The Positive Impacts of Mentorship For Educators And Students
Written By Abena Sey
October 17, 2020
Mentoring teachers has positive impacts upon teachers’ development and results in positive outcomes in the classroom. Mentorship is also essential for educational administrators, as it gives them the ability to learn while leading. A leader who values learning will encourage a culture of learning for their teachers.
Celoria & Roberson (2015) explored the effects of new principal coaching as a method of induction into this role. They showed that coaching grants new principals the opportunity to be reflective about their principalship with a trusting mentor who offers support and a safe space to share. “Study participants characterized new principal coaching as a safety net that gave them the space and support they needed to identify and address the uncertainty and stress associated with being a principal” (Celoria & Roberson, 2015). The principal and his/her coach develop a trusting relationship, and the principal is permitted to lead while learning. Leading while learning is also motivating for teachers who are encouraged to do the same for their professional development. When school administrators encourage their teachers to reflect, learn, and develop their teaching practices, they motivate their teachers to continuously learn ways to become better. This is a transformational leadership strategy.
According to Ross & Gray (2006), transformational leadership “enhances an organization by raising the values of members, motivating them to go beyond self interest to embrace organizational goals, and redefining their needs to align with organizational preference.” In their study, they proved that school principals can impact the results of students’ performance on standardized assessments, when they place importance on teachers continually learning ways to improve their efficacy in the classroom. Ross & Gray (2016) encouraged school administrators to approach this by setting feasible goals, clarifying standards, and establishing the connection between teachers’ actions and student outcomes.
Teachers and their students benefit from mentorship. The purpose of Onjoro et. al.’s (2015) study was to investigate how school administrators can motivate and mentor teachers to improve efficiency in the classroom. They suggested that transformational leadership is a highly motivating form of leadership because of the positive impact it has on a teacher’s practice and resultantly students’ learning. Onjoro et. al. (2015) argued that transformational leaders are “role models” who encourage “creativity and foster an atmosphere in which followers feel compelled to think about old problems in a new way”. This encouraging environment is free from criticism, and encourages mentorship and coaching that inspire teachers to move continually toward developing their potential.
Transformational leaders are committed to learning and developing as they lead, and have an expectation of learning and development for their teachers. They create a school culture that values growth and building teachers’ capacity for achieving the educational goals they set for their students.
References
Celoria, D. & Roberson, I. New Principal Coaching as a Safety Net. Educational Leadership and Administration: Teaching and Program Development, v26 p86-99 Mar 2015
Onjoro, V., Arogo, R. B., & Embeywa, H. E. Leadership Motivation and Mentoring Can Improve Efficiency of a Classroom Teacher and Workers in Institutions. Journal of Education and Practice, v6 n15 p1-14 2015
Ross, J. A. & Gray, P. School Leadership and Student Achievement: The Mediating Effects of Teacher Beliefs. Canadian Journal of Education 29, 3 (2006): 798-822