If you're reading this, chances are you've got one or more early career teachers (ECT) under your wing, and you're looking for ways to support them through the ups and downs of those first few years in the classroom.
After all, it’s arguably the trickiest time in their fledgling careers, and perhaps things are feeling like a bit of a struggle right now, not just on the standards front but also on the stress management front. Indeed, recent reports have shown that the Early Career Framework (ECF) isn't quite cutting it when it comes to teacher retention, with 21% of mentors believing that it's not doing enough to keep new teachers in the profession. What a surprise!
But let's be real for a second. Mentoring is no walk in the park, and it can be just as stressful for you as it is for your ECT. Mentors like you are struggling with the added workload that comes with supporting them. So what’s to be done? Let’s start with your ECT.
Strategies for supporting early career teachers
Helping your ECT manage their stress and workload while also taking care of yourself comes down to balance.
Prioritise open communication
First and foremost, prioritise open communication with your ECT. Regular check-ins are key to gauging how they're coping and offering guidance. Share your own tried-and-tested strategies for lesson planning, marking, etc., and don’t underestimate how your wisdom can help them work more efficiently and keep their heads above water. What’s second nature to you may be eye-opening for them!
Advocate for dedicated mentoring time
But it's not all on you - schools need to step up and provide dedicated time for mentoring sessions. This protected time is crucial for engaging in meaningful discussions and reflections with your ECT and can also be used for subject or phase-specific coaching. Advocate for this time and set boundaries to protect it - that way, you’ll both make the most of it when you get it.
Get a supportive and collaborative culture in place
Encouraging a supportive and collaborative culture among ECTs can also help lighten your load. Facilitate opportunities for them to share experiences and learn from one another through regular meetings, online forums, or peer observation schemes. Building a sense of community can make a world of difference and help them feel as though they have other people to turn to when things feel challenging.
What about your own stress management?
Now, here's the part for that old cliché about putting on your own oxygen mask first. Perhaps it should be something about putting up your hand when you need it - who knows? But the sentiment is the same.
Mentoring is a demanding role and it's essential that you take care of your own stress levels, too. Even the current schools minister, Damian Hinds, has admitted the workload of new teacher mentors is “too high.”
And the prize for one of the most obvious statements of this academic year goes to…
I digress.
Often, stress levels can rise when we feel out of our depth, so request the training and resources you need to develop your coaching and mentoring skills. And if it’s becoming too much - tell someone. Get clear on why it’s too much, present the facts and then have regular check-ins with your school leadership team. Are there other ECT mentors you can talk to? Opportunities to share best practices and challenges - or just scream into a pillow - with other mentors can help you feel supported and empowered in your role.
A balancing act
As you well know, teaching is a balancing act. One great thing about being a mentor is that you have a unique opportunity to help your ECT develop healthy habits and coping mechanisms that will serve them well throughout their teaching career. Encourage them to prioritise self-care, set boundaries, and find ways to manage stress from the very beginning.
By helping them establish these good habits early on, you're setting them up for long-term success and resilience in the face of the inevitable challenges that come with teaching. And that’s something you can’t put a price on. It might even act as a useful reminder about your own balancing act too.
For once in the teaching world, change is afoot. Those who’ve never set foot in a classroom have finally realised that the ECF needs to change. Come 2025, this will hopefully mean your role won’t impact your workload as much and that ECTs will get something far more beneficial out of the experience. We can only hope, right?
If you’d like some mental health and wellbeing support in your school, get in touch with Doug, who can talk you through how we can help - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Steph Caswell started out life as a primary school teacher, reaching the dizzy heights of deputy headship before turning her hand to writing. She’s the author of six books, and when not writing witty, opinionated content for Happy-Centred Schools, she supports other aspiring authors to write theirs.
