Interestingly enough, my best mentor/mentorship experience took place through Zoom!

I was able to mentor a group of five first grade teachers who worked in the same school system, but in different schools within that school system. We worked on improving their math and science teaching over two years, and we met monthly or bi monthly online and I was able to assist them with writing their lessons and also give them resources to help them as they were planning to go forward. The joy that I got in return was seeing the exit tickets that they planned and how well their students did on them. I got so much out of being able to help them too! They also shared ideas with me that I could use in kindergarten to better prepare my students for when they went to first grade.

My most positive experience was from my first year in a new district and first year teaching Kindergarten. I had an older teacher on my team that literally sat with me every single afternoon to look over what we were teaching the next day and helped me add that to the human element of teaching littles.
I will never forget that. She wasn’t my assigned teacher but she did it everyday and I am 100% the teacher I am today because she took the time that year. I will be forever grateful and in turn I always try to be available for new teachers when they come to me as well!

I agree Brandie! I had a mentor like this my first few years of teaching, and that helped me so much in all my years after that know exactly what to do with my kindergarten students. Just having someone sit down to go over the human side of teaching makes all the difference!

My highlight was a mentee who received the teacher of the year in their first 4 years. This mentee was a diligent learner who was willing to accept feedback and was constantly looking for ways to better their craft. I was very proud.

I’ve also had incredible mentors in teachers who had been teaching 15+ years. I may not have done all they shared with me, but I listened to every word they shared and as I’m now in year 24, some of the tidbits that I didn’t use right away, have been tucked away in my head and I am using them now.

Older teachers may sometimes seem like they may not want to change or are doing things in an “old fashioned” way, but they’ve been teaching long enough to know that what’s old becomes new again, with improvements!

So find those veteran teachers, tuck away the wisdom they share with you as a mentor, and save them for when you’re a mentor too!

I had a mentee a few years ago and we met weekly on Wednesdays after school. I loved it because little did she know, but I learned a ton from her during these meetings too. We were just able to check in with each other and I could help her with those high-stress items that were holding her back. Sometimes I would help her create things or sort papers and we would talk. She was great and she did great things that year!

As a mentor, I've found it rewarding to guide new teachers through challenges and witness their growth. As a mentee, receiving personalized support and feedback has been invaluable for my professional development. Both roles have provided enriching perspectives and strengthened my teaching practice.