Characteristic 8: All residents are mentored by accomplished mentor teachers who reflect their LEA's and community's unique diversity.

The following evidence-based indicators should be used for each level of residency development. 

• Mentors have at least three years of teaching experience and a clear credential

• Mentors have a record of successful teaching, growth mindset, receptiveness to feedback, and willingness to disrupt problematic and racist actions

• Mentors reflect the teachers and students they serve

• Mentor selection strategy screens and vets’ potential mentors using multiple measures (e.g., paper application, interview, model lesson and debrief session, colleague recommendation, etc.)

• Mentor selection strategy includes assessment of a potential mentor's awareness of the impact of identity and institutionalized racism on teaching and learning in California

• Mentors receive specific training for the mentor teacher role

• Mentors receive ongoing professional development tied to resident learning and need

• Professional development builds capacity to mentor during and around TK-12 instructional time

• Mentors use knowledge of equity principles and culturally responsive pedagogy to support their resident to address issues of equity, bias, and access to standards-based curriculum

• Mentors use mentoring stances strategically to engage their resident in collaborative problem-solving and reflection

• Mentors develop the resident’s abilities to self-assess and co-assess practice based on evidence, to set professional goals, and monitor progress

• Mentors support residents to ground the critical analysis of teaching practice in student experience and learning

Level 1 residencies are residencies in the earliest stages of development. They are focusing on developing a mission and a vision for the residency. Level 1 residencies are developing authentic partnerships, developing basic budgets, and financial planning, and are defining hiring needs to be targeted by their new residency. 

Research-Based Evidence and Indicators