When you have a question—about classroom management, lesson planning, or even where to apply for teaching jobs—who do you tend to turn to for advice? The social connections, or networks, you build during your teacher preparation program can be an important source of support, not only as a pre-service teacher, but also as you enter the teaching profession. Your social networks can help you find a teaching job (Jabbar et al. 2019), boost your teaching confidence (Siciliano 2016), and even help shape your teaching performance (Liou et al. 2016).
As teacher educators and experienced K–12 teachers, we wanted to learn more about the social networks of pre-service teachers. We asked 16 math and science pre-service teachers enrolled in a teacher preparation program about their social networks. We found that faculty mentors who drew on their own K–12 classroom experience to provide pre-service teachers with practical insights into the realities of teaching were key mentors for pre-service teachers. For instance, one pre-service teacher said, “It’s much easier [to learn from Caitlin] than from other professors… from her it feels like learning from experience, and I feel I’m more well prepared as a teacher.” We also found that some pre-service teachers had larger social networks than others. For example, some were connected to as many as five individuals, while others turned to only one person for advice.
These findings matter because pre-service teachers who have larger social networks tend to find more support from having a larger, professional community when they encounter teaching challenges. In other words, having a larger social network means having more people at your side you can turn to for advice about teaching. Our findings also suggest that staying connected with faculty mentors can be especially beneficial. Pre-service teachers reported feeling better prepared to enter the teaching workforce in part because of their faculty mentors. Staying connected with your faculty mentors as new teachers can provide an ongoing source of practical and insightful advice you can use as you navigate teaching challenges, particularly during the first few years of teaching, which are often the toughest.
Below, we offer six key strategies for building and growing your social networks as a pre-service teacher. Think of your social networks as part of your supportive professional community. The connections you make in your teacher preparation program today can support you as you prepare to enter the teaching profession as new teachers.
Strategies to Build and Grow Your Networks
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Build peer communities with other pre-service teachers in your program. Start or join a group chat or social media page with classmates in your educator preparation programs to share teaching resources or tips, especially during your student teaching and clinical teaching courses.
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Stay connected with your faculty mentors, even after you complete your teacher preparation program. Reach out to your faculty mentors for an in-person or virtual coffee chat. You can share how your courses and teaching experiences are going and use the time to ask for advice as you prepare for certification exams.
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Start or join a student organization. Connecting with other pre-service teachers in your program through a student group can provide you with social support, leadership experience, and a safe space as you get ready to enter the teaching profession.
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Build relationships in your field placement and student teaching courses. Get to know your mentor teacher and other school staff. They can become long-term mentors and write recommendation letters when you apply for teaching jobs.
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Join a professional teacher organization. Groups like Kappa Delta Pi, a national professional association and honor society for educators, can connect you with valuable resources and professional communities to help you continue to be responsive to students’ needs and support your growth during your educator preparation program courses and as you transition into the classroom.
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Volunteer on panels. Reach out to your faculty mentors to learn about opportunities to share your experiences with other pre-service teachers and stay connected with your faculty mentors.
Jabbar, Huriya, Marisa Cannata, Emily Germain, and Andrene Castro. 2019. “It’s Who You Know: The Role Of Social Networks In a Changing Labor Market.” American Educational Research Journal 57 (4): 1485–1524. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831219879092.
Liou, Yi-Hwa, Alan J. Daly, Esther T. Canrinus, Cheryl A. Forbes, Nienke M. Moolenaar, Frank Cornelissen, Michelle Van Lare, and Joyce Hsiao. 2016. “Mapping the Social Side of Pre-service Teachers: Connecting Closeness, Trust, and Efficacy With Performance.” Teachers and Teaching 23 (6): 635–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2016.1218329.
Siciliano, Michael D. 2016. “It’s the Quality Not the Quantity Of Ties That Matters.” American Educational Research Journal 53 (2): 227–62. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831216629207.
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Dr. Solis Rodriguez is an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research focuses on educator preparation and development, with an emphasis on advancing educator quality, professional learning, and school improvement, especially in STEM areas. |
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Carrie Mitchell is a doctoral student and graduate research assistant at the University of Texas San Antonio. Her research focuses on educator preparation and special education. |
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Dr. Prasad is an Associate Professor and the Co-Director of the UTeachSA STEM Educator Preparation Program at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research focuses on math education. |
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Carey B. Walls; Dr. Walls is the Associate Director of the UTeachSA STEM Educator Preparation Program at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research focuses on STEM teacher preparation. |