Professional development for mid-career teachers often feels like a prescribed course, but Micki Caskey and Karen Swanson propose a different approach. They argue that mutual mentoring—where colleagues trek together toward shared goals—can reignite passion and address the unique challenges faced by experienced educators. Their vision reframes professional growth as an adventure shaped by choice rather than mandate.
The Birth of a Collaborative Idea
Caskey and Swanson, both middle school educators and university faculty, first connected through the Association for Middle Level Education nearly two decades ago. Their collaboration began during the pandemic, evolving from casual conversations into a structured focus on mentoring. This journey culminated in their book, Mutual Mentoring for Mid-Career Teachers: Trekking with Colleagues for Joy and Growth, which explores how peers can support one another through reciprocal professional relationships.
Their emphasis on mid-career teachers stems from a gap in traditional mentoring programs. While much attention goes to novice educators, experienced teachers often grapple with exhaustion, shifting curricula, and evolving student needs. Research indicates that factors like disciplinary issues, school management, and testing requirements contribute to teacher turnover, yet many mid-career educators seek renewed purpose instead of leaving the profession entirely.
Choosing Your Own Trail
Mutual mentoring begins with finding a trusted colleague, a peer, who shares curiosity and a willingness to explore new ideas. Neither mentor nor mentee is designated; both bring expertise, questions, and a desire to grow. The relationship centers on identifying who walks beside you.
Unlike top-down professional development, this approach lets teachers design their own learning paths. Topics might include curriculum innovation, instructional strategies, or current research. The process is flexible, allowing for detours and shared discovery. “A good trekking partner doesn’t walk ahead shouting directions,” Caskey and Swanson write. “They walk beside you, discovering new paths together.”
The authors describe this journey using the metaphor of a backpack. Teachers carry a pack that may include lesson plans, instructional strategies, curriculum materials, professional knowledge, memories, successes, disappointments, hopes, and assumptions. Some of these things are essential, while others may have become heavy. Recognizing what you carry allows educators to decide what to leave behind and what to carry forward.
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Dialogue serves as a key waypoint on the trek. Structured conversations about joys, challenges, and aspirations create space for intentional reflection. Try asking a teacher-friend: What do you like about your teaching and want to continue? What would you change if you could? Where might you look for inspiration? What brings you joy? What gives you hope? Dialogue is an intentional, intellectual, and inclusive way for teachers to share information and experiences.
Benefits Beyond the Individual
When teachers mentor one another, schools benefit from improved morale, stronger professional relationships, and a culture of shared inquiry. The authors emphasize that mutual mentoring is not a formal program but an organic process requiring only two willing colleagues. By choosing a destination, pausing for dialogue, and traveling the path, teachers can rediscover their connection to the work.
Teaching is a complex and personal profession. By working together and supporting one another, teachers can work through the challenges of their profession and find joy and fulfillment in their work.
Reconnecting Through Shared Inquiry
Caskey and Swanson reconnected years later through the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference. Both were looking for ways to improve their practice, much like the action research they had encouraged in middle schools.
Conversation matters for teachers because teaching is complex and constantly changing. Teachers can help one another ask better questions and seek better answers.
