The Teachers Who Teach Teachers

World Teachers’ Day is an opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary impact that teachers have on the lives of young people. However, throughout my work as an ECT Programme Lead and Lead Mentor, I have come to appreciate another group of teachers whose influence is equally important: the teachers who teach teachers.

One of the most significant lessons I have learned from working with ITT trainees and Early Career Teachers is that a teacher’s current performance is rarely an accurate indicator of their future potential. It can be tempting to focus on where someone is now, particularly when they are navigating the steep learning curve of their first years in the profession. Yet time and again, I have seen how the right support, guidance and encouragement can unlock remarkable growth.

I think particularly of one trainee who lacked confidence in their subject knowledge. At the beginning of their training, this uncertainty affected how they planned and delivered learning. Through a strong mentoring relationship, however, they gradually developed the ability to identify the key knowledge pupils needed to learn, sequence that knowledge effectively and anticipate common misconceptions. They became increasingly confident in recognising gaps in understanding and adapting their teaching to address them. Their journey was a powerful reminder that potential is not fixed and that development often looks very different from where it starts.

Experiences like this have also shaped my understanding of what makes mentoring so effective. The strongest mentors build trusting relationships, model practice authentically and recognise the inherent power imbalance that can exist within mentoring conversations. Rather than judging performance, their focus remains on development. They provide specific, actionable feedback that helps trainees and ECTs take meaningful next steps.

Importantly, mentoring extends beyond scheduled meetings. Great mentors are often the first port of call when new teachers face challenges. Whether supporting someone after a difficult lesson, helping them prioritise workload, discussing how to respond consistently to behaviour, or translating evidence-informed practice into the reality of a classroom, mentors provide both reassurance and practical guidance. In doing so, they help colleagues become more capable, competent and confident in their roles.

I have come to appreciate that professional learning is never a one-way process. Some of the most valuable ideas I have adopted have come from the trainees and ECTs I have worked alongside. One ECT, for example, introduced retrieval grids and interactive quizzes that strengthened retrieval practice and provided effective ways of checking understanding. Their fresh perspective enhanced my own thinking and reminded me that early career colleagues bring valuable insights that enrich our profession.

“The strongest mentors build trusting relationships, model practice authentically and recognise the inherent power imbalance that can exist within mentoring conversations. Rather than judging performance, their focus remains on development”.

Perhaps this is why mentoring matters so much. It reflects the fact that expertise is continually developing. As a secondary-trained music teacher, I once found myself teaching music in the early years. It quickly became apparent that expertise is often domain and context specific. Knowledge and experience remain important, but they must be adapted to new contexts. That experience reinforced my belief that we are all learners throughout our careers.

On this World Teachers’ Day, I am reminded that the strength of our profession lies not only in what we know, but in how willing we are to help others develop. By investing in one another, sharing expertise and remaining open to learning, we create the conditions for both colleagues and pupils to flourish.

Never judge a teacher’s future potential by their current performance, and never underestimate the difference a great mentor can make.