This webinar highlighted how partnerships between residency programs, districts, and school leaders in the design phase of programming, as well as aligning on their values, are key to ensuring that participants in residency programs have quality mentors. Our panelists discussed bright spots and opportunities for tailoring impactful mentor development strategies to achieve this.

Speakers:

• Dr. Kathlene Campbell, CEO of National Center for Teacher Residencies
• Elizabeth Hearn, Director of Programs at National Center for Teacher Residencies
• Sara DeLano, Dean, Educator Pathways at Dallas College and Founding Executive Director, Center for Reigniting the Educator Workforce

Highlights and takeaways:

Strengthening mentorship to support teacher residents in a modern workforce
Mentoring must evolve to meet the needs of today’s new teachers, who are arriving via changing entry points into the profession, including residency programs.

• Mentoring mismatch: Much of traditional mentoring and induction is often designed for a different kind of teacher than those entering today.
• Missed opportunity: Residency graduates frequently leave due to a lack of post-program support.
• Focus on continuity: Sustained mentoring that takes root in residency programs and continues with coherence into early careers increases retention and maximizes prior investments in teacher resident candidates.

Designing high-quality teacher residencies
Well-structured and well-designed residency programs are key to building an effective and stable educator workforce.

• Residency essentials: Year-long clinical placement working with a trained and compensated mentor teacher and aligned coursework.
• Financial investment: Paying both mentors and residents removes longstanding barriers to entry.
• Scalable model: Residencies can support paraprofessionals, career changers, and undergraduates alike, demonstrating their ability to be responsive to new workforce development strategies that recruit quality talent.

Critical role of mentor teachers
Mentor teachers are central to the residency experience, requiring intentional development and system-wide coordination.

• Great teachers don’t always equal great mentors: Mentors need specific skills, training, and ongoing support.
• Multifaceted role: Mentors act as models, coaches, evaluators, emotional supports, and system navigators.
• System bridge: Mentors help residents navigate between prep programs, coursework, and schools/districts.
• Dual development: Effective mentoring fosters the growth of both the novice teacher and the mentor as leaders.

Bridging residency to induction
To retain early-career teachers, mentoring must extend beyond the residency year with coherent, aligned systems of support.

• Long-term view: Effective models include two years of post-residency mentoring.
• Shared practices: Alignment between prep programs and districts improves instructional continuity.
• Ongoing connection: Mentoring should continue into the early years of teaching to reinforce confidence and growth.
• Community matters: Connected mentoring communities foster a sense of belonging to a collective and reduce attrition.

Partnership powers impact
Effective mentoring programs are built on strong, intentional partnerships between preparation programs, districts, schools, and mentors.

• Triad coordination: Field supervisors, mentors, and residents must align roles, timing, and goals.
• Feedback loops: School leaders should inform and shape mentoring programs in real time.
• Sustained roles: Mentors should be able to serve across years, not just once.
• Continuous bridge: Residents benefit when mentors and programs remain connected after graduation and throughout their early career years.

Residencies as launchpads for leadership
Residency programs lay the foundation for early-career teachers to grow into confident educators — and future leaders.

• Leadership begins in residency: Residency participants begin developing leadership skills as they co-plan, co-teach, and reflect alongside expert mentors.
• Mentorship multiplies impact: Residents observe and practice the habits of strong instructional leadership from day one.
• Confidence to contribute: With the right support, residents emerge ready to lead inside their classrooms and collaborate across teams.
• A pipeline for tomorrow: When residents are well-supported, they’re more likely to stay, grow, and eventually take on formal leadership roles.

Creating conditions for resident success
To prepare and retain new educators, teacher residency programs must be embedded in supportive, aligned systems that meet residents’ real needs.

• Support starts with structure: Residency programs thrive when they’re built into district and school systems, not layered on top.
• Mentorship that evolves: Residents need mentors who are trained not only in pedagogy but also in the unique dynamics of residency support while understanding schools and districts.
• Whole-person development: Effective mentoring supports residents both emotionally and instructionally, building resilience alongside skill.
• Set the stage to stay: When residents train in environments with strong collaboration and support, they’re more likely to stay and lead in those schools.

Resources:

• Webinar Slide Deck: Bridging teacher residencies to classrooms through mentoring (NTC)
• Reimagining Mentor Professional Learning for Teacher Residency Programs (NCTR)
• Successful Teacher Residencies Brief (LPI)
• State and Federal Policy on Teacher Residencies (LPI)
• Summary of Research on Residencies as Apprenticeships (Ed Hub NY)
• Towards a National Definition of Teacher Residencies (NCTR)
• Developing and Strengthening Mentor Teachers in Teacher Residency Programs Triad Agreement Worksheet (NCTR)