Supporting early career teachers: mentoring in NSW government schools

In Australia, the majority of teachers enter the profession with positive motivations to teach and a strong desire to be effective. Despite these positive intentions and expectations, Early Career Teacher (ECT) attrition rates continue to rise. Given the high rate of attrition and the related consequences, including the negative impact on student achievement, there is a significant need to examine how ECTs may be supported to remain in schools and succeed in the profession. This project was developed in response to the high attrition rates and focused on the experiences of ECTs working in one high need area of Sydney. Specifically, the project centred on the mentoring support ECTs received in one secondary school as a result of a recently implemented government initiative. Cultural Historical Activity Theory provided the framework for an in-depth, holistic examination of mentoring support for ECTs. Data was collected using a multi method exploratory case study approach comprising a questionnaire, interviews and document analysis. The range of data enabled exploration of systematic contradictions that arose within and between the identified activity systems. The findings highlight that all stakeholders had genuinely positive intentions for the ECTs. The quality of the overall mentoring support, however, was impacted significantly by the highly accountable, standardised and performance driven nature of the education system in NSW. In the absence of flexibility in other areas, it was apparent that the school needed greater support to utilise the flexibility they were afforded to design and implement a high quality mentoring program. This included support to: meet individualised needs; understand the benefits of different mentoring models; and appreciate the potential developmental benefits of the mandatory accreditation process in NSW schools. The need to push back against this accountability model and redevelop the professionalism of teaching was also apparent. In addition, the findings highlight the need for all ECTs to be supported at the individual school level, irrespective of their employment status as a permanent or non-permanent teacher. This project adds to the existing body of literature that seeks to understand how ECTs can be supported effectively during their transitional years and extends understanding of how policy requires systemic support to enable key stakeholders to work together to realise success