Teacher induction and mentorship policies: the pan‐Canadian overview

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this exploratory article is to address the questions of teacher attrition and retention by examining the policies supporting beginning teachers in different jurisdictions (provinces and territories) in Canada through teacher induction and mentorship programs. Design/methodology/approach -This research study relied on the collection of documents as the primary method of data collection. Both policy documents as means of external communication and the informal responses to formal policies by various stakeholders were analyzed in a complementary fashion in this study. The study examined numerous government documents, websites, program/ policy memoranda, newsletters, as well as academic reviews pertaining to beginning teacher induction programs across Canada. Findings -Data analysis revealed significant policy variability across the provinces and localities, with comprehensive induction programs instituted only by the educational authorities in New Brunswick, Ontario, and Northwest Territories. A fundamental building-block of the induction programs was the creation of a formal mentoring program that matched experienced teachers with teachers who were new to the profession and/or to the province/territory. Research limitations/implications -Policy makers should consider the implementation of structured induction programs that successfully inculcate new teachers into school cultures and result in decreased teacher attrition and increased retention of beginning teachers. Mentoring is at the core of successful induction programs. Evident in all policy-mandated induction programs under study was the importance of the school principal's role in effective functioning of mentoring programs. This aspect of the principal's role should be further examined and researched to understand the administrator role in the implementation and functioning of effective induction and mentoring programs for beginning teachers not only in Canada but worldwide. Practical implications -In considering implementation of teacher induction programs, policymakers need to be aware that comprehensive, intensive support programs for new educators are both an effective and an efficient public investment. If mandated by policies at the macro levels as part of formal induction programs, mentoring programs have the potential to transform schools into collaborative places by establishing a culture of mentoring in schools. Originality/value -Despite the perceived and actual benefits, government-instituted induction programs for new teachers are not very common in Canada. While the discussions of such programs are certainly present in the educational literature, this exploratory pan-Canadian review of induction and mentoring policies has the ability to inform provincial and territorial policymakers about the variability in institutionalizing those programs.

Mentoring for educators’ professional learning and development

“…The complexity of the mentoring process is exacerbated by the holistic nature of mentor roles (Clutterbuck, 2004). Mentors have professional development roles (as educators, as role models, as professionals who introduce the mentees to the culture of the school and facilitators helping mentees to gain access to resources) but also psychosocial support roles (as they have experienced what the mentees are experiencing and, therefore, know how to cope with it) (Garza et al, 2014;Hobson and Malderez, 2013;Kutsyuruba, 2012;Tan, 2012;Wyatt and Arnold, 2012). Dominguez and Hager (2013) and Parylo et al (2012), Tan (2013) noted that mentees prefer mentors who help them in their professional development.…”

“…Researchers studying mentoring relationships in the United States see mentoring as a form of "sponsorship", whilst researchers from the European tradition approach see mentoring as a means of supporting professional development (Brondyk and Searby, 2013, p. 193;Reddick, 2012, p. 37). Authors such as Kutsyuruba (2012) and Hobson and Malderez (2013), nonetheless incorporate both traditions by defining mentoring as a form of support and sponsorship towards professional development.…”

“…Most papers in this review point out the abundance of positive impacts of mentoring for mentees in the literature (Boswell et al, 2015;Hobson and Malderez, 2013;Kutsyuruba, 2012;Lunsford, 2014;Ng, 2012;Parylo et al, 2012) Mentors also benefit from mentoring relationships, particularly from the development of new forms of learning communities (Kutsyuruba, 2012). The development of these learning communities through mentoring may challenge the current perspective of the mentor as a sage and the mentee as someone who will need to be guided carefully in beginning a career (Kutsyuruba, 2012). Parylo et al (2012) also recognized that "mentor benefits include collegiality and networking" (p. 124).…”

Supporting New Teachers as Designers of Learning

“…The effective support of teachers who are beginning their career remains a complex problem of practice in education. In Canada, researchers have estimated that as many as 40-50% of teachers leave in their first five years of the profession [1][2][3]. However, leaving is not the only detrimental outcome of challenging induction experiences.…”

Collaborative Mentoring Pedagogy in Initial Teacher Education: Lessons from a Scottish Context

“…Literature indicates mentoring fosters the professional development of student teachers, early career teachers, and experienced teachers (Aderibigbe, 2013;Aspfors & Bondas, 2013;Kutsyuruba, 2012). It is also reported that mentoring between teachers and student teachers underpinned by collaborative philosophy aids students' learning (Aderibigbe, 2013).…”