How Mentor Success Academy works
Mentor Success Academy trains the mentor. Each week for 12 weeks, an experienced teacher completes a short online training module on their own time, then meets with a mentee teacher for 30–45 minutes to put that week’s skill into practice. After 12 weeks, the mentor keeps those skills for the next teacher they support and can earn the annual MSA Certified Mentor credential.
The mentor is the one being trained
MSA is training for mentors: experienced teachers who support other teachers. We teach them how to mentor, so your program keeps those skills long after the 12 weeks end.
The mentor learns
Each week, the mentor completes a short training module on their own time, with real classroom scenarios on coaching teachers with different personalities and working styles.
The mentor practices
The mentor puts that week's skills to work right away, meeting with a mentee for 30–45 minutes, observing in the classroom and reflecting together.
The skills stay
After 12 weeks, the mentor can earn MSA certification and is ready to mentor the next teacher, and the next, building a team that grows its own great educators.
What happens each week
- Training module. The mentor works through that week’s module online, on their own time. Each module has 16 coaching scenarios, one for each leadership expression profile.
- Classroom observation. The mentor observes the mentee’s classroom using the Quality Interaction Framework (QIF), a clear, consistent way to look at teacher–child interactions.
- Mentoring meeting. Mentor and mentee meet for 30–45 minutes to talk about what the mentor saw and choose one specific practice for the mentee to work on.
- Reflections. Mentor and mentee each complete a short reflection on the week’s focus, so the next meeting starts from what’s actually happening in the classroom.
The week’s topic follows the 12-week program: emotional climate first, then classroom organization, then instructional support. See the program week by week.
Coaching each teacher the way they learn best
Mentor Success Academy’s training is built on MSA’s LEAP framework. LEAP stands for Leadership Expression Assessment Profile. Mentors and mentees each take MSA’s LEAP Quiz to find their natural leadership expression: four core expressions (Driver, Inspirer, Sustainer and Cultivator) and 12 blends, for 16 profiles in all.
The same feedback can land very differently with different teachers. In every training scenario, mentors learn to read their mentee’s profile, notice when their own natural style will miss, and adapt how they coach.
Mentors are trained. Your whole program benefits.
Mentors
The ones being trained. Experienced teachers learn how to observe, give feedback and coach, then earn MSA certification and keep those skills for every teacher they support next.
Mentees
The teachers your mentors support. They meet with their mentor each week and get steady, personal support while the mentor puts new skills into practice.
Directors
Choose the teachers to train as mentors, protect weekly meeting time and build a team that can grow its own great teachers. The director dashboard shows each mentor’s progress at a glance.