Mentors Observe New Teachers Thrive in First Year

A good number of new teachers struggle in their first year; however, many thrive. Too often, the story of struggle is more loudly amplified while the countless success stories about an awesome first year are barely audible in discussions about new teachers.  

Mentors of new teachers in the Rutgers Alternate Route program are changing this. They are turning up the volume on the successes of the new teachers they mentor, dispelling old assumptions, and boasting about the accomplishments for their new colleagues. Accomplished educators themselves, these mentor teachers can easily spot another great teacher when they see one. 

Having spent more than 30-weeks with their assigned new teachers, showing them the tricks of the trade and observing their lessons and interactions with students, mentors of our new teachers have concluded their new teaching colleagues had an awesome first year. They make it clear that it is possible for a new teacher to make an immediate impact right from the start of their teaching career or to establish themselves quickly as an impact teacher once they learn the teaching ropes from effective mentors like themselves. 

Below, we’ve captured insights from mentors who observed their assigned new teachers succeeding in the areas of student relationships, effective lessons, school community contributions and more.

Building strong relationships with students  

The teacher-student relationship is at the center of the learning and teaching process, and the new teachers in our program are clearly activating their skills in this area. We've all heard it said that students don't care what their teacher knows until they know that their teacher cares.  

How can teachers demonstrate they care? By showing up for students in ways that make them feel seen and heard, which is achievable through simple gestures like treating them kindly, indulging their interests, and listening with empathy. Research shows that positive teacher-student relationships pay off for students in the areas of attendance, achievement and social development.  Learn about the ways teacher candidates in our program show up for their students and lay a strong foundation for the learning and teaching relationship.  

Planning effective, fun, creative lessons

For too many students, attending school is boring, particularly when it's a teacher-centered experience that targets a single learning style and overly emphasizes middle achievers. Students who experience school in these types of classroom settings risk becoming distracted, misbehaving, or falling behind. Fortunately for students of our Alternate Route candidates, their classrooms feature skillfully planned lessons by creative teachers committed to making learning pleasurable for all learner types. Their adeptness at planning effective, fun and creative lessons earned them overwhelmingly favorable ratings by their principals, according to our 2021-2022 principal surveys. Their mentors, who observe them informally and meet with them as many as 2-3 times weekly to provide guidance, also took note of their instructional effectiveness.

Contributing member of the school community

Not only are new teacher candidates in our program advancing student learning in their classrooms, but they are also advancing their entire school communities with their contributions outside of the classroom. From planning with data during grade-level meetings and sponsoring extracurricular offerings to initiating school beautification projects and anti-bullying campaigns, their mentors proudly share the ways in which their mentees pitch in as team players in the school community.  

As teacher leaders taking on the role of supporting new teachers, mentors of Alternate Route candidates understand the value of the contributions made by their new colleagues. Teachers who execute their leadership potential have increased longevity in the profession and effect greater student learning gains, according to a report by the Center for Teaching Quality. Mentors are inspired by these benefits to the profession and recognize how their mentees demonstrate teacher leadership.

Demonstrating resilience and growth

Not every mentor saw their new teacher mentee demonstrate the skill of a veteran from day one like Alexander Bright’s mentor who said, “He manages his classroom as veteran teacher, and his students appreciate his modeling of teaching.”  

Nevertheless, most saw tremendous growth over the school year as new teachers became more confident and began implementing their mentors’ advice. Mentors also took stock of the resilience of new teachers who navigated logistically challenging logistical teaching assignments like elementary teacher Nellie Brida’s.  

Her mentor observed:

“[Nellie] worked at two completely different schools in two completely different classes. She needed to adjust to the specific needs of students in both those classes. This is difficult for some experienced teachers. She handled it well, used her experiences from one placement to help with her next assignment. She built close relationships with her students and their families. It was a pleasure to watch her gain confidence as the year progressed!”

Mentors spoke of their colleagues’ growth with the same pride they might recognize their students’ growth.

Going above and beyond

Teaching is just one of those professions where, when you love what you do, you’re willing to do whatever it takes to effect the desired outcome. Many mentors observed this characteristic in the new teachers they mentored, taking note of extra learning support, lunchtime games, and impressive home-school-community connections. 

First-grade teacher Ebony Lamb is one of those teachers, according to her mentor, who writes, 

"Ms. Lamb consistently went above and beyond to support her students' academic achievement - this meant pulling groups during breakfast, holding extra support groups in the afternoon, supporting kids during enrichment. She had a "whatever it takes" mindset to get her kids prepared for second grade."  

Art teacher Olivia Diehl-Reed is also a card-carrying member of the extra mile teacher club. Her mentor remembers fondly,

"Olivia played games at lunchtime with students. She attended many after-school events and generally made students feel appreciated for who they were regardless of their academic achievements. She met them where they were academically and helped them move forward through kindness and effective communication."

And finally, Nicole Madison's efforts to make home-school-community connections have not gone unnoticed. The New Brunswick, New Jersey teacher receives well-deserved accolades from her mentor, 

"Nicole Madison is a culturally responsive educator. She provided a safe and cognitively engaging learning environment while maintaining deep partnerships with parents and the community."

Mentors who coach them are proud to call them colleagues.

They thrive when it comes to student relationships. This is something the program emphasizes and candidates are clearly mastering. Students don’t care what you know until they know you care.

If you’re considering following your dream of teaching, Rutgers Alternate Route can offer you the support and training you need to succeed. Be sure to follow Rutgers Alternate Route on Twitter sign up for Alternate Route’s monthly newsletter for more information and stories from the field of education.