Teachers who mentor each other have improved professional satisfaction and are better educators according to a new report highlighting the power of collaboration.
The report from the University of Melbourne shows collaborative mentoring has the potential to lift teacher efficacy, build collegiality, and reignite educators' sense of purpose, ultimately improving learning outcomes for students.
It provides a model for policymakers on how to embed this practice across the early childhood, school, and tertiary education sectors.
Collaborative mentoring is when two or more educators regularly switch roles between mentor and mentee to develop their expertise . This reciprocal process allows them to share knowledge and learn from each other, helping them grow as professionals and gain confidence in their teaching.
With growing concerns around teacher wellbeing, high attrition rates, and a declining interest in entering the profession, collaborative mentoring can keep teachers in the occupation and improve the quality of teaching.
It does this by giving teachers a safe and supportive space to talk about their work, think through challenges, and learn from each other.
"Traditional professional development often overlooks the knowledge and expertise teachers already hold," lead author Associate Professor Jeana Kriewaldt from the University of Melbourne said.
"Educators thrive when they feel seen, heard, and trusted," A/Prof Kriewaldt said. "By creating the conditions for genuine collaboration, built on safety, trust and reciprocity, we can support educators to stayand flourish in the profession."
To be effective, the approach requires specific processes and training. Tools such as observation guides and conversation protocols help educators engage in constructive and meaningful dialogue.
The report calls for policymakers and education leaders to prioritise collaborative mentoring and implement systems that embed it into everyday professional practice.
"Repositioning educators' expertise at the centre of their practice is key to supporting the profession to stay, grow, and lead," the authors write.
The report identifies five key messages for embedding this approach:
- Collaborative mentoring fuels great teaching and fosters professional growth.
- Creating safe and trusting environments is fundamental to successful collaborative mentoring.
- Collaborative mentoring is a reciprocal, tailored, strengths-based, and ongoing process.
- Teachers' expertise should be at the centre of their practice.
- Embedding collaborative mentoring in workplaces can lead to educators staying and flourishing in their profession
