CMEAsupport24 bit.ly/CMEAmentor24

• a first-year music teacher facing the prospect of a new job?

• an early-career educator hoping to improve your practice?

• a music education California Teacher Induction Candidate with a coach who isn’t familiar with music education?

• recently finished with the Induction program but wanting more music-specific support?

• recently moved to a new area and need to make new professional connections?

• changing roles as a music educator?

• starting a new program or class?

• changing assignments?

• being asked to try something new?

• starting a new career as an arts administrator or university professor?

• expanding your program to include new ideas or approaches?

• feeling overwhelmed?

• worried about burning out?

• needing to reconnect with a professional community to relight the spark?

• wanting extra professional support for any reason?

Then take advantage of CMEA’s free Support and Mentorship Program for our members. Apply below to get connected! Our profession is better when we’re working together.

Are you an established music educator who is willing to volunteer a few hours a month to support other music educators who want and need your support? Apply today to become a CMEA mentor.

(Note: Applying to be a mentor does not guarantee that you will be paired with a mentee in any given year.)