Increasing the Effectiveness of Novice Teachers: Constructing Vicarious and Mastery Experiences Through a Collaborative Support Model

Introduction

Teacher attrition rates, particularly for new teachers (e.g., novice teachers), are a worldwide problem (Amitai & Van Houtte, 2022; Jalongo & Heider, 2006). Although educators in their first three years of their teaching profession experience rapid professional growth and effectiveness, they are still less effective than their more experienced colleagues (Jacob & McGovern, 2015; Rice, 2010). After three years of teaching, only 38% of early career teachers stay in the same school where they began their careers (Redding & Henry, 2018). To reduce attrition and increase job satisfaction of early career teachers, schools and districts across the United States offer induction and mentoring programs designed to meet the unique needs of beginning educators (Glazerman et al., 2010; Kutsyuruba et al., 2019; Maready et al., 2021; Wiens et al., 2019). New (novice) teachers require different approaches to professional development when compared to experienced educators and vary in how they seek validation from and collaboration with administrators and colleagues (Brunetti & Marston, 2018; Elliott et al., 2010). Therefore, it is critical to provide effective instructional support systems for novice teachers as they “find themselves amid a transition, maintaining their beliefs in 'good' instructional practices, but also disenchanted by the immediate results they observe with their students” (Gamborg et al., 2018, p. 22).

Covey (1996) stated, “the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing” (p. 75). The main thing in education is student achievement. Consequently, novice teachers' mentoring, instructional coaching, and administrator support should focus on professional development or coaching strategies to increase instructional effectiveness. Mentoring novice teachers requires teacher leaders; leaders who understand the constructs of effective instruction as well as the employment of strong leadership skills. A system of distributed leadership creates a culture of problem-solving, leading to an environment of collaboration, engagement, and high-quality teaching and learning (Garmston & Wellman, 2016; Zahed-Babelan et al., 2019). Zugelder et al. (2018) position leadership roles as a platform for expanding expertise in teaching and learning, creating collective empowerment.

Background

Instructional coaches and mentors have different roles in education, and their responsibilities vary significantly between schools and districts. A mentor is usually another teacher with the same responsibilities as the new teacher, yet often with little release time for meaningful pedagogical conversations related to instruction. Whereas instructional coaching often mirrors several elements of mentoring (e.g., trust-building, the establishment of safe zones, instilling wisdom), it usually extends further to support the new teacher through building a collaborative relationship that is ongoing and intentional, resulting in greater self-efficacy; and in turn, advancing student success (Zugelder, 2019).

However, at times it is not easy to distinguish between the duties of the school and the district. School leaders play a significant role in recognizing opportunities for distributive leadership. Principals set the stage for successful mentoring and coaching that aligns with instructional priorities, creating space for mentoring/coaching support to establish a positive culture for new teachers to strive and grow. Further, without strong criteria and a rigorous selection process, the mentoring partnership is at risk (Hobson et al., 2009). Qualities of effective mentors/coaches include trustworthiness, a history of instructional effectiveness, strong communications skills, and knowledge of subject matter (Hobson et al., 2009).