Your work as an associate teacher is integral to the learning and growth of teacher-candidates. You serve as a "first mentor" to our newest teachers by providing ongoing consulting, collaborating and coaching support during and often well beyond the practicum placement.
The diagram is my attempt to summarize the strong connection between the foundational elements of mentorship and the role of associate teachers. We know in Ontario many associate teachers also serve as mentors as part of the New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP). As the diagram illustrates, the one key difference in these roles is the responsibility of associate teachers for evaluating the teacher-candidate during their practicum.
Reciprocal learning is a foundational component of successful mentoring relationships between associate teachers and teacher-candidates. One of the most powerful outcomes of this mentorship is that it serves as a means for job embedded de-privatization of practice and fosters reflection, learning and growth of mentors themselves. In summary, associate teaching is an act of learning.
Enhancing Collaboration in Support of Associate Teachers
What if faculties of education, teacher federations and school boards intentionally collaborated to provide a menu of supports for associate teachers?
In 2022 and 2023, I was privileged to work with and learn from the Ontario Teachers’ Federation (OTF), Western and Lakehead Universities and local federation and school board leaders to do exactly this.
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Read the report from the OTF featuring practical examples and key learnings from these projects.
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