Congratulations to Dr. Tammi Davis for her recent feature in Mind’s Eye magazine. Davis is associate professor in the School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences at Missouri State University.
As an educator with over 20 years of experience — including 10 years as a teacher educator — Davis has prioritized her research to study the experiences of new teachers.
Congratulations Dr. Davis!
The full story is now available online.
Excerpt:
During the course of her research, Dr. Tammi Davis has found there is a lack of guidance and support for teachers in the early years of their careers.
“The first few years are a crucial time in the development of novice teachers,” said Davis, associate professor in the School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences at Missouri State University. “They need mentorship and support to help guide them so they’re not navigating it all alone.”
Evidence shows formal mentorship provides teachers with the support they need for their professional development. But there is little research on the implementation and effectiveness of formal mentorship programs, and it is not standardized across the U.S.
“Many states that require teachers to have mentors don’t have high quality mentorship programs,” Davis said. “Some states don’t require mentors at all.”
Tamar had to think outside the box to find ways to volunteer in this field since it was in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. 