| The teachers who graduated with me left teaching | | | | rationale is that through observing a teacher, a |
| right after their first year. They complained of a lack | | | | teacher acts as a shadow, observes and sees what |
| of new teacher support and difficult teaching | | | | works and what doesn't for his/her lessons and can |
| conditions. I believe that if they had the right teacher | | | | take good and helpful things. It is preferable to write |
| mentorship, guidance and proper support, they might | | | | down what works and what doesn't. You will see |
| have reconsidered their teaching posts and might | | | | that over a period of time, you will have already |
| have stayed on in their teaching careers. | | | | acquired another set of teacher eyes for difficult |
| Teacher mentorship is one way to foster a feeling of | | | | classroom situations that you will unexpectedly |
| support. I have seen too many times teachers | | | | encounter There is nothing better than feeling you |
| walking out of classrooms feeling isolated and alone | | | | can handle a class all on your own. |
| because they feel they need to show the system | | | | Like many new teachers, I had to sink or swim, but, |
| that they can manage a class. While this is true on | | | | I refused to give in to the isolation and loneliness. It is |
| one hand, it does not mean that you are not allowed | | | | hard to ask for help especially for a new teacher |
| to receive support and guidance. In fact, it is | | | | who is expected to take charge of his/her class in a |
| necessary right for first year teachers - full stop! | | | | relatively short period of time, but it can and should |
| Teacher mentorship is an active approach. The | | | | be done. |