Sustaining the best and the brightest: empowering new early childhood teachers through mentoring

• Published in: International journal of mentoring and coaching in education Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 232 - 246
• Main Authors: Andrews, Rebecca, Hadley, Fay, Waniganayake, Manjula, Hay, Iain, Jones, Catherine, Liang, Xinyun Meg
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bingley Emerald Publishing Limited 27.05.2025; Emerald Group Publishing Limited
• Subjects: Beginning Teacher Induction; Beginning teachers; Careers; Collaboration; Communities of practice; Cooperative Learning; Distance Education; Distance learning; Early childhood education; Early Childhood Teachers; Educational Change; Empowerment; Individual Needs; Mentoring programs; Mentors; Novices; Professional Development; Professional relationships; Professionals; Psychological Needs; School Holding Power; Stakeholders; Teacher Competencies; Teacher Orientation; Teacher Persistence; Teaching; Theory Practice Relationship; Young Children; Australia; New South Wales Australia; Early childhood education; New teachers; Beginning teachers; Mentees; Mentoring; Online professional learning and development; Communities of practice
• ISSN: 2046-6854; 2046-6862; 2046-6862
• DOI: 10.1108/IJMCE-02-2024-0013

PurposeRetention of early childhood teachers in Australia is a critical issue, particularly for new teachers. The demanding nature of new teachers’ everyday work and high rates of stress and burnout have resulted in teachers leaving the sector. By designing a formal mentoring project, our aim was to support teachers to stay and flourish as respected professionals. This paper presents findings from the perspective of the mentees – new teachers in their first five years of employment in the sector.Design/methodology/approachWe designed and offered a two-phase multi-layered mentoring project to 145 new teachers (mentees) matched with 51 experienced teachers (mentors). It began with a mentor training course implemented by three experienced early childhood education academics and utilised a community of practice approach (Lave and Wenger, 1991). Data collected throughout the project included a pre- and post-survey and a needs satisfaction and frustration scale.FindingsAnalysis of survey data shows that mentee new teachers gained a better understanding of their role and built connections with peers and leaders. Survey data also demonstrates that effective mentoring can successfully contribute to addressing workforce challenges faced by early childhood teachers.Originality/valueThe project makes an original contribution through the design, implementation and evaluation of an innovative online mentoring project for teachers employed across the state of New South Wales, Australia.